Monday, November 28, 2005

26th November - Shanghai

“A tiger fights its hardest at the end of its life”

Today being the last day in Shanghai, the “tigers” within the ladies of the group suddenly jumped alive, "Today is going to be a SHOPPING DAY!", they proudly announced. Reluctant as I was, it was either follow them or do nothing.

So in the shopping exertion we went to 2 shopping places, I feel too lazy now to elaborate the nitty-gritty bargainings (something originally 300 yuan can drop to 50 yuan). So instead here are some pics and little comments:

This was the first place we went to, i dun rmb the name and i can't read the words of the market, so here's a pic for u chinese readers.

The whole set up is kinda like an old Chinese building. But of course the shops below were not selling old Chinese clothes.


I bought one of those peeing pottery stuff. The price tag was 15 yuan so I told the lady 5 yuan, and she smiled happily and agreed. Later on I found out from Uncle Kuan that I could have got it for 1 yuan…GRRRR talk about getting pissed >.<

Xiang Yang Fashion & Gift Market

We were here a few days before but besides my sister no one bought anything in particular. Today on the other hand my usually un-shopping-ish self found myself walking away with a pair of timberland shoes ALSO a pair of dress leather shoes that I’ll prolly use on Mondays and Fridays. (it was all imitation goods, of course)

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At around 2pm we rushed to the Shanghai Grand Hyatt for a dim sum that would end at 2.30pm.


Picture taken from http://shanghai.grand.hyatt.com/

The grand hyatt itself is an amazing building, a skyscraper above other skyscrapers. To me the outward appearance is very much like the petronas twin towers, a magnificent giant clad in shiny armor and with a very pointy hat. Despite its grand height it stays true to the land on which it stands on, boasting the auspicious number of an exact 88 stories.


Upon entering the main elevator I was shocked at how this towering titan had only 3 buttons in its elevator, on a closer look I realized the hotel lobby was on the 54th floor O.o

Dim sum at the hyatt’s canton restaurant was rather posh. We dined and admired the grand view of Shanghai from comfy cushion seats.

Dad and I headed back to the hotel by cab as the girls with Uncle Kuan as their guide returned to shopping at people’s park which is meant to have 95% girls accessories and clothing. Obviously dad and I took a pass on that one.


Tea and a View at the Shanghai Grand Hyatt

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He thrust the needle forward and in a split second it pierced through the glass and followed by the "pop" of a balloon.

As the show began, we promptly upgraded ourselves to the middle row center view of the half empty Lyceum Theatre.

The Great Kungfu Performance was all the basic Shaolin stuff, yet the performance was no less exhilarating. The difference between watching shaolins on vcd and watching the real thing is obvious.

The Shaolins did demonstrations of different weapons and qi gong. The energy put into every kick and punch can literally be felt by the audience.

Furthermore the weapons demonstrated such as the whip blade was a sight to see for me. As the blade and whip become a blur together with a "whishing" sound i pondered on how deadly the weapon could be if used against an oncoming foe.

The “rigid qigong” skills were shown to. The Shaolins bent spears with their throats and lifted themselves into the air by spears.

All in all though, the needle performance was the highlight of the show for me.

First was a short demonstration that the glass and the needle were real. Next, a monk then held the glass plank while another monk held a balloon behind the glass.

After summoning his Qi, the monk with the needle pulled back his arm and thrusted the needle forward so fast I could barely catch it with my eyes. Before I knew it the needle had pierced through the glass like a bullet and burst the balloon on the other side. The monk holding the glass then showed the glass plank with a bullet-sized hole right in the center of it.

HOW FREAKINING COOL IS THAT!!

note: photography was not allowed so please bear with my crappy drawing skills

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

i love the pics man!!

Anonymous said...

8 Yuan to one USD