Shanghai--the World Expo, travel thoughts and more of that mystery organ meat

I immediately liked Shanghai with it's certain Hong Kong-esque feel, very Western compared to Beijing: the poorer, dirtier and probably more authentic China even as Shanghai is China's most populous city, weighing in at a whopping 19 million. The stores in the subway were more upscale, even the trinkets seemed nicer, though still made in China, of course. 

The strange, questionable foods finally did me in here. There will be no more pointing at the menu and blindly ordering things (well, until ? safer Japan anyway). I blame it on the probable kidney mixed with vegetables and more of that mystery meat, the smell nauseated me. And this from the Szechuan region, known for it's excellent, albeit, spicy fare. I realized, although adventurous, I do have certain reservations about my food, this chica ain't no Anthony Bourdain. So I vowed to stick to safer food options of the chicken-esque variety in meals such as hot pot soup. So for the record, it was Shanghai, 3 weeks into the trip where I broke down and had my first real western meal: pizza. Read 'em and weep, China will do that to a girl, even a self-proclaimed foodie. 

Explored the happening Nanjing pedestrian shopping district, slightly akin to Vegas with it's garish lights. Hawkers kept trying to sell those laser things, you know what I'm talking about? It's fun to respond you're looking for, say a Ferrari or a yak, they'll still persist with trying to sell you their crap, gotta love their persistence anyway....or not. Moving along at the far end of Nanjing street is the Bund located on the banks of the Huangpu River with it's gorgeous 20th century neoclassical and art deco architecture. What a view of the Shanghai skyline at night, gorgeous! Took a ferry for 2 yuan to the Pudong Financial district, home of the world's third tallest skyscraper, the Shanghai World Financial Center, then hopped on board an open-air tourist bus to the Oriental Pearl Tower. Again, great view of the city at night. Then it was off to try out the Shanghai nightlife on a Wednesday night, ok, not bad but then again we did put on a bit of a show. Who me? Yeah ok, I was dancing in my seat, saving the knee and all, and when a Chinese girl wanted me to dance, this li'l disco diva just couldn't say no! Love the Chinese for their fun loving 'tudes. However, due to the price of liquor, this cocktail girl made best frenemies with Chinese beer. 

Timing to Shanghai was great as the World Expo was being held! We braved the very Chinese crowds, avoiding a long queue by hopping into the special needs line (being a foreigner sometimes rocks) then proceeded to stand in a very long line for security, yet again. Ok, it's official, I feel safe in this country. We searched for bike rentals which were nowhere to be found despite being advertised and as the Expo covers a big chunk of real estate, no way could bum knee navigate. So the oxen attempted to first give me a ride on a trash can with the lid closed, ewwww, I couldn't do it (but I did manage to meet someone who works at my first professional job, Christus Santa Rosa hospital in San Antonio, small world!) There were no bus options either and since we had already tried the shoulder ride with some success although lots of Chinese pointing, laughing and taking lots of photos, maybe it was the spoon waving again that did 'em in. So the only feasible option left was a wheelchair. So you know those peeps who are disabled and get first access to everything and you secretly hate them because you've had to stand in line way longer than them and as you're waiting you begin to wonder if they're truly handicapped, well that was me and it got us into way more countries at the front of the line with barely any waiting time. Yeehaw, now I'm loving my bum knee! ;-) 

So the Expo is pretty much a traveler's biggest dream or biggest nightmare. Dream, in terms of all it did for me was add yet another country to my already growing list by the minute and nightmare in that there's not enough time to see our big, wide, world. Little did I know at the time how soon I'd get to go back to further explore southeast Asia, and this time not for business. I had been talking to other travelers about Cambodia and Laos especially, so southeast Asia was on my mind. Better get cracking, I'm not getting any younger. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I'm actually doing, right now, in the present, the kind of travel I've always dreamed of doing. Jobs and responsibilities will always be there. Youth, not. I'm in a time rich cash poor situation which makes southeast Asia the ideal locale for me. I can not tell you how strongly I feel about this, starting to feel that the universe has conspired to get me to exactly this point. Either that or I'm reading entirely too much Paulo Coelho. But I majorly digress.    

Another short trip to a big city, this one about 3 days. The last day explored the City God temple and Yuyuan Garden. The latter was pretty with the classic Chinese architecture and koi ponds although heavily touristed but my heart wasn't in it. Had to experience the Chinese foot massage, which was very nice and then a man with a light on his head came in, from now on he will be called torch dude. Torch dude took care of the dirty business of scraping off all that dead yucky skin, oy, and there was a lot of it, yuck. Sounds scary but was painless and left with the softest skin imaginable. After a bland but safe Chinese meal, finally, nightlife in a swanky club, a high rise building with a view of the river Huangpa and the Pudong skyline. And I did it up right, my friends, 2 caipirinhas, 2 tequila shots and a cigarette later, wow. (And oh yeah, managed to get locked in yet another bathroom stall, this is getting embarrassing.) Yeah, I felt this one and it didn't even wait 'til the morning. Cab ride home I couldn't get enough air and it's cold, peeps! Ok, I'm off the cigs foreva! The 2 hours of sleep and flight the next morning to Osaka was bearable, barely, courtesy of my lovely friend, the anti-emetic. 

