Search for a Wedding Dress

Our options of getting to Shanghai were a 23 hours train ride or a 2 1/2 hour plane ride.  We opted for the plane ride that ended up being almost the same price as the train only it was in the middle of the night. So when we arrived to Shanghai, we had these grandiose ideas of staying up until we could check in by going and getting massages at the all night pallor and then getting some breakfast.  However, when we arrived in the pouring cold rain and 20 mile an hour winds, we opted for checking in earlier and Bill ended up getting half price for the room after negotiating.  Sleep was nice as I had to be ready for our real reason for being here...THE DRESS!

SInce we arrived technically a day early, we had some time to explore before we got to business.  Though after sleeping in a bit after a late plane ride, we opted to find a restaurant one subway stop away from Lonely Planet.  Though according to the address in the book, it looked like the restaurant either went out of business or was being refurbished.  Luckily, there was a pub down the street that provided the American type food we were looking for.

Did Bill see it? Well, he hasn't quite seen it as I haven't yet, but he did help design it.

We walked back in the drizzle brisk air hoping to find some other places around our hotel and maybe an internet cafe or laundry place.  But no luck on the last two, only tons and tons of places to shop.  Every subway stop seems to be in or next to some type of hugh department store or shopping mall.  But I'm not even sure what would fit me as I'm not the asian size woman.

Since we hadn't found the internet, we ventured to the subway to find the closest one listed in Lonely Planet.  We couldn't find the internet yet, but found a laundry place that had almost the same price as our hotel, it would be cheaper to buy some new clothes.  One foreigner was getting his clothes done there, and so I asked if he knew where the internet was, and he had no clue and he'd been in the same area the year before.

FInally, I suggested we got up some escalators we saw and there at the top was the internet cafe, it was the whole floor. Only problem was that they wouldn't let us use the internet without our passports.  The book had warned us, but I remembered when we were almost to the subway and Bill said, "We'll just fudge it like we did before."  India let us use any ID and not just our passport, but no dice here.  And so, dejected we headed back to the hotel to warm up a bit and get some sleep. Though to cheer me up Bill went and got some subway sandwiches and we watched HBO.

And now it was time for the ultimate purpose of our stop to Shanghai: to have my wedding dress made.  In planning this whole trip and the wedding being in the middle, the question of fitting into a dress was one that prompted me to think get one made in China, everything's cheap.  This turned into Bill's mom having a business trip at the right time to help, but unfortunately, that trip was postponed, but she left me in the capable hands of her friend, Gigi who spoke Chinese and could convey my unsure wishes of how my dress should be designed.

Now Jeff & Brigette posed the question: Did Bill see it?  Well, he hasn't quite seen it as I haven't yet, but he did help design it.  After looking through numerous pictures on the web of dresses and getting advice from friends, I thought I had a rough idea of what I wanted but it's so hard to tell from a picture.  I'd always seen myself trying on multiple dresses to see what they were like but this was more pick one and it'll fit you.  A new concept for someone who's never had anything made for them.  So in two weeks we will make our way back to Shanghai for my fitting, and I will finally see what it looks like on me, but no Bill will not be allowed to be there.  After it's fit, Gigi will ship it back to Bill's mom who will then bring it to Australia.  So you all will just have to wait to see those pictures...

So what was it like getting a wedding dress in China?  Basically,Gigi picked us up and took us to a building full of like garment stalls and tourists walking about trying to get the best deal.  She had sent her driver ahead a few days before to find the stalls that did wedding dresses and only found two, so we went straight through the rows and of stalls as numerous guys tried to call Bill over to get a suit made.  Maybe I should have had a tux made for him...  But we finally made it to a stall that was about 6 ft by 6ft if even that full of dresses.

We spent the next three hours or so going through the pictures I brought and the magazines they had and the translations to alter a design on a dress that I hadn't found on the internet.  We put a different top on a dress, so we'll see what it looks like.  I had to choose the fabrics, the number of pieces of material used, and how the dress would be embroidered.  I never knew there was so much that went into this process.  Though during the middle, Bill tried to get me to sit down and Gigi went to get drinks, I guess I must of looked tired or stress.  But finally the dress was ordered, and we made our way out of the building.  It was kind of like vegas though because it was hard to find the exit once you were in.  Many of the malls around here are like that an easy way in, but don't try to get out....

