4-19 Lunch with Tim in Shanghai

 April 19 was a rest day - the only thing we did is meet with Tim for lunch.  I don't remember where we went - but the food was good.  I like soup dumplings and I like pot stickers.  I don't particularly like dumplings with a thick covering.  We have tasted a lot of soup dumplings.

Coffee place in the Metro on the way to meet Tim.

These were soup dumplings that had shrimp on top.  Can't say I loved them.

This is a desert bun with been paste. I have struggled to like it - no so far.

After lunch Michael and I walked to the metro stop - the closest was the one by the Shanghai library - a well known building.

As we walk slower and spent a good amount of time take photos of the library - Tim was able to catch up with us and we took the metro home together.  

We have had so many wonderful meals here.  I don't feel bad if I don't like some things.

4-18 The Lujiazui Financial District

 After the Yu Gardens we took the metro to the Lujiazui Financial District.  When you are on the Bund and take all those fabulous photos of the skyline of Shanghai - you are photographing these buildings. 

The building where we ate lunch at Wagas.  We felt so virtuous eating salad like wraps.

We had fun capturing reelections on some buildings.

Showing road signage in English as well as Chinese characters.

After we finished here - we took the metro back across to the Bund.

To take more photos of the famous Shanghai skylight before heading back to Lisa & Tim's house.

4-18 Yuyuan Garden

 On April 18 Michael and I braved the Shanghai metro and set off for parts on-known (at least to us) to explore.  It turns out metroland is the same as airportworld - there is just a few different designs, otherwise they are pretty much the same.  In other words - it was not so hard to figure out.  Lisa had given us to metro cards already topped up and ready to use.  The Taipei metro only had six different lines - Shanghai has 14 - so it is a little more complicated.  

We made it to our first destination Yuyuan or Yu Garden without any problems.  

We were greeted by this beautiful view as we exited the metro.

Right before the entrance to the gardens there are a whole bunch of stores like this.  It seems to be the gold selling district.

Michael at one of the first displays.

Steam coming out of the rocks was a repeated feature.

The garden areas were interspersed with buildings displaying historic relics.

Another historical display - you could only look into a window to see these.

Some reflection in the water.

Doorways shaped like vases.  

A rooftop display of a warriors.

This backpack stayed here for a long time.  No one paid it any attention.  China has so many policies I disagree with - but having cameras everywhere has almost cut out theft completely.  Would you trade a U.S. with no guns and very little theft for a U.S. with cameras everywhere?  It is something to think about.

And like every other tourist place - there is a bunch of police riot equipment.  The Chinese are always prepared.