When we arrived we went to a little kids amusement park. It was fun for the kids… okay yes, it was fun for me too, because they had bumper cars and a carousel :P The rides weren’t the main attraction there though…we were! Lot of people started at us, and we many people throughout our trip asked for pictures. We then went to lunch at KFC. KFC in China serves french-fries, but they also serve the ‘standard’ chicken and stuff, but even KFC in Shanghai is as greasy as it is in the States! It seems everywhere you go, you see funny English translations, and here, we saw a funny sign in KFC. Bad grammar AND misspelling! Teeheehee!
We then wanted to go to Shanghai’s famous Shanghai Financial Building. This building holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the Highest Observatory in the world! This is a picture of me with the 'Official' Guinness Sign.
And guess what? We got to go to the top! This humungous building stands at over 400 meters, or 1200 feet! We flew to the top using the ‘Light Speed Elevator’ that goes an astounding 30 feet a second! There was a video for on the way up to the top, and it showed a picture that stated “There is no problem even if three persons, each weighing 80 KGS, jump together on one square meters reinforced glass.”
It then showed a picture of three stick figures jumping! Hahaha! Once to the top, we stood over Shanghai with only a that thick layer of glass between us and the ground! It was a scary feeling to be up so high, but we came on a great day to see the city, because it wasn’t smoggy like it usually is. Aunt Pam was right; the sky DOES clear up once Chinese New Year starts! It was funny, because in the middle of the ‘walkway of glass’ there was a grey sheerish material covering the glass, so that you couldn’t see through it to the bottom. On the edges, it was just plain, clear glass. All the same material, just one you can see down, and the other you cannot. Most everyone walked on the grey part, because even though they were made of the same ‘reinforced glass’, and the same amount of safety, EVERYONE felt safer on the grey part! Even I felt like I was taking a risk by walking on the part where you could look down and see people smaller than ants!
Leaving the building, we once again we saw a hilarious English translation… The ticket stand read ‘Ticket Wicket’. I have no idea why, or who thought of writing that? Haha but I sure gave me a laugh!
On our last night in Shanghai, I woke up to fireworks exploding at midnight (Yes, I am repeating myself, but this fit into my story here as well!)! TONS of them! I knew they were near by, VERY near by, because the windows were shaking and through the curtains there was so much light it seemed as though there was a lightning storm! After I heard a few car alarms and was starting to break a sweat, I jumped out of bed to see how close they were! Well, this is China, so I should have guessed that they were BLOWING THEM UP 100 FEET FROM OUR HOTEL!!! Sure enough I look down and saw the man light and run away as huge fireworks lit up our block on the street and firecrackers vibrated through the air! We were on the 17th floor, so they were practically blowing up in our faces! All around the city, people were lighting up their fireworks in celebration of the 5th night of Chinese New Year. It turns out that the Chinese shoot off fireworks on the 5th night in attempt to get Guan Yu's attention, thus ensuring his favor and good fortune for the New Year. Guan Yu is a famous general who served in one of China’s civil wars and is worshipped and respected as the epitome of loyalty and righteousness. Each day, in fact, has some sort of food to eat, or firework to explode, or prayer to be said. Wikipedia has it ‘in a brief’, so you should check it out! Anyways so here of some picture of distance fireworks and hopefully my video will works so that I can show you some close fireworks outside of our hotel room window!
The last thing I just HAVE to mention is another funny food thing. The 2nd day we were in Shanghai, Aunt Pam noticed a Dunkin' Donuts down the street from our hotel, so we decided to go there for a late breakfast! Every thing seemed normal until I needed to decide what donut I needed. I look down and see this!
If you can't read the label, it says ' Dried Pork and Seaweed Donut'...
Yeah I was thoroughly grossed out, but I managed to ask for a sugared donut that looked safe, but didn't taste as great as Dunkin' back in the States. When I get older, I am going to open a Krispy Kreme in China, and I plan to get rich this way! All the foriengers here are like "Dunkin' is soooo good". Well, kiddos,...I've got some news for you,... if you think THIS junk is good, come to USofA and try a melt-in-your mouth Krispy Kreme...only then will your life be complete :)
Anyways I’ll try to keep up with my blog better, because, as you can tell, I haven’t been keeping up so well :P I’ll check back in really soon!
Allie! You are delightful! You make me wish I were there too! WHAT FUN!! XO, Mrs. Scott
ReplyDeleteI have pictures of funny English signs also!
ReplyDelete