Shanghai
Shanghai was the last
stop on our trip to China - such a change from relaxed Kunming! It is crowded,
bustling, full of skyscrapers and neon. And it drizzled all day. We spent much
of the day in the Shanghai Museum, which has a particularly fine and
well-labeled collection of ancient bronzes, jades, and pottery. After that, we
started off for the Yu Yuan Garden in the charming Old Town district, but first
decided to get a cup of tea at the Huxinting
Tea House while we waited out an especially heavy period of rain. What a
surprise -- we ended up with the Chinese version of high tea, including tofu
cakes, quail eggs, and sticky rice wrapped in leaf packages. I had jasmine tea,
which came in a tall glass with a ball of tea leaves in the bottom. The ball
gradually opened up and a jasmine flower rose above it. And it tasted delicious.
That evening we took a cruise on the Huangpo River and saw the Bund all lit up
at night. Sensational!
Mimi Santini-Ritt 2004