11/10 - Shanghai

In its infinite wisdom, the motherland has banned access to facebook and blogspot, but fortunately we can still blog via email.

 

We've had a relaxing 3 days in Shanghai, staying with Jimbo and Suzy and attending their registry wedding on the auspicious date of 10.10.10. Shanghai's a fantastic, cosmopolitan city but staying there for me is all about just kicking back and hangin' out with friends...and a bit of shopping, aided by Jim's encyclopaediac knowledge of the little boutique shops of the French Concession...and lots of eating, as just about every aspect of China's cuisine is represented in Shanghai. However, we are finding that many of Suzy's favourite restaurants have disappeared since their last visit, buildings knocked down to make way for new developments and shiny malls, such is the pace of change in Shanghai. 

 

We also managed a second rendez vous with Sheenie, who's been swashbuckling his way through cambodia and was also there for the wedding. We'll be seeing more of our sweaty friend when we hook up in Guilin later in the month. Jimbo and I managed to hook him up with a very nice replica of a vintage Panerai 249 (one of the few non-vulgar Panerai) from the fake watch man, which was just made for him. Wouldn't be suprised if the watch bug bites and we see the real thing on his wrist in a year or two.

 

Things have been great so far, but I don't ever feel like I've really gotten to know a country unless I've been on a decent bike ride or gone up a big mountain on its soil. Over the next few days, I get to satisfy that urge when we go to Huangshan (yellow mountain). I've been looking forward to this one for a long time.