Gigi wanted to show us some of Shanghai's sights, so she took us to the Old Shanghai area. She took us to one of the famous restaurants right in the square where Clinton and the Queen of England have eaten, and she ordered enough to feed an army.  We had steamed dumpling, fried pork, mushrooms & the green vegs of China, a non spicy hot and sour soup to fit Bill's likings, fried noddles, and the food just kept coming.

We walked around the Yuyuan Garden after that to work off some of the food we ate. If I keep eating like this, I won't be able to fit into my wedding dress in a month.  Inside the garden, a museum held some of the emperor's seals.  Now when I think of seals, I think of those small circle ones from the movies showing a King of England's or Duke's seal.  These where the size of half a sheet of paper and the height of a least 4 encyclopedias and made of jade.  They looked impossible to hold and seemed like they'd need a second sheet of paper to have the seal, but there were suppose to be unable to forge even more so than a signature.

The rest of the gardens were beautiful surrounded by water and a bit similar to the wealthy house we'd seen in Zongshan.  Gigi explained some of the sculptures like paintings to us, one of the eight immortals who all got to the same spot but got there using different ways.  The Chinese always have a lesson in there art.

After Gigi took us back to our hotel and graciously took our laundry for us so we didn't have to pay an arm and a leg in Shanghai for it.  We then ventured back to the internet with passports in our hands.  But the interesting part came when we remembered the Spring Air office was across the street, and we still hadn't received confirmation of our refund from the first plane ride to Shanghai.

So after the internet, we went to inquire.  Between translation and showing our second ticket, they're response was, "The ticket was used."  They were in such a hurry to solve the problem that they only listened to half the problem before they started rapidly firing at the computer.  Finally, after they understood, they couldn't help us and soon Bill had a receiver in his hand as he was talking to someone who was suppose to be able to help in.  Originally, when we were in Guillin, the people on the phone couldn't help and told us to go to the office and now Bill sat on the phone.

Listening to his end of the conversation, I couldn't help but laugh which sent the other three agents laughing as well.  Well, actually they were laughing before I was as Bill was again basically cussing this guy out.  "You're telling me that you can't help me, that's just bull****.  I was first told that I could only purchase a ticket from your office if I brought money to Shanghai when I was in Guillin. Now, I sit in an office and no one can help me, and now you're saying you can't even help me.  I want the name of your supervisor."

And so on went the conversation, I edited for content of course, but basically, this guy was giving us another phone number to call of someone who may help us because that wasn't his department.  The guy even lied about his name, but the other three agents happily handed over this guy's name and cell number.  They were in the process of closing but they all stayed to enjoy the show.  In the end, we finally got an email but I'm not sure it had anything to do with this night as it was still a couple of days later.

Our last excursion in Shanghai before taking the night train to Xi'an was a trip to the zoo.  After seeing my first Panda, I wanted to see more.  Though Bill reminded me that we have some to see in San Diego as well, but I wanted to see them in China. And so we took the subway to the end of the line as the last stop closest to the zoo was still under construction, and we had to take a taxi the rest of the way.

But we arrived at the zoo to make it just in time for the Elephant show.  At first, we realized we didn't have the best seats because we were on the side and couldn't see the front part of the show until the elephants starting going back and forth by the walkway we were right in front of.  Now, we were up close to the elephants as you can see by the snout in the photo as that snout kept following me looking for carrots that people were buying to feed them.

After the show, we started to go through some of the areas to find ourselves in a place called pet world.  What this was...was basically a pound for dogs.  They had all different types of breeds but the cages where so small and all the dogs wanted was some attention and a good walk.  It was actually pretty sad to see...and there were two cats in plastic cage boxes so you could see but not touch....

We finally made our way to the pandas, and they're were three, but they were all dead asleep and nothing was going to stir them.  But we had a nice day walking around and seeing all kinds of animals though we both have more respect for American zoos....time to catch our train

Michelle