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.

[easymedia-gallery med=”1526″]

Despite a few aches and pains, I ventured onto the streets of Shanghai after my delightful and much needed Starbucks. It’s amazing what a little fresh air and exercise will do for my mind and spirit.

Shanghai is an immense city with a population of 24 million people of which 21 million live in the urban area alone. By comparison, the largest U.S. city by population is New York City with a mere 8.4 million people. The Shanghainese do everything big. There are bright lights like Hong Kong and Times Square and a skyline that extends for miles and reaches high above the clouds. The city motto must be, “bigger better and modern.” It’s a city of excess with more high-end shopping than Madison Avenue and the Vegas strip combined. If only my budget allowed…

It’s an interesting mix of east meets west. With every Prada and Cartier, there is a line of Zara, the Gap, Haagan Daz, Starbucks and Dairy Queen. The Chinese must really like ice cream, they are tempting me at every turn. It’s a remarkably clean city minus the hacking up a lung-spitting crowd, which seems to pertain to only a handful of men but it is noticeable.  These men aren’t shy about really snorting it in and letting it all out that’s for sure. I’m just glad their reach excluded me thus far.

The Huangpu River, the largest in Shanghai runs through the heart of the city dividing it into two parts. It’s easy to see the appeal of the city. It’s vibrant past re-emerging with construction cranes dotting the skyline on every corner. Still an active port and the largest in China, Shanghai took a drastic dive in 1949 when foreign investment dried up due to Communism. It is once again known as the financial capital of Asia with nearly every European and U.S. bank represented.

Today, I conquered the Bund (the scenic and historic area of the wharf), Pudong, the financial district and the observatory at Jin Mao (along with 1,000 grade school kids waving at me saying hi), Nanjing Road, a mix of Times Square and Fifth Avