After squeezing all relevant discussion and meeting into Friday morning, my host and I are finally able to get away off to more official downtown Shanghai for 'serious' shopping and minor sight seeing. We take a cab to the subway station near the Science and Tech Museaum. This is where the new 'faek' market has moved. An underground, but well appointed mini mall maze of about 100+ shops selling all the not real good. As it is still mid afternoon the bussle has not picked up and the tall lone white man with two local guides is ripe for the solicitation - "watch", "bag", "dvd" from all corners - We get nabbed by a 'boss' a guy whp overseas several shops and we generally let him guide use to some of his selected family owned business. The bargaining start always high and ends up about 6-8 times lower in the end, especially with the help of my local hosts who push the price down just a bit more. Having been to Pakistan I am keen to go it alone but my host is doing a good job. After a Brazilian BBQ meal of mostly meat - 'to much for me' after the 6 course lunch - we grab the subway across the river.
The Shanghai subway is clean, fast and efficient, but crowded. In the Friday night shuffle home we are crammed into the subway - groin to hip to waist to knee to whatever. I see over the sea of heads as the 6'3" dude has a good view.
Across the river in Pu Shi we walk from the high end shops all the way to more traditional shops near Yu Yuan garden were I see 'some' of the more local architecture and shops.
The bottom line is the Shanghia is a world class modern city and you need to drive some way, I'm sure, to see the 'real' China'
No late nights just a long cab ride home and a gracious thank-you to my host.
The Shanghai subway is clean, fast and efficient, but crowded. In the Friday night shuffle home we are crammed into the subway - groin to hip to waist to knee to whatever. I see over the sea of heads as the 6'3" dude has a good view.
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