The exact details day by day escape me... but the ‘middle day’s we spent together were wonderful.
Taiking Road and Lane 248, as noted in one of my four Shanghai Travel Guide Books, is described as “Shanghai’s latest secret. A narrow, gritty street now inhabited by artsy cafes and intimate boutiques.” Oh yes, we knew the secret! We explored the area, and discussed the mixed emotions of the locals. Some were happy shopkeepers, welcoming the foreigner invasion into the area that was previously a local ‘neighborhood.’ Others hid inside behind the bamboo curtains and sheets that shrouded their doors and windows. We didn’t purchase much, but enjoyed peeking in and out of the shops. Mom found some fabulous antique pieces of furniture that were quite over priced... aren’t all the things we really drool over!?
On Saturday, Mom and I met up with Heidi and Rachel Ann to head over to Renmin Park a.k.a. People’s Square. Mom took some fun photos of three men practicing some kind of sword-tai chi-exercise thing! They giggled as I asked them in Chinese if we could take some pictures. The Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center has a remarkable model of the entire city and surrounding areas. The model is so large it would take an apartment four times the size of mine to set it up!! Later that evening, we met up with the guys for dinner at my favorite Chinese restaurant, 1221: xiao long bao (dumplings), sichuan pork, clay pot eggplant, sweet and sour fish, kung pao chicken, sauvignon blanc, fried rice, broccoli, chinese tea = delicious.