So China, here are my thoughts: I loved ya at times but sorry to say, you're not my favorite of countries. Perhaps once you relax the Facebook, news ban, and any other sort of means of freedom of expression, stop pushing everyone in crowds, spitting everywhere and wait your turn in line, I will reconsider. This last point gets me, I truly don't understand the logic behind the anything goes in bathroom lines. Why is it ok to jump right in front of someone? Ok, I obviously need to not be so judgmental and realize this is their cultural norm but these are my gripes. I like many of your people but if I return it will be to a prettier part like Guilin in the southwest and when it's warmer. Noticing the correlation yet? Girl needs some heat ;-)  

Beijing: culture shock as only the Chinese can provide

Leaving Mongolia was a departure from the usual train travel: ahhhh, the luxury of flying after days on a train, you have no idea, I might even stop complaining about domestic air travel in the US after this. The idea was to train it all the way across the Trans-Siberian and then (technically) across the Trans-mongolian into Beijing, a journey of 9611 Km or 5972 miles, phew. In our defense, there was just one train per week and it left UB the day we arrived ergo a different mode of transport was mandatory. There would be no bogey changing in the cards. Disappointed, yes, but a girl even lowish on the princess scale can only take so much. And the toilets just did me in :(

Beijing is 15 million peeps strong, massive. It took 2 hours to get to our hostel by Tiananmen Square from the airport via train and subway. We stayed in an older, more typical hutong neighborhood near Tianemen Square, in a hostel featuring a typical Chinese courtyard. Street food vendors were everywhere: mystery meat on a stick, one vendor used a hairdryer to cook it faster. This was more culture shock than I had experienced on the trip so far, even having visited China before. Trying street food is so up my alley so baptism by fire it was. First night we ate fried eggs out of a plastic bag, egg yolk crackers, dumplings, probable liver with peppers, meat from a shoulder maybe, and a soupy dish with slimy, spicy stuff. Quickly learned to adopt the policy of not asking what you are eating in China. Of course tried Peking duck and lemme tell ya, seeing the head is not the most appetizing of ways to start a meal. Then again neither was the snake tincture of something or other shot I had. Ewwwwww. 

It is impossible to visit Tiananmen Square at night, security is tight everywhere, even in the subway and before visiting the square, one must go through screening. So a venture to tourist hell was to be had instead the first night: a pedestrian street full of western shops such as Nike, Starbucks, Tiffany and Rolex amidst Chinese architecture, a strange clash of east meets west. And here my semi-blondness was desired, I was asked to take a picture with a mother and her Chinese daughter, cute!  

Off to the Great Wall of China! With traffic, took ~ 3 hours from the hostel via mini bus with a fun bunch of peeps, with the exception of myself all had some sort of British accent. It was a clear but cold and windy day, lucky with the weather as the previous days it had snowed preventing any kind of view. I still managed to slip on ice, not once but twice, once breaking one of my trekking poles, yes, I am officially a dork. The Badaling remnant of the wall was impressive, so high up, used to be the border of Mongolia and China, truly a magnificent sight to see! Spent 3 hours on the wall, which was plenty, especially with my bum knee. A new travel symbol, the plastic teddy bear affectionately known as Disco B, the potential Pin E replacement, was introduced. For it's first day to travel and see the Great Wall, wow, now that'll be a feat hard to top. Maybe disco-ing at the top to Fergie and blowing bubbles with a toy gun. Huh? Yeah, brought to you by spoon man. 

After a family style traditional lunch complete with Chinese beers and Disco B almost left behind, we were off. Traffic on the way back was horrendous, a true reminder of China's population enormity. But we made it back just in time for an acrobatics show of contortionists, men jumping through some very high rings and general Chinese random acts of bravery. The most impressive act was the five motorcycles spinning together in a cage, joined one by one, for the finale.

Would avoid bar street unless you don't mind getting fleeced because you are a Westerner. Beers and cocktails all cost much more than local spots with nowhere near the ambience. Although I have to admit I did get my fix of American pop culture with Gwen Stefani, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera music videos. Ok, if I must be separated from my girlfriends and traveling with an Aussie, I'm gonna need this taste of home occasionally, indulge me. 

Last day in Beijing, another fast tour of a massive city at only 48 hours, I couldn't miss the Imperial Palace, or Forbidden City, which I almost passed on until I got a view of the massivity ( is this a word? My iPad thinks not) of the complex and knew I couldn't miss it. Day started late with a bike rental and since my knee was wrecked after the Great Wall, I got to sit back and semi-relax as I rode Dutch style through Tiananmen Square and environs. I would recommend this as a mode of transport, especially if one is in possession of an orange spoon, it's a great thing to wave while waiting in traffic and making the Chinese laugh! All this on the way to visiting a beautiful park, Jingshan, for an amazing view of Beijing along with the Forbidden City.

Phew! It was a quick trip but on to a more Western feeling city: Shanghai. This time via train and this was a true Chinese experience, 6 bunks in each compartment with no doors. And lemme tell you, the Chinese are not the quietest of peeps! Sleep was only had due to mr. Sleeping pill, thank you very much. We barely made the train, a mere minute later and we would've been shit out of luck, ahhh, the adrenaline. Another 12 + hour trip that if we had waited to travel in one month, could've been on the high speed line at only 4 hours. Coulda, woulda, shoulda.