Since I don’t want to keep anyone in suspense, my Shanghai friend failed to ask me to marry him but I found him to be intelligent, charming, handsome and a product of the Big 10. What’s not to like? It’s most unfortunate I discovered he is a Wolverine and not a Spartan but since my team is better than his, I was thrilled I could air my grievances about that other school in Michigan and its self-proclaimed superiority. I even donned my very uncomfortable hanky panky underwear (seamless) to feel more desirable but after the coconut drink served in an actual coconut slipped out of my hand and spilled all over the bar there was no bringing sexy back.

With that being said, I surrendered my shy girl routine and dived into my journalistic instincts to get the story and grilled my new friend on life in Shanghai.  He arrived in 2003 with two duffle bags of clothes and is quite impressively fluent in Mandarin – a skill he admits required a great deal of patience and commitment to learning. Most of his friends come from all over the world including the U.S., Australia, Brazil and Japan and the social life of others like him centers on work and eating and drinking. It’s representative of every other big city in this world. If you work hard, play hard or maybe that’s just my motto. Culturally, he said it’s very difficult to friend locals and in particular men because of a lack of common interests. He also indicated dating Chinese women proves challenging. I guess there is hope for the rest of us.

According to my Shanghai friend, the Shanghainese are considered middle to upper class by most standards and there is no shortage of people with money.   I witnessed first hand the hustle and bustle of a workday with people moving in all different directions. Locals walk, bicycle, train and drive to work in cars and on motor scooters, they dine out, purchase luxury items and live in apartments that meet corporate skyscrapers eye to eye. I’m fascinated by my new friend’s stories but suspect he will return to the U.S. one day.

My feet suffering from excessive walking yesterday, I decided to act like a local and give the subway system a try. I conquered this with ease thanks to clearly labeled colored lines and English translated stops. My train rides provided me with a rare moment of people watching. It quickly occurred to me that while many of the passengers dressed appropriate they were not wearing Prada, Gucci and Chanel. In fact, the bulk of people in transit need to call Anna Wintour. I couldn’t decide whether Ann Taylor and Nike merged or if New Kids on the Block had an affair with Hello Kitty.   And the shoes…Women wear a black clunky, high heeled monstrosity ankle boot or calf boot that doesn’t even coordinate with their outfit. Perhaps I have lived in New York too long, but these “shoes” cannot be comfortable or fashionable. Picture bulky, bulletproof military boots with suede and buckles-all black. It doesn’t seem likely that the wealthy people are riding the train but they are flying by plane. My flight to Dali (Friday) holds 150 passengers and I counted no less than 80 Prada and Chanel bags boarding. By contrast, I’m carrying a Stella McCartney gym back and wearing a Lululemon capri pant and Gap t-shirt. Take that Shanghai.

Many Chinese people invest in real estate as a means to diversify their wealth.   At this time, however, there is an over supply of available condos yet the excessive building continues. In Shanghai proper, the largest industries include agriculture, finance, tourism and entertainment, technology, public utilities and of course manufacturing. The city like the country struggles with finding a balance between economic growth and protecting the environment. Residents use an app to determine the pollution levels for the day. I noticed a few folks wearing masks and a slight smog rolled across the city round 8:30 am but overall I found the skies mostly clear and the weather delightful – upper 60s during the day and low 50s at night.

While Shanghai is bold, vibrant and enjoying an economic boom, hidden amongst the skyscrapers and shopping fairways, I discovered square blocks of slums. They resemble spruced-up shanties and it’s my assumption, the home of Shanghai’s laboring class. Further evidence of the tale of two cities that exists all over the world. I contemplate that for a moment and flashback to my train ride where everyone young and old carried the latest version of the IPhone 6, IPad or Samsung Galaxy. This is a different China, a scene of immense opportunity backed by a rich and long history. I succumbed to the belief that my biases are not always correct and the part of travel I enjoy most is reading between the lines.

