Class Trip, Day 3: Shanghai

Sunday morning we went to the Shanghai City Planning Museum, by People's Square (人民广场). I start all my mornings here in a daze because we get up so early (had to meet at the museum by 9:30 am). It was a pretty decent museum with 4 or 5 floors. There was a scale model of the city that made it look absolutely enormous... I think the intimidating thing about it is how many high rises there are, combined with it not being laid out in a grid system. The scale was also a big larger than the model of Beijing, so all the buildings looked huge. Right next to the current two tallest buildings in Shanghai is supposed to be built another higher building. Being a planning museum, this building was already in many of the city models.





A great deal of the museum was dedicated to the 2010 expo. I doubt anyone outside of China has heard of this, but apparently it's a similar event to a world's fair? I actually have no idea, I just see signs for it everywhere. The planned/current construction is reminiscent of what happened to Beijing for the Olympics. There are many new permanent structures being built, with a few central ones, like a HUGE red pavilion type of building.



The top floor was the most interesting. It was filled with 50-60's era propaganda posters. I really can't even describe them, you have to go check them out on your own. (i.e. go look at the photos)

Afterwards one of my classmates and I went to one of the "copy markets." I could not find these in Beijing (to my dismay) so I was thrilled to find out about them here. Apparently there are a whole bunch of them. The most popular items at this one are shoes, sunglasses, and watches. Bags are also a big thing, and I saw some coats/sweatshirts. Men's dress tops (esp Paul Smith) is also everywhere. I keep on being drawn into sunglasses stores, despite having already bought myself 2 pairs and knowing that I almost never wear sunglasses since I'm almost always wearing glasses.

I'm enjoying shopping more and more... especially since the items there are a higher quality. I"m also getting better (slightly) at only getting stuff that I want and like, instead of being sucked into buying it because of the price. It was also fun because we were two Chinese girls and therefore (I think) got lower prices, both initial and final, that the obviously foreign. We had fun listening to the English bargaining, too. "You killing me!" "I make no profit!" The English bargaining would occasionally get loud and somewhat belligerent. I think some of them get frustrated and annoyed at the persistence of the vendors.

Went with a few friends to a vegetarian restaurant for dinner (one of them was vegetarian). We managed to get somewhat lost, which seems to be a theme for Shanghai traveling. After much walking, we eventually found the place. It was totally vegetarian, but its menu had stuff like beef, chicken, crab, etc. We ordered squirrel fish, curry chicken, greens + mushrooms, taro balls, and crab roe. The squirrel fish was so funny!! it was mashed potatoes shaped into a fish. Inside were carrots and mushrooms and other veggies, and it had a semi-realistic skin (some sort of fried dough?). The chicken was thin slices of tofu (i think). I'm not sure what the crab roe was... carrots and other stuff. I was a little disappointed. I was expecting them to realistically recreate the dishes using only vegetarian products. Instead this was a sort of mockery of the dishes... and it wasn't even that great. But I suppose it's a great place for vegetarians? He really liked the food, which I guess speaks for the difference in taste.