Rain and Shine

On the tour boat
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So the Last few days in Shanghai were intense. Thursday was pouring rain and we each changed pants at least 3 times because we still had to go out and do stuff even though it was a monsoon. Thats approx. 60 pairs of pants. Lame. Although seeing all the Shanghainese on their bikes with a rainbow of different colored ponchos was pretty neat. In the morning we met chinese director Peng Xiaoliang and saw a screening of her new film Shanghai Rhumba at the Shanghai Film Studio. Still pouring. Then we headed on over to the Arts and Crafts museum to see some sick jade carvings. The place was a strange combination museum, private mansion, and craft workshop. Still pouring. Later that night we saw a one woman performance which was a combination of modern and traditional chinese theater. I don't think anyone was able to pay attention though because the audience was the WORST I have ever experienced. At least 5 cell phones went off loudly (including a woman in front of me who actually answered it), all manner of bodily noises were made, and it seems like someone waited for the absolute quietest moment to drop a bunch of chance on the ground. That made me very stressed, but luckily I had just had the most ABSURD massage. One hour body massage and half an hour foot massage for 108 yuan (thats about 14 bucks!). It was my first one in Shanghai, the rest of the group has already had at least 3. Jesse and David probably had more like 10 each actually. Its so cool to feel like you are a movie star or something. I can't even imagine what rich people would be able to do in Shanghai! It was still pouring when we left happy massage land.

Big tourists riding the Shanghai subway
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Ok, so as shitty as the weather was on thursday, friday made up for it. It was gorgeous blue skies and just in time too, becuase we had a boat cruise on the menu for the day. First, though, we went to observe some classes in action at the Shanghai Theatre Academy Opera School. I've never felt so lazy. 8 year old kids are flying across the room doing back handsprings and girls are doing arial cartwheels off of a 5 foot platform while we are still whining about how we had to wake up at 7:30. The chinese would probably laugh if they ever came to CRCAP and saw how crazy and undisciplined we are. After lunch it was off to the HuangPu river cruise and we got some amazing views of the ever-changing Shanghai skyline. We ran into some pretty aggressive vendors later on the Bund before the group split up. Lee, Joanna and I went to visit the famous Peace Hotel and did some shopping before picking up our QiPao! (tradtional chinese dresses!) They turned out pretty amazing and I'm so happy we made the extra effort to get them since they are totally unique.

Massage a day keeps the doctor away

Big tourists in Pudong! wow!
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Today we said goodbye to Shanghai, which was hard to do since the weather was so wonderful, and took the very turbulent ride north to Beijing, where I am now writing from. Our accomadations have drastically improved. We are staying at a four star hotel in Beijing with all kinds of awesome little soaps and robes and a pool! We have also met a few of the students from Beijing Normal University and they are very gracious hosts. They are very curious of what we think of Beijing in comparison to Shanghai even though we've only been in Beijing a few hours.

Beautiful TV tower
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I'll let you know what I think later

love, the great

Woot for the Shanghai subway!   A group of us (hesitantly) decided to take the subway to Pudong just for the sake of saying we'd done it.  I was astonished to see how immaculate the stations and trains were.   The marble floors were clean enough to eat off of and there were flatscreen tvs near the tracks showing commercials and telling riders when the next 2 trains were scheduled to arrive.   There were brightly lit fish tanks of tropical fishies decorating the station near the academy, and being used to dingy New York subways I was really impressed.   It was timely and only cost 3 yuan each way (a little more than 25 cents).  We were those tourists I hate - taking pictures and giggling at everything.   Unfortunately, one of our friends, Sao, got robbed.  Someone stole her camera.   Sad.   The Pearl TV Tower (picture various magenta balls aligned in tower form... that sounds Dr. Seuss-like, but that's exactly what it looks like) is in Pudong, but we decided to ascend the Jin Mao building instead as it would provide a better view of the Pearl and it is a taller building.   The elevator from the basement to the top of Jin Mao was really fast.  I timed it like the loser I am and it only took 51 seconds from the time the elevator doors closed til it climbed 88 stories and opened them.   Sadly, Shanghai is polluted like whoa, so the view leaves a little to be desired.   The Pearl TV Tower looked cool though, but aside from that there wasn't much visability.   A 360 degree view of Shanghai... but the only picture that will turn out is the pic I took of the inside of the hotel from the top of it to the lobby.   There is a hotel occupying several floors of the Jin Mao, with no safety glass on the balconies in the middle of the building.   I thought of Bobst... how morbid.

Little kids do crazy flips at the Theater Academy
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I couldn't get over the subway though!   Kate, Joanna, and I had the pleasure of riding the metro during rush hour when we went to pick up our qipao.   That was intense.   We had to wait for two trains to come before we could fit on - and by fit I mean rush the door and shove our way onto the train behind some random pushy people.   I was pressed into the people around me so much that although I couldn't hold onto anything I was also not in danger of falling when we got moving.   I almost couldn't breathe.   So yeah, subways in Shanghai... intense.   Bed time.   We go to the Forbidden City tomorrow.

I want to break your heart and eat it like a tart (God bless MTV China),

Lee