First Full Day in Shanghai
We awoke to a beautiful morning in Shanghai, and after eating breakfast at the hotel set off on a walking tour of the city. We first passed by a local park, and were greeted by sounds of chirping, turning a corner to see many seniors talking and sunning their pet birds. Passing through the rest of the park, the students saw and tested out the different types of public exercise equipment.
We then walked on into the bird and flower market, where one could see various animals for sale including many types of birds, along with cats, turtles, frogs and chinchillas. Of particular interest were the many crickets on sale, which are bred for fighting and were sold in many sizes, from just days old to fully mature. We watched as old men scouted the crickets out to see which had the best fighting potential.
After the bird and flower market we visited the Dong Tai Road Antique Market, where students were given some free time to browse around and shop, as well as see if they could distinguish which items were the true antiques. Moving on, we passed through a wet market to see all the various fruits, vegetables and meats on display outside. Afterwards we made our way to a local Buddhist temple, where we learned more about the customs, worship, and ceremonies often held there.
In the afternoon we visited the Taobao market, where students once again had a chance to test their bargaining skills for an array of items. From there we walked around Taikang Road, perusing the various shops and restaurants before having a Kung Fu class nearby. For dinner, we were treated to traditional Yunnan cuisine at Lost Heaven, which revived our fond memories of the past few days spent in Dali. We returned to the hotel to prepare for another day full of activities tomorrow, including museum visits and a trip to the Pearl Tower!
