SWFC Building

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Where I stayed
Jason's Apartment
(Shanghai hotels)

Flag of China  , Shanghai,
Sunday, June 28, 2009

The day is not over yet, but it has been great so far.  A travel across town on a packed bus is an experience not to be missed.  For an American, Sardineville is mostly unknown territory.  People are so close that they breathe into your ear in the most unromantic way.  I kept feeling for my billfold to make sure that the pickpockets hadn't lightened my load.  The family all traveled over to the pier and watched the barges and passenger ships making their way down or up the river.  A gentleman on the street told me that the barges go down at low tide, pick up their loads, and return upriver at high tide when the water is twelve feet deeper.  The RIverwalk is a great place to get a view of the city and see many unusual sights.  For instance, we could see a dragon boat and a chinese junque, along with many other commercial and pleasure boats.

A rough looking gentleman struck up a conversation with me, and after giving thorough history of modern Shanghai's development, he asked me if wanted to see a paper portrait of myself.  Of course, I did!  He took some paper that was white on one side and black on the other, and then looking at my profile he becan to cut out my likeness with a pair of scissors.  Surprisingly, it was very like my face.  Maybe, I should say, "unfortunately."  Then we got into a price war, and I had to yell for my son's help.  We finally agreed on a $1.00, and it was worth every penny.

From there we walked to the amazing Shanghai World Financial Center, which is 492 meters high, taller than the Empire State Building or the Sears Tower.  All of the Pudong side of Shanghai contains the most fantastic architectural "sculptures."  Almost every building is a work of art, unlike anything that I have ever seen.  The SWFC is built very much like an old-fashioned bottle opener, and when you go on the tour, you can look out from both sides of the top story, where the view is fantastic.  If you don't have a problem with vertigo, you can also get down on your knees and look through the transparent floor.  Lots of fun!

In the evening, e went across town to spend time with some of our brethren.  We had to travel by bus and subway and taxi.  Any foreigner would be really confused if he didn't have a tour guide like my son.  This old Okie has never done anything like that.  My experience has been mostly limited to riding the county fair merry-go-round.  Still, we were creating wonderful memories for our family.
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