Shanghai'd

So I made it to Shanghai, train station schlepping and all. Whoever designs chinese train stations is off their rocker. Carrying luggage up and down stairs is not anybody's idea of easy transport. I'm not sure what they were thinking, but I made it anyhow.

After much schlepping....

and did I mention the schlepping?...

Ok, I'll outline it for you.

from the bus at the hotel in Nanjing to the train station in Shanghai, from the lobby of the train station up the stairs to the waiting area, from the waiting area down the stairs to the platform, from the platform to the train with very little luggage space, from the train to the platform in Shanghai, down the stairs to the lobby of the trainstation, out the doors we waited for someone from the hotel to guide us on our "five minute walk" to the hotel....
twenty minutes later, after gathering quite a crowd of chinese onlookers (some of us were playing with a hackey sac--me not included), someone showed up to lead us through deadly intersections and smelly back alleys on our fifteen minute long walk to the hotel.

All of this with some of the worst stomach pain I've ever had. Not so much fun.

But enough complaining, we made it and I promptly took a short nap and a bath (in the bathtub!!! eeeee!) before going to see the acrobats (by bus and foot).
The show was really really fun, lots of Ooos and ahhhs and I can't believe she's about to....'s.
I took some pictures which I'm too tired to upload now.

and then I took a taxi back to the hotel and am about to go to sleep.
Tomorrow is the erotica museum and maybe some shopping. I might even eat something! yay!

My name in chinese...

a li

'little' oak



.

Today's forcast

"Abundant sunshine"

--thanks weather.com.....

also:
Last day of clinic
Last day in Nanjing
Last massage at "Blind Tuina"
Last day riding emily
Last night at the Jinling mansion

4 days till portland

YES!

I have to start saying goodbyes to China, I love her, but traveling for five weeks in and around her is rough.

new name!

Nothing thrilling to say about adventures, but, I just got my chinese name!

It's pronounced A li, but means "little oak", and I can even write it in chinese.

EEEEE! that makes me so happy.