SHANGHAID!!

Last night we safely arrived in the beautiful city of Shanghai (home town of good friend Xiao Fei), and on our ride from the airport to the hotel, we got to see some of the city lights, and it was marvelous.

We got checked in a little too late for dinner, however, we did get out and find a nice little local bar where we could have a Guiness, and enjoy some classic Elvis songs.

This morning, we left hotel to the old silk factory, where we had an education on how silk was made, and had an opportunity to purchase items from the factory. From there, we wnt to a location called the Bund, which lies along a tributary od the Yangtze River. It was a very scenic view of the Shanghai skyline, and an education on what is to come for the city. We then went to a very scenic garden for some great photo opportunities, and then hit the Bazaar. It is a really crazy shopping area, and for those of you who like to haggle, it can be alot of fun.

After loading our accquired goods onto the bus, the main tour group headed back to the hotel for some R&R. That would not do for the Wafflers, though. While our local guide escorted the group back to the hotel, we arranged for Hong, our national guide, to take us on a side trip to the Jade Buddhist Temple. She was quite happy to take us, and we had a good time. After she got us back, we headed out for dinner at a local restaurant.

We are now preparing for an evening trip to see the acrobatic show, which we are told is quite spectacular and not for the faint of heart.