Final Night in China, Comin' Home Soon
Trip Start
Mar 18, 2012
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30
31
Trip End
Apr 01, 2012
Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Saturday, March 31, 2012
We visited the Shanghai Needle which soars into the air and is the highest point in Shanghai at the moment. It comes complete with a glass floor, that you can walk on. Your children had great fun pointing out what seemed to be cracks in the glass, and then jumping up and down--just to see Mrs. Kemp turn green.
We followed our trip to outer space with a visit to the Shanghai Historical Museum which was a walk through time. As you followed the trail through Shanghai from the late 1800's until the present, you were greeted by amazing scenes of life in Shanghai which were created with mannequins so real, you actually thought they were. We toured Shanghai through its humble beginnings into the B Opiate Wars, British Occupation, and walked the streets of 1920's Shanaghai, complete with "peep shows," which were the entertainment in place before the film industry came to Shaghai. (Don't worry, we "peeped "at daily scenes of Chinese farmers.) from the museum, which we cold have probably stayed at all day, we visited the Urban Planning Center, which, as most of you have heard, has a scaled model of all of Shanghai. It was so interesting to note that nothing gets built in Shanghai without it being part of the "master plan." In the states, businesses and skyscrapers go up willy-nilly, not here. It is specific and detailed right down to the pansies on the sidewalks.
After a brief, and I have to say unsatisfying lunch, we visited the Yuan (hope I am spelling that right) Garden, which is a walled garden over 400 years old. It is beautiful, as you can imagine, and is surrounded by a wall that circles around, and in the middle ends in a great dragon head with long whiskers.So, it seems that a long giant dragon is laying around the entire wall that encircles the courtyards. There are waterfalls, hundreds of Koi (Coach and Sheldon were beside themselves!), and some very unique furniture in some of the interior rooms.
Then, we went shopping
and shopping
and shopping
and finally collapsed on the bus to go on a River Cruise of the city and on to dinner at a Brazillion Steakhouse, everyone but Emily was thrilled, and the boys ate so much meat I thought they would burst. Our last excursion was a late night tour of the streets of Shanghai with Coach Barnes as our tour guide. The crowded walkways resemble Times Square with bright lights and giant department stores. Vendors send florescent toys flying into the air, and roller skate in every direction selling their wares, while babies waddle along with their parents on nightly strolls. The best part though, are the groups that spontaneously form around Kereoke machines to dance and sing. I think the video I post will tell it all.
Tomorrow, we head to the square early with Coach to watch the older people exercise with all sorts of Kung Fu type props, and we plan to score a McDonald's Breakfast, and if we are lucky, a Starbucks before we load the bus, hit the Aquarium, and get on a plane to come home to all of you who we have missed so much.
This will be my last blog from China, the next stories and tales of plunder you hear will be face to face late at night at Tulsa International. (Don't forget to bring scissors, someone!) Love and Kisses to my girls and hubby. We will see you soon!
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