China Day 3 -- Shanghai Tour

     Today was a long but fun day of touring around Shanghai.  Our guide was here and ready to go at 9:00 am.  

     We started off driving right into the city.  It was a nice drive as we got to see lots of neat buildings in the city.

 The Shanghai Art Museum.  Beautiful building!

     Our first stop was the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum.  We had a very interesting tour of the Jewish synagogue in the Hongkou District.  They also had two very interesting exhibition halls.  One of the exhibition halls gave history and the other one gave wonderful stories about the children born in Shanghai from Jewish parents who immigrated from Germany.  We also toured the ghetto area.  The history is very interesting -- I need to check our U.S. history for some of the things they said :)

 Inside of the Synagogue 

 Outside of the Synagogue -- bottom is where men worship, middle where women worship and top is office and rabbi's home. 

 

 Jewish ghetto --- not now it is government housing -- mostly elderly people.  Can tell it is Jewish because of the arches.  No other buildings like this in Shanghai.

     Next, we were off to the Bund.   It is called 'Bund' because of the Indians.  The English used the Indians to guard their buildings and they would constantly call it the Bund because it means area by the river.  Wikipedia says:  The Shanghai Bund has dozens of historical buildings, lining the Huangpu River, that once housed numerous banks and trading houses from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Italy, Russia, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as the consulates of Russia and Britain, a newspaper, the Shanghai Club and the Masonic Club. The Bund lies north of the old, walled city of Shanghai. This was initially a British settlement; later the British and American settlements were combined in the International Settlement. A building boom at the end of 19th century and beginning of 20th century led to the Bund becoming a major financial hub of East Asia. 

     The Bund area is an awesome area.  It is right on the river.  There are awesome buildings, hotels, LOTS of boats and area on the river to overlook The Bund area and to look across the river at the financial district of China.  It's really beautiful.  

 View of the Bund area from the TV Pearl Tower.

 Inside the Peace Hotel -- one of the oldest buildings.  GORGEOUS! 

 On the Riverfront --- MD had just gotten his picture taken with Chinese - their first time seeing a foreigner!  They were so excited.  We think it is weird.

 Just like the Bull in NYC -- in the financial district.  We have a picture of MD and JM in front of the Bull in NYC when MD was 8 and JM 4. 

 

     The guide also took us to Nanchang Street.  This is a pedestrian only area.  Lots of shopping -- pretty expensive for the most part.  I did find a Peasant Goat and Big Bad Wolf store in a Children Department Store.  This is stuff the Elizabeth likes.  

 Cars do go down one street beside Nanchang Road.

   Next, we were off to lunch in the financial district.  We actually ate a BEAUTIFUL restaurant right on the river that is mostly used for government and business dinners and banquets.  It was very nice.  We also got to see the building where Tom Cruise jumped from in the Mission Impossible 3 movie.  Yes, the guys thought that was great :)

 The Restaurant from across the River.

 Enjoying our lunch.  It was a BIG spread.  

 The building Tom Cruise jumped off of in Mission Impossible 3.

     We were off to the Oriental Pearl TV tower.  Our travel agent in US told me I would only 'SEE' it.  Our travel guide here said, 'No, we go UP.'  Oh, NO!!!  BUT --- the boys were thrilled -- so, I caved and went.  Yes, I HATE heights.

 The TV Pearl Tower -- 3rd highest in the world -- 1535 feet tall!

     We went through a lame security and followed to the elevator.  They stuff you in like sardines -- until the elevator says TOO heavy.  YIKES!!!  Next stop -- 263 meters UP (this equal 862ft.).  I actually did ok at that level -- which is only the middle ball.  I held on most of the time.  MD and Matt took a MILLION pictures around the observation deck.  We did not continue all the way to the top as it was so foggy because of humidity --- you couldn't see from up there.  After that level we went down just 2 levels to another deck -- OUTSIDE -- FOR REAL!!!  Yes, there is glass up AND glass floors.  I very timidly went out JUST FOR A PICTURE!!!  Freezing, windy, SCAREY!

 Waiting in line for the elevator.  It's very pretty.  You go up in the tube.

 From the deck we went too -- NOT the highest point but level down. Still a GREAT view.

 Me on the deck that was open -- I am SCARED!!! AND freezing.

 All of us on the open deck -- I left as soon as the picture was done!

     Finally, we made our way down to the ground and to the lower level where they have a museum.  There was a wonderful display of Shanghai history and culture.  Thankfully, this was NOT a boring museum and our guide did a great job.

 MD in the museum.  These 'wax' figurines are cricket fighting.

 Inside the TV Pearl Tower.

     We finished the day by going back to 580 for a few things we forgot yesterday.  We finished in record time -- 45 minutes.  Our driver and guide brought us back to the hotel.  It was a LONG ride as traffic was crazy.  

   The three of us were exhausted.  It was 6:00 pm and crazy outside so we went up to the room AND fell asleep.  I woke at 8:45, got Matt up and he went and found some dinner.  We have some packing to finish as we are off the Xi'an tomorrow to see the Terra Cotta  Soldiers.  Our plane leaves at 7:30.  We have to be packed, checked out and at the door at 5:30 am.  

MD resting after a long walking day.  It did get a can of cold Coke -- 4 yuan which is about 60 cents.

Praises:

1. A fun day!
2. NO RAIN -- humid and wet but not raining.
3. Good health
4. Kids at home doing well.

 Prayer Requests:

1. Safety tomorrow -- flying and touring in Xi'an.  It will be an incredibly long day -- fly to Xi'an (early,) tour, fly to Guangzhou (late.)
2. Our health -- our stomachs are all feeling a bit -- hmmmm -- unsettled (and my diabetes)
3. Elizabeth being prepared for Mar. 5
4. Our kids at home -- good attitudes, have fun, making good choices