Meeting up with Alyn, at last

One of the main reasons I came to China was to visit Alyn an old work colleague and current mate from Sheffield. So its taken me over 7 months to make it here which I feel a bit bad about!

Was it worth the wait?

You'll see when I can be bothered to sit down write about it...

Just for Mr Honeymoondestinations here goes!

I arrived ridiculousness early on the train from Guangzhou, this sort of thing hasn't been much of a problem in the past as hotels are open 24 hours (usually) however poor old Al isn't so I woke him as my taxi arrived at the apartment at 6am, but the mans a trooper so he bounced out of bed and we hit the tourist destinations for breakfast.

The Bund

Worked out very well as getting to The Bund at 8amish on a Sunday morning means its almost empty unlike the rest of the time. Took the obligatory photos and some less necessary ones, next was Pudong which is the east side of the river Pu, don't trust my spelling on that one. The trip under the river was funny, the Shanghai tourist tunnel a strange monorail type thing with silly lights and voices saying random words at odd intervals in Chinese then English... meteors!!!... magma!!!... Yet another stroke of Chinese genius.

Then went to the aquarium which was super, some really big tanks with sharks, rays, seals and penguins. Not all in the same one but there was a tank with a lot of alligators and 2 ducks swimming around on top, stood there for 5 minutes hoping for a Jurassic park moment but it didn't come. Someone suggested throwing in one of the plethora of Chinese children ruining the view but it was thought better of.

The one on the left is the taller financial tower

Then went to look at the 3 prominent towers of the skyline first was the oriental pearl, which is in all honesty ugly and looks more suited to the futuristic style buildings you used to see on Thunder birds. Then came the really big 2 the Jin Mao tower, formally China's largest tower and the newly completed Shanghai World Financial centre which is currently the tallest in china and 2nd in the world. They are impressive structures though who knows how long they are going to last as authorities are concerned by the amount of construction going on on what was formally a swamp!

It was then time for lunch and a siesta followed in the afternoon by a trip to the shooting range which was a giggle. I was also a little disturbingly good. Must have been all the practice with the air rifle in scouts, shot a small handgun then a hefty Magnum, I came to the conclusion that guns are scary!

Next day Al went to work and I went to the Shanghai museum, the best bits where the really ancient (3000BC) Bronzes and Jades. After that I came back. There's not much more than a days tourism in Shanghai.

written by

Dan on October 6, 2008 from Shanghai, China

from the travel blog: Been there, Dan that!

Send a Compliment

I also will come to Shanghai next time, so I want to find some more informations.

written by honeymoondestinations on October 8, 2008

hmmm!

written by carol atherton on October 12, 2008

Just which word are we not to trust your spelling on exactly Dan?

written by mother on October 13, 2008

All of em!!!

written by

Dan on October 14, 2008

comment on this...