June 15, 2011
*Throughout the journal comments made in real time, while on the ground in China, are designated in italics. Everything else was written after returning. Side notes are random thoughts I had that do now particularly fit in anywhere.
The next morning I expected to wake up feeling slightly hung-over, but I was good. I felt fine. There was enough time to get some breakfast, pack, and be down in the lobby by the time we needed to leave.
We loaded our luggage on a van bound for the airport. I then ran up to the “to go” counter at the market to get some coffee for the bus ride to the Maglev. Here is what I don’t understand. This counter was specifically made for hotel guests to by coffee and pastries to go. It was called Mojo TO GO. Yet I stood there trying to get the attendants attention for 5 minutes. It wasn’t until a waitress from the restaurant walked all the way over that I was helped. The woman behind the counter, never even looked up, she just stood there shuffling and filling out papers. It’s a GD coffee bar! How much paperwork can there be?! The employees of the Courtyard Marriott Puxi have not yet grasped the concept of “to go.”
On an unrelated note, the Maglev was awesome. I sat backwards most of the trip, which was 7 minutes (the bus ride from the airport to the hotel took about an hour and a half… the maglev did it in 7 minutes… awesome!) At the airport Lina helped us check in and I gave her the rest of the money I had volunteered to collect. I had originally been giving it to her every day, but after day two she laughed and told me to give it to her at the end of our stay in Shanghai. Security was easier in the states, the people were more polite and WAY more efficient. I was expecting something much more invasive.
This was my first flight within another country and obviously the initial language is Chinese. The flight was delayed several times due to the “control tour.” It was interesting though because even though I didn’t know what anyone said I could tell it was bad news because of the reactions of most of the plane.
We got to into Beijing late and the hotel even later. When we arrived at Beijing airport it was pouring down rain, awesome. We were let out onto the tarmac where buses waited to take us to the luggage terminal. Everyone received their luggage quickly, we exited and met Isabella, our new tour guide. There was some confusion about elevators and escalators but we got our luggage to the street where a bus picked us up.
On our itinerary there was a recommendation on where to go that evening, the Houhai Lake Bar Area. So we thought that would be where we were going to headed. Once in the Novotel we quickly got ourselves together and headed over to the mall that was adjacent to hotel. It would be quick and easy food. Some folks did McDonalds, some folks did Pizza Hut, some folks went out for something more “authentic.” I stuck with the Prof and Sarah and we ended up at this great dumplings place in the mall where I stuffed myself on fish, pork, beef, and shrimp dumplings with tofu and fried rice. It was great!
We met everyone back at the hotel to catch cabs to the Lake Bar Area, but we found it increasingly difficult to get cab because the destination was not far enough away. State owned cabbies can reject clients apparently. After 20 some odd minutes we decided to head down to Molly Malone’s, an Irish bar in a hotel down the street.
The place was empty, but it felt familiar, it felt like home. We ordered beers, sat and talked, it was a good evening. Some of the folks did eventually decide to try and find a club instead, the quiet bar just wasn’t blowin’ their skirt up. So all but me, Chris M., James and Caitlin left. The four of sat, had a few more beers, ordered some food, and discussed the ordeal that was trying to get a cab. It was in the conversation that a plan was hatched to see if we could rent our bus for the evening. We decided that Friday night would be the best night out and would ask Isabella the next day if that would at all be possible. Once we were done, we headed back to the hotel. Chris, James and I considered going back out to try and find some trouble, but ultimately decided against it. That was probably for the best.
Now I’m sitting here on the plane, finally in the air after a two hour delay, I was finally able to finish my book about China. It was an interesting read, although I do not think the book is true to form any longer. The book was written several years ago and as the author mentions China is changing so fast that any moment in time is not accurate the next day.
I’m also sitting here to one of the most considerate airplane passengers I have ever met. He doesn’t seem to speak English, but we have an understanding. We communicate through pointing and smiles. We have come to a nice arrangement about elbow room, he has been pleasant.
I am ready to leave Shanghai. I have never seen anything so vast, so engulfing. I noticed that I can suffer from seasonal depression and the last several days of rain were starting to get to me. Although Beijing is going to be hot I welcome the sun and lack of humidity.
I cannot being to express my satisfaction with my trip thus far and excited to start the new section. I am in awe of China and regret that I will never see everything the country has to offer, it is too much in one person’s life time. I think this is a place I will come back to over the years. If given the opportunity I don’t know that I would live here. After last year’s trip to Switzerland I was ready to move, to hold the label “ex-pat,” but I do not feel that sensation thus far from Shanghai.
