Day 26 – Goodbye Shanghai!! Hello Tokyo!!

We had a fabulous time in Shanghai! (The pictures below are in the wrong order…they are all backwards). Our flight was fairly early in the morning, so the Hsiah’s had their driver take us to the Pudong airport. Tim discussed politics with him for most of the 45 min drive, while Julia napped a bit in the back.

It was a very nice airport! No squatters in this one–niiice. We flew ANA Airlines (sooo nice!), and got into Tokyo in the afternoon. After a potty break and waiting in line at immigration, we had to go to the baggage counter to pickup our luggage (because we took so long getting through immigration), and then we breezed through customs. Next order of business: drop off two of our extra bags at a nearby Luggage Storage. From there, we bought a bus ticket and took an hour and some bus ride out to … can’t remember the name. Once we got off the bus, we got onto a train and went down a stop. By that time, it was about 6pm. Had slight issues calling Tim’s friend, Sheen. Luckily, he was able to come find us. We followed him to his place (SO CLOSE to the train stop! Niiice!) He had such a nice and small place! He let us sleep in his bed while he used the small futon in the other room.

Once we settled in, we walked around Tokyo. He showed us some awesome areas of Tokyo, then we went and met up with another “old” friend of Tim’s (from Shanghai), Komiko. We all went out to eat some delicious mexican food. Ummm… I don’t know if I can remember what else we did that night. I think after dinner, we walked around some more and saw some more sights. Then went to bed.

Our room in Shanghai.

Lunch in the Shanghai Airport.

Sign posted in the stall of a bathroom in Japan.

Tim trying to make a phone call.

Tokyo main street.

Wanna smoke?

Eating dinner with friends in Tokyo.

Our friend’s apartment.

Day 25 – Shanghai

We started day 2 by going to Xin Tian Di with the Hsias to get some yummy brunch.  They took us to a very classy Dim Sum place.  It was superb!  The area Xin Tian Di is newly built.  I guess it used to be a slum but now it is very nice.  Check it out if you come to Shanghai

We then went to a camera store on Lou Shan Guan lu.  It was huge and had amazing prices.  Julia bought a bunch of things that cost 5x more in the US.  Very happy.

We then realized we have more stuff than we have room to carry back.  We thought we would go to the post office to ship some of this camera stuff and fake purses back.  We were worried about going through customs with the purses.  So after having the post office worker box everything up for us, we realized it was out of our price range to ship it (200 USD!!!!) and scrapped the idea and headed to Carrefour to buy some more luggage to carry the stuff.

We bought another cheap-o carry on at Carrefour for 80 RMB (11 bucks) and grabbed a snack at Mc Donalds before meeting up with DingWei to head to his house for a home cooked meal.

The meal was good and we had a lot of fun talking and reminiscing.

He then took us to get pedicures.  They were fun but the quality was not as nice as the manicures we had in YangShuo.

He took us home and we said good bye.  Again he is a very funny guy.  The next day we left early to go to Tokyo!

Xin Tian Di

Julia inside her camera heaven

They have Papa Johns in Shanghai now?

Sweet Taro pie at McDonalds!!! Tim was happy

Julia at Carrefour

Dinner at DingWeis House

Julia and her pedicure

Saying goodbye to DingWei

Day 24 – Shanghai

Ou First real day in Shanghai.  This city embodies the idea of old meets new.  It has developed rapidly since Tim last lived here.  It is quite impressive.

We spent lunch with Tims old friends Megan and Dan.  Tim got caught up with them and it was fun.  They told us of a cool place to by more knock off stuff so we went there next.

We went to the Shanghai Science Museum.  Well underneath it at least.  There was tons of purses, clothes, watches etc.  We bargained for a while and managed to get a cute prada bag for a good price.  150 rmb ~ $20.  People here are tough bargainers but they were nicer about it than the people in GuiLin.

We then headed across town on the new subway to Tims old high school to meet up with his old teachers.

The campus had grown and changed a lot since Tim was here last.  So many people want to get in the school now that they have a waiting list and you have to test to get in.

We saw the home of the Leipolds (husband and wife couple that taught tim).  They live in a nice community outside the school campus.  It feels like your in the US.  They had four kids.  The kids are full on caucasian but because they have local nannies, they speak chinese like any other chinese kids.  it was pretty cool to see.  they would speak chinese with Julia but not with Tim. HA! I guess they know who is supposed to speak it.

We then had dinner with the rest of his teacher: Brian (Tims Algebra 2 and Precalc teacher) and Harvey (Tim Psych and Econ teacher)  Tims school was small back then so teachers had to teach multiple subjects.

These international teachers have a pretty nice life.  Pay is good. Kids go to school free.  Paid housing.  Summers off.  Plus they live in China!

Tim Julia and Tims highschools friends Megan and Dan

a sweet camera store in shanghai

Tim in his old shanghai american high school

Tim Julia and his high school teachers