Níhao,
In the last post, I mentioned the idea of us all going out to experience the nightlife that Shanghai has to offer. Well, turns out last night was quite the night, but it was not exactly what I was expecting.
To start off, we divided into groups of three because we were taking cabs to the club. Brock, David and I got into a cab and gave our driver the directions to the club. That plan did not work out, as not only was that club no longer in existence, but also our driver dropped us off in the wrong location. So imagine three American guys with very little Chinese skills in the middle of Shanghai at 11 p.m., and with little contact ability with the other groups. Sounds a bit scary right?
Well, actually, it was a memory of Shanghai that I will hold on to for the rest of my life. We wandered the streets of Shanghai for about an hour and a half, soaking in the funky modern architecture and looking at the very ritzy designer stores. Doing something like this is very unheard of back at home. I would never just wander the streets aimlessly in the U.S., because of safety reasons.
Although we found ourselves clearly lost in Shanghai, we never once felt unsafe or filled with worry. Many people were walking their dogs or just enjoying a late night stroll, so talking to locals wasn’t all that challenging.
At about 12:30 a.m. we finally found ourselves at Club Mist, where the others had arrived. If anyone has ever watched the TV series “Gossip Girl,” the party was like something you’d see on the show. The club was filled with outrageously rich young Chinese people, who were thoroughly enjoying their bottle service and the booming music. We didn’t stay very long. In fact, we arrived at the hotel and I was in bed by 1:30 a.m. Despite that, it was an unforgettable experience.
The following morning, we went to Zhujiajiao Water Town. When walking into Zhujiajiao, it was like stepping back into time. The town hasn’t modernized and has maintained its traditional Chinese charm. We were able to take a nice boat tour through the town and shop around with the locals. Shopping has certainly become an addiction for me. I feel as though I walk into most shops and come out with something, be it snacks, scarves or tea.
Aside from the great shopping experiences in Zhujiajiao, there were plenty of dogs to befriend along the trip. I found myself stopping at nearly every dog just to pet them, but there was this one dog that especially touched my heart. I met him at the beginning of our trip through Zhujiajiao and made sure to visit him one last time before we left. I even had to take a picture with him because he was just so darn cute!
To conclude our day, we took a river cruise at 8 p.m. Seeing the city of Shanghai at night is just a spectacle in itself. It is simply amazing to think that Shanghai is a considerably new and booming city. The city began to develop into the metropolis that it is today within just the past 35 years. Shanghai also happens to be the home of the second tallest building in the world, with over 100 stories.
Another interesting aspect about Shanghai is the level of diversity within the architecture. Since Shanghai was inhabited by the British at one point, there is also a large amount of western influence intermingled with the modern skyscrapers.
Shanghai is nothing short of gorgeous, and the fashion here is absolutely insane. I’m thinking about looking into fashion schools here in Shanghai for graduate school. Anyway, tomorrow we leave very early for Guangzhou. Goodbye Shanghai, for now. Until next time, zijian!
