An Atypical Shanghai Impression
A weekend trip to water village Zhujiajiao in Shanghai suburb.
Although that was my second time been to a water town in the Greater Shanghai area and a hot summer day, it was an impressive trip in general. First, Zhu Jia Jiao where I went on last Saturday was a great showcase of eco-tourism - it is open to the tourists but still remain the living culture, i.e. one still feels the quietness and local people who live there as normal and enjoy their countryside life in the water village.
Second, I was very honored to have 3 great friends accompanying me for the trip - my friendly and enthusiastic colleague, as well as two of my former classmates in high school and college respectively. The hospitality, friendliness and eagerness to introduce us (the three Hongkongers) a unique part of Shanghai culture shown from my colleague was a highlight for the tour. What an amazing guide we had!
Final keystone!
The bewaited last keystone has been laid down finally!
I went back home last weekend and passed my US visa interview on this Monday; meaning I am granted the right to work in New York, and that is the most important step at all and the remaining task was me booking the ticket to JFK last night.
The Friday night, my original planned schedule to fly home was a very special but tiring night. My flight back was 8:30pm but due to multiple reasons, including the effect brought by the recent typhoon and working hours for the crew members of the airliner; our flight somehow got delayed for 7 hours and then we were informed that it would be canceled at 2 something in the monring after the long wait at Shanghai's Pudong airport. Then we were compensated for some meals and a 1.5-hour hotel stay, and got moved to an early morning flight on Saturday. Thus, I made it home around 11:20am and then headed to pick up my new passport before the immigration department closed in 2 minutes! Luckily, everything still worked out as I wished and planned. Without an error, I got a rather short visa interview on Monday morning and got through it and the new visa arrived yesterday at my home in HK. So now, I am looking forward to my return to New York, and especially the reunion with my girlfriend there.
It is funny that I started my counting again, but now not time to return home but leaving. I am going to make very good use of my remaining 7 weeks in Shanghai; meanwhile, I will make a trip to Beijing, Hong Kong and maybe other cities in the Eastern China region, and of course the surrounding of Greater Shanghai area, as well...
CK@Century Park, the "Central Park" in Shanghai
Picking up sports again!
Ever since my time in Chicago, I finally picked up another regular sports (well, sort of) now - I started to play badminton with a group of new friends; thanks to my Italian German friend.
This becomes a very interesting part of Shanghai experience so far. I met quite some friends who are Irish, local Shanghaiese, Hongkongers and Taiwanese there and we had good games and nice exchanges of what we do for work, and we even went to sing KTV in Partyworld the other day!! (It's funny because that weekend I had 2 KTVs in a row but I had not done that for more than 2 years)
My life recently has been pretty colorful - good food over lunch with my awesome colleagues, I do sports, I found a great open space in Pudong - Century Park where I hung out for an entire afternoon to just enjoy quietness and relaxed moments. Morever, I am flying home to see my parents, and then going for my US visa appointment this weekend - it's always good to be back and check out Hong Kong. Then already planning for dinners and dinners, and a weekend trip to the wonderful, pretty and ancient watertown Zhujiajiao with friends. I am gonna make the most out of my time in Eastern China in the remaining 9 weeks!!!
Yes, CK, the travel bug on me is coming now...oh, check out the current issue of National Geographic Traveler, it's a great issue and most important of all, with all colorful and multiple pages, it is only 20 RMB. (i.e. less than 3 bucks!!!)
