THE BEIJING ACROBATS: MOTORCYCLE RIDERS ..... THEY WERE AMAZING: THERE WERE 8 RIDING IN A BIG ROUND BALL: IT LOOKED LIKE AN ATOM WHIZZING
So we went on from Xian to shanghai. Xi'an was a wonderful city that I would have loved to spend several days at. The city wall and market are things I read about but did not get to see..... I need to go back....
SHANGHAI: MAY 7, 8 and 9, 2007 huge huge city. I think it is 19 million people..... over 4000 buildings over 20 stories: there was lots of shopping but honestly the stores we saw were quite up scale. and not what we were looking for.
I had had an itch on my back for a few days and when we first got to shanghai it was tiny tiny red dots. Later that afternoon I had large red dots.
see the bending walk: it is so bad spirits can't follow you as they travel in a straight line... and from each angle you can see a different view of the garden. enchanting
The next morning large red raised dots and in the evening really large raised dots. In two days it changed dramatically. I spoke to a nurse who was on the tour and she suggested I have it looked at: before we went to the acrobat show, David and I ran to a western doctor at one hospital. (theoretically) The desk nurse looked at my back and we were referred to another hospital where they had an international medical unit. It was at the university hospital on the 8th floor. When we got there I filled out papers and within minutes was called to see the doctor. He looked at the rash and diagnosed me. He typed on a computer and gave me a little scan card. (like a credit card or a hotel scan key) He explained what I should do the next few weeks then directed me to walk to the pharmacy (which was on the same floor).
close up detail of plate
I walked down the hall and got three prescriptions for 3 different medications and returned to the original room for a second consultation with the doctor. When I went back to the waiting room David was speaking to the travel insurance. I let him talk and gave the receptionist my American Express: 945 yuan (divided by 7.67 = $123.00). for after hours emergency visit, consult, doctor, RX, consult). David was shocked that I was finished already. so ... :( . as luck would have it I have shingles. Oh my gosh. I am very impressed by how really painful it is. I think I will just take the rest of my vacation as sick leave.
david by the golden tree and elevator.... it rises incredbly fast
(LOL) really though, I am just trying to make sure nothing (clothes, David) touch it....... even the air molecules hurt bashing at it..... enough sniveling. back to Shanghai.
David and I took a taxi and found our tour group standing in a circle next to the door of the Acrobat show (do not miss this show) They cheered when we ran up and we all ran inside. The show was amazing. They juggled, tossed pots, did magic, rode motorcycles, danced, floated on ribbons, and had aerial artists... to name just a few: there really was something for everyone! After the show the motorcycle girls and guys were standing: I waited and waited for a man to move out of my way so I could take a picture.
I love these... they are lucky
He really seemed to be purposefully moving so that I couldn't get a shot. Then another guy who was with the riders took my camera and told me to stand with them...... I started to tell him how to take the picture but he cut me off with yes, yes yes..... and shoved me towards the riders: and I stood with the group and cheered for a picture: Then: I got my camera back and then: GET THIS! the guy who had been blocking my pictures walked up and showed me a handful of 100 yuan bills and told me it was 100 yuan, and pointed to a sign I had not seen (probably because I was looking through the lens at the riders and not looking around) I started laughing and told him no way ... he didn't say anything more: probably because I was sort of tricked into the picture without knowing there was a cost and also, it would have been hard to talk / argue about it with the language barrier.
shanghai pearl tower
Shanghai is the largest city in the world. it is immense. It has over 4,000 skyscrapers over 20 stories high. We saw that feng Shui was used and many circles and open air (even a building with a huge opening half way up.) They have a building going up now that is the tallest in the world. they are at 102 stories and have not divulged how many stories they are stopping at..... amazing.
We went to the Shanghai Museum: This place rocks! We could have spent days there. But, because we were on a tour we had only 3 hours.. We got a bunch of wonderful pictures: Their porcelain display was so wonderful: some of the pieces were BC: The bronze wing was also amazing. I could not believe the ages of some of the pieces.
having fun with the photo shop features....
We went to the pearl tower and rode the incredibly fast elevator to the observation floor. there is also a restaurant: i would love to eat there on a later visit. the view was wonderful but so was the smog. (see pictures)Shanghai had some wonderful sites.
We also went to a nice temple that had a large white jade Buddha. It was in the style of India so it was a reclining Buddha. The yard of the Lamasery was so nicely landscaped and there were large brass pots ... (not really the right word.... ) that had incense burning. David started sneezing.... Inside had many golden Buddhas in different poses. It was allowed to photograph them so we got several nice shots.
close up of the wine vessels
Many larger rooms with great statues. It was so wonderful to see them. We could not actually photograph the real jade Buddha but there was a nice replica that we took pictures of.
************ sorry everyone...... I put suzhou: city of gardens pictures on this page instead of the next entry******** I wrote about suzhou & more pictures next****