I’m traveling to the Yunnan Peninsula later today. This princess is hopeful the next hotel will have a bed worthy of my musculature so I can rest my weary head and get some decent shut-eye. The picture below is an engineering feat of pillows and duvet covers in an attempt to create a softer more bearable bed.

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When I headed out this morning around 7:30 am, there were thousands of middle-aged and elderly Shanghainese occupying every inch of green space as well as empty parking lots adjacent to their buildings exercising. Most were in groups organized around an instructor doing kungfu and tai chi, while others were cornered off waving fans, swords and other objects while intensely breathing and swinging their arms vigorously across their bodies. I watched one man fling himself against a tree 15 times. It caught my attention so I started taking pictures to review later and I learned it’s actually quite common. According to traditional Chinese medicine, people who suffer from backaches can regulate their energy and promote blood circulation by striking their backs against trees. I can’t imagine that would end well for me. There is a note under the description written by a monk that says, “elderly people whose bones tend to be fragile should not strike their backs against hard things.” What about commonly injured nearly 41-year-olds?

Having accomplished most of what I wanted to see on the historic front yesterday, I ventured to a neighborhood high on the to do list called Xintiandi. I delighted in finding Xintiandi. I can proudly declare I found an area in Shanghai I can live. People speak English. There are menus with normal food, there is shopping and its streets are pleasantly lined with trees. I didn’t even feel like I was in a China per se. I wandered aimlessly in the sunshine for hours. This area contains renovated stone houses – more like mansions, narrow alleys decorated with wine bars, bookshops, cafes, international food and people with a lot of money. It’s considered the most expensive place to live in China and some apartments cost more than New York, London and Tokyo. It’s home to the Chinese elite and top executive expats. Price Waterhouse Coopers and McKinsey buildings lurked in the shadows just to name a few.

Xintiandi is also the sight of the first Congress of the Communist Party of China, which took place July 23, 1921. The police guarding the museum obviously did not want me to know that because when I was taking notes I started getting yelled at in Chinese by one man and then three gentlemen pushed me when I tried to take a picture. I mean can’t they even learn to say NO in English. I realize I am on their turf but still. I don’t look good in stripes and the bed at my current hotel is hard enough that I didn’t feel compelled to  risk note taking any further. I discovered later it’s acceptable for the Chinese to take pictures just not me. The bottom line is I wanted to know why and when Communism came to China. It seems clear that the Chinese, in particular the youth/students, were upset with the previous government for allowing the British to take Hong Kong following the Opium War(s)of 1840 and they were tired of being treated like “colonists” by the British, French and Germans. Marxism/Leninism came to China at the end of World War I and many embraced the Russian ideals but it wasn’t until a few years later when student protests spread across the country and created a type of Chinese nationalism. The student demonstrations took place on May 4, 1919 and this was really part of the larger movement that brought Communism to China. Living in a country with democratic ideals it’s hard to comment truthfully on whether or not Communism works but I can say this: Their streets are clean, their roads flawless, their transportation and infrastructure modern and their people educated so something is working.

After enjoying a most satisfying lunch of pumpkin soup and spinach salad (over saturated with dressing but delish), I figured when in Rome and I headed to the Shanghai zoo to see the Red Pandas. Fortunately, one hungry Panda was out playing and eating – they are always eating – and I seized the moment to snap a few pictures of my new friend. Who doesn’t love a panda?

Tonight, I am going out with a friend’s friend for a drink. He is likely married with children or otherwise not available but in any event I will reiterate my dad’s latest advice, “if you meet someone, stay there. We will come over for the wedding!” I am keeping an open mind. If I have too much to drink, I am prepared with my hotel card written in Mandarin for my safe return as cab drivers (and pretty much everyone else) do not speak English. This would have been something very helpful in college. After stumbling out of a bar, I could have presented the cab or bus driver with a card to my dorm. Hmmm maybe something I should present to college campuses.

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