Back home in Beijing.

Update: More photos from the trip are up.  

Back from Shanghai.  It has been quite an adventure.  As usually things are in China.  We spent our three days exploring the city and took the train to Suzhou where we took the bus to a small village called Tong Li.  It was truly eye-opening.  

As we were landing in the plane, from high above, I could see Shanghai would be much different from Beijing.  My first tip off was that I could actually see the city outlines below.  In the days I have been in Beijing, the smog has been engulfing the city in its toxins.  This in turn has created a more humid atmosphere because it has been trapping in the heat.  

The Shanghai sky was a vibrant blue and for the first time it felt like summer with the sun beating down in 95 degree weather.  

For background, Shanghai is best described as a European Asian city.  The Bund, the historic district is characteristic of a scene in Paris.  Across the river, however, lies the financial district.  Full of corporate buildings it has the look of New York City with it's glamourous night glow.  Situated by it is the iconic symbol of Shanghai, the Oriental Pearl.  To enjoy Shanghai in its best hour, we took a boat cruise at dusk.  Sandwiched between the two districts on the river, we viewed a spectacular sight.  Up in the sky, the moon was glowing.  We had hit jackpot.  

To be cont. later today...

I'm going to a market today to work on my bargaining skills, getting a pedicure (from all the walking we do our feet are permanently stained dirt) and going to the biggest English language bookstore, the Bookworm.  

Tomorrow I'm going on our Beijing tour (#2) for our boss, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games.  We will be touring the Great Wall again as well as the Summer Palace and eating some more famous Peking Duck.  In addition we will be seeing the Peking Opera and going to Ming's tomb.   Most excitingly, we will be meeting the other international volunteers on this tour.