Shanghai, China 12/4/06

Shanghai, China 2006/12/04
On a cold winter evening, on a train bound for Shanghai, I met up with three Chinese women, we were all to tired to sleep, so we took turns a staring out the window at the darkness ‘til boredom overtook us and they began to speak. I just smiled because they didn’t know any English and I didn’t understand a word they were saying.

My Chinese vocabulary consists of Ni Hao (hello), Xiexi (thank you) and three words or phrases the Wongs taught me that mean “cheers”, “good food”, and “good drink” all of which I can slur to the point that people know what I’m trying to say but I dare not try to write them down. My English spelling is bad enough. I don’t need to start butchering Chinese too.

Sitting in the little sleeper car on my Chinese slumber party, I used up two of my words right away and since there was no food or drink in sight my remaining three phrases didn’t seem very useful. So I sat and smiled while they talked and giggled, probably at me I’m sure. Eventually I climbed up to my bunk and fell asleep to KT Tunstall on the trusty iPod at the late night hour of 8:30 p.m.

I didn’t move again until 6:30 a.m. when the steward came by to wake us. With my head phones still in my ears from the night before it’s safe to say I was sleeping pretty deep. It took me a second to remember I was on a train in China.

Apparently we were approaching a station but I was never able to figure out before we left if Shanghai was our only destination. Getting through security and finding the right train was challenge enough in Beijing. I looked down at my three bunkmates who were all gathering their things together and I said “Shanghai?” They just stared at me. I pointed out the window and again said “Shanghai?”

This time they all started talking at me but providing way more information than the simple yes or no that I needed. Seriously?! How hard is it to nod or shake your head?! I know they know the word “Shanghai”.

As I climbed down off my bunk to figure out where we were I got the distinct impression they were getting some sort of revenge. I must have snored.

I recalled a guy a few compartments down said “excuse me” the night before as he slipped past me in the corridor. Surely he would know “yes” and “no” if he knew “excuse me”. I was correct. Actually he spoke perfect English and lived in New York. He told me I had one more stop until Shanghai and roughly another hour. So back up in my bunk I climbed.

Those 10+ hours of sleep obviously hit the spot and now I feel great. I checked into my room before 9 a.m. and have been out wandering Shanghai ever since. It must be getting close to 5 p.m. now. The sun is just barely over the trees in Renmin Park where I am sitting.

It’s much warmer here than Beijing but as the Sun gets lower I can feel my fingers starting to get cold. Much like the temperature is drastically different than Beijing so is just about everything else. Gone are the dark mazes of hutongs and obviously hard laborers riding bikes to and from work. Now I am in what looks like the movie set for some large budget Sci Fi flic. The buildings are amazing; some freakishly modern and others elegantly classical; all of them huge.

I am staying in an area called The Bund and my place is close to the shore of the Huangpu River. I have an amazing skyline view of the Pudong side of Shanghai, across the river, and some of the City’s best buildings including the landmark Oriental Pearl TV Tower. I am sure it is going to be an impressive sight at night and I’m looking forward to snapping a few good pics.

I am definitely no longer in Backpacker country and the easily found internet cafes are gone. I had to go to a Fed Ex Kinko’s earlier today to check in with the rest of the world, so much for the amazing "farside of the world" moments in Beijing. 24 hours later I’m back to drinking Starbucks and checking e-mail at Kinko’s! Am I in China or Seattle?!

Tonight I am meeting up with Guilia one of my hiking pals from The Great Wall. She is bringing along some other Italian friends too so this should really get me culturally confused; out with of bunch of Italians in Shanghai. I better go back to Kinko’s and Google some Italian words quick!
MJF