Mom came to visit for a week! Of course I had all intentions of writing a blog entry each day... way too busy for that! What a fantastic week..
Day 1 - Mom and Rachel Ann (Heidi's mom) arrived at the Pudong Airport after the long trip over. Mom experienced her first Chinese massage before she even touched ground in China - the person sitting behind her on the airplane provided that for free! I ensured her that I would take her for a more relaxing experience later in the week. After getting her things unpacked, we took a walk around the block to keep her awake. Dinner outside at Slice was nice.. sandwich melts and pizza.
Day 2 - Shanghai is the perfect place to acquire an entirely new, custom-made wardrobe. Yes, the fabric market is a MUST on the itinerary (I think we went three times in total). The market is three floors jam-packed with vendors begging and bartering with each passing customer. We had a beautiful, black cashmere coat made for mom at about a fifth the average price in the US. Audrey (my sister) was with us in spirit - we had two light jackets made for her. I had some pants altered. etc... etc... Mandarin Chinese comes in extremely handy here. As with most places in Shanghai, bargaining is customary.. and I've finally managed to remember all the numbers and key phrases. AND people are starting to understand my tones!!! Mom enjoyed listening to me show off my bargaining skills. My favorite phrases: 1. "Duoshao qian" (how much is it?) 2. "Zheige taigui le!" (that's too expensive!) 3. "Wo zhu si Shanghai, wo yao pianyi yidian" (I live in Shanghai, I want a lower price). The key is to remain relaxed and friendly without backing down. This often ends up with me walking away and the shop keeper running out dragging us back saying "Ok lady, Ok.. you speak Chinese very well." My reply, "Wo da Jongwen bu hao. Ni tai keche la" (My mandarin is very bad, you are too nice)
After the Fabric Market, we headed over to Xintiandi (area near the former French Concession) to stroll around and have lunch at Simply Thai. YUM! Lemon Chicken, Pad Thai, Spring Rolls, Green Curry, Broccoli..
Walked down Dongai Road - a local street lined with outdoor stalls exploding with antiques (from long, long ago... or fabricated to appear as such??) Either way, it's a street worth exploring.
