An early start and on the road to Shanghai. First stop was a small art district, a place full of little eclectic shops. Also quite a tourist area, it was quite strange to see other nationalities, but a real comfort to get a decent cup of coffee. A successful yet quite restrained shop, we headed off for lunch, before going to the 5 mile shopping street which sees 1 million visitors everyday. Something that everyone was looking forward to, the sheer crowds immediately hindered our spirits. A few purchases were made, but I think everyone was relieved to get back on the coach. Last stop for the day was another set of shops near a temple which sadly was closed for refurbishment. These shops were cheaper, but assistants were definitely going for the hard sell. With some good bartering, we went to a lovely hotel, for a nice early night on a rock hard bed.
Second day of Shanghai started with a hearty breakfast of BREAD and fried eggs, although I was unfortunate to miss the bacon. Proper coffee and orange juice set us up for the day, starting at looking at the EXPO sight. Not knowing what to expect, when we crossed the bridge I think the whole coach was stunned. All sorts of funky and interesting buildings installed to advertise different countries. We then headed off for the Shanghai World Financial Centre, the tallest building in China and the highest occupied floor in the world. Even before we entered we saw plans for the next tallest building in the world, right across the road. Needless to say the views were breathtaking. On a day with a bad forecast we were very lucky that it was sunny and moderately clear. A trip to the loo saw toilets in a whole new light; heated seats with optional rear cleaning saw us spending a bit too long in the cubicle. I now fear that normal toilets will no longer be satisfactory, let alone holes in the ground.
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