Shenghong International Hotel Wujiang

... at the Lama Temple in Beijing, we hadn't truly highlighted any temples, but this one was definitely worth it. Dove-tailing paths along the Fei Lang Peak ('Peak Flying From Afar') wound past Buddhist some neat Buddhist carvings in the rock faces which date from the 10th to 14th Century, a period which includes Hangzhou's run as capitol city during the Southern Song Dynasty. The temple complex was composed of a smattering of towering but ...

This entry is pretty old but I didn't get a chance to post it. Better late than never... Well...we've rented a nice 2BR apartment in the outskirts of Shanghai...on the Pudong side. It's huge compared to a couple of the apartments we saw on the Puxi side...and much newer. It's about 1100 square feet and we're only paying 2650RMB/month for it...that's about $340USD/month. What a bargain! It's about a 20-25 minute bus ride into "downtown" Shanghai which is ...

... at an astounding rate.... We saw a photo display of the main CBD and how it has changed over the past 10 years. I reckon they're getting carried away and it will become the next Manhattan, the only problem is they might not know when to stop. On top of all this building and crazy traffic - there's a smog that hangs over the city. So many people are wearing smog masks, I'd be tempted to join in - only Dave won't let ...

... it's natural to feel out of your element on the other side of the world, but your own country and your own home are supposed to feel comforting and from everything I've read (and a few tell-tale signs I've had, such as the oddness of feeling American money or how shocked I am by obese or tall people) I expect the reverse culture shock will be pretty severe. I don't know if it makes it better or worse that I'm leaving again promptly afterwards ...

... yourself think, and good live Irish music). I had beef stew, though, because I wanted it badly, and then we split up because they were going to eat Chinese food (which I have sworn off due to a sensitive stomach) and I wanted to head back to my apartment. All in all, this weekend was a lot of fun! And I only spent Y200, which is about $30, between cab rides and food. Remind me to go out with high rollers more often - they pick up the tabs or have things comped! Gotta love it!

... bill and the $5 in my hand and just looked at them. They felt so awkward in my hand and I was surprised that they were the same size (Chinese bills are all different sizes, based on the denomination). The looked like funny money, and for the first time I saw them more as what the international community views American money and Americans as - big, gaudy, and powerful. The dollar bill just looked like a bold statement, all unified in design and color scheme, like a ...

... the event, so all the beer was free). I had my walkie-talkie on my pocket, my cell phone in my back pocket, my hammer through my right belt loop, the list of volunteers in my back left pocket, and a stapler in my front left pocket. I had a roll of duct tape pushed up my left forearm. I was quite efficient, never standing still, and definitely crazed. Within the first twenty minutes of the Haunted House, someone had freaked out in the maze and torn down huge portions of the black cloth ...

... the last 36 hours. This is totally the wrong time to get a sensitive stomach. I have a ton of work to do this week, both for my job and my classes, and next week is probably going to be the most gastronomically challenging portion of my trip - I am traveling to Sichuan with my program, where the food is hot (they hand you a bath towel at some restaurants, I'm told, for all the sweat) and the sanitation ...

... and tapping my fingers and even occasionally twirling in a circle. It's almost like being in love, except I can have it any time I want with just a little music. I wouldn't say I love this city. It's very clearly a city, and much like New York City, I would say it is a wonderful place to visit, a great experience, but not the best place to live. The traffic alone is reason enough to avoid it. I really can't get past my fear of the traffic. I avoid crossing the ...

Did someone important die this week? I walked by the US consulate in Shanghai today and the flag was at half-mast. I haven't been online in three days, so I wondered if I missed something. The news reports look clear, so it this just a Shanghai thing? Perhaps a former US ambassador to China died recently. (Thanks for the half dozen of you who wrote back about Rosa Parks. And yes, I know who she was.) --------- I always ...