Shanghaied!!

Yet another China flight yesterday - this time to Shanghai and it was just fine with a packed plane!  "I was Shanghaied" is a familiar term.  It came from the time when a pill was dropped into a sailor's bar drink and they were kidnapped to end up in the USA  as railroad workers or "coulees".

This was the view over the Huangpu River from our 19th floor room on arrival last night.  The lights are turned out at 10:30 to save electricity - right!!!  We met a couple for dinner who are from "back home" and he was previously in our church choir.  We had never met them before but they are lovely and we had a great time.  Imagine moving your wife and 15 year old daughter to Shanghai for 3-4 years.  Anyway we have new friends!

Took the MagLev (magnetic levitation) high speed "bullet train" just for fun this morning.  18 miles in 7 minutes.  The picture shows the top speed today 301 km/hr or 180mph at a slower pace because it is a "Typhoon Day" here - off and on rain I call it....0 to 180 in 7 minutes

Photocop?  Security or Commie Camera?  Not sure but I am never stepping out of bounds and my lips are sealed - really????

Shanghai Museum visit - I love museums and it was our backup plan in case of rain.  We have a great group and everything is always ok.  My favorite was the whole room full of Buddha statues.  This I will call the peaceful lady - me!

This will be Glowering Man - Ross - when I ask him for the 10th time some technological thing with an electronic gadget.

Three Gorges Dam - a world wonder and the biggest dam dam in the world and Hoover Dam is 2nd.  I saw that a couple years ago and loved it also.  This is just fog not smog!  It only provides about 2-3% of the hydropower to China.

Last day on our boat the Yangzi Explorer.  I am not yet a cruise fan but we were off the boat a lot.  I wouldn't like being penned up with the same people for days on end.

Another beautiful gorge as we left.

"Peaboat" ride on a small tributary off the Yangzi - I am surprised how clean and protected it is.  There are a lot of rules - like no personal watercraft, I did not see any fishermen and no large boats are allowed on these small "side rivers".  The rowers do this for tourists 1 hour a day - in season - and the rest of the time are farmers.  The last 20 years have made their lives way better - they have a home, they have food and a little money.  The "Party" does some good things.

View down river.

Ticket for this boat and this is how it used to be - boats being pulled by ropes and men through narrow spots.  Dang - ours all had pants on.

Last night on the boat - Captain's Dinner - and guess what - Chinese food of all kinds.  This is the "Emperor" and his concubines with us.  These kids do everything.  Take tickets, serve breakfast, did a floor show in the theater, clean rooms, mix drinks and even cook - amazinging hard workers.

So we had a huge fantastic lunch at "M on the Bund" run by an Australian chef and tonight we leave about 6 for a Chinese acrobatic show so dinner is wine and bar food at 5pm - and my Snicker bar in my purse as needed.
Finally nice to have internet in our room instead of having to go to the bar on the boat and having it veryyyyyyyy slooooowwwwwwww.
Son Chris ran Twin Cities Marathon in 4:01 yesterday with very little training.  We were able to track it online but of course it was the middle of the night but we did it anyway a couple times.