Harassed at work, I took my dad's offer to go to China during the Halloween break. We were to drop by Xiamen and then move to Shanghai and then to Hangzhou all in a span of one week. Quite an exhausting trip for a week's break, but it's way better than getting stuck in at home thinking and worrying about deadlines. At least in China whenever I get deadline-phobia I won't have my laptop with me. ^_^
Again, I forgot to bring a decent camera. X____X
We were greeted by a very hygenic toilet in Xiamen airport. Just push the button and the plastic lining goes whrrrrrrr.....Oh and NEVER touch the colourful button while sitting.

This is my second time in Shanghai and a lot has changed.
The horizon was highlighted by lighted buildings,

the tv tower and..

oh yes, advertising.

even on boats there's huge LED billboards.


It felt like Vegas with all the neon lights popping around Nanjing Road.

Along Nanjing road, there's a really nice chopstick shop where they sell pencil -looking chopsticks ^_^ Cute.



We also checked-out Starbucks there. They have almost the same menu except its translated in chinese, but the crew speaks english ^_^


We were just in time for Shanghai crab season (Hairy crab). This thing is delicious, it's juicy and fat and when served you get a whole crab to yourself. Yum!

Near our motel (Motel 168), there's a place named "FEELING BAR." hehe

We went around Shanghai in cabs. Behind the driver, there's a rules and regulations list. It says "Passengers are not allowed to take a dump inside the taxi. Psychos are not allowed to get inside."

Next stop, Hangzhou, China, a two-hour trip north of Shanghai. We had to wait literally in the middle of the street for dad's friend's friend to pick us up.


From the busy Shanghai, Hangzhou takes you down to a more relaxed atmosphere. The energy a little more slower with more gardens and wildlife.




Every province in China has a shopping district, the one in Hangzhou was full of really interesting stuff.

They even had one of the first types of moving entertainment where you peek into holes inside a cabinet type box and the owner tells you a story. Inside you see paintings that are shifted around to create a story.

We went in to see an old chinese herbal clinic. Lots of jugs and drawers full of herbs.


And at the end of every shopping district , there's McDonald's.

We ended out Hangzhou trip with lunch right before our ride back to the airport in Shanghai. It's a nice restaurant with great interior and they even had a stage where a masked man would perform and switch from one mask to another while only tilting his head. ^_^




-0-
Back in Xiamen, two days before going back to Manila. I found a japanese doll as an endorser on the billboard.

^_^