DFR Travels: Monday, April 15. Hot and humid during the day, cooler at night.

We arranged to get picked up at 10:00 am so we could have some time in the morning to get ourselves together, nice!

When we went to breakfast there was a note on the table saying that all poultry products were no available. Fellette had oatmeal and I had pancakes.

We seem to have run out of Chinese money so we went a few doors down the street to the Bank of China and the giant doors were unlocked and opened as the clock struck nine. After no luck at two ATMs we got lucky on the third. Back to the hotel to clean my cameras and get ready for a day of touring.

We were met in the lobby by Agnes, our 45 year old Chinese guide. Two minutes later we were off to the Park and Garden which we thoroughly enjoyed, next a stroll through Old Shanghai were some still live in tiny homes holding many families. I think this is when my first impressions of China as a very old and dirty place were formed in the 1940s. Probably by some photographs and old books I suppose,

The Chinese common folk are very patient and tolerant of being in close proximity to crowds and other people inside what we would consider our private space. They are also used to being in an environment where they are subservient to others, just like the Emperor had control of life or death over his people. In our country we are taught that everybody is equal, I don't think that is the case here, some are more equal than others. Many government officials are billionaires, on the backs of common folk. This they can do nothing about.

We had lunch in a local restaurant where I actually had luck using chopsticks, momentarily. We strolled through the streets absorbing the colour, noise, smells and atmosphere of Shanghai. We next visited the Shanghai Museum which is less than 15 years old and a masterpiece of marble and granite and appropriately holds and displays artifacts going back for 5000 years, seeing the development of bronze, pottery, porcelain and textiles over the ages was interesting. Besides it was air conditioned in there.

We were back in the hotel for a quiet time before we are scheduled for a dinner and and acrobat show tonight.

I cannot believe the opulence of this hotel. We paid what was appropriate for a decent tour for two people for the 18 day tour of China. I asked what was the room rate for our room. The clerk looked it up and it was $850 per night!!! Now you do the math, there is no way that we paid enough for 17 nights in hotels such as this. Somehow there must be a policy of putting foreign tourists, on an organized tour at greatly discounted rates. We even have Free International Phone Calls included. So, I spoke to all of our kids and Moe today. Except Jeannette who disregarded the funny phone number on her display. Understandable.

Back home here at 9:30 after a dinner and acrobatic show, fantastic. We have seen them before but they are certainly worth seeng any time you have an opportunity.

We finally have a handle on this touring in China: don't even try to do everything that is offered, you will burn yourself out and it is impossible to do much more than get an overview of this country in 17 days anyway. 10:00 am pick up again tomorrow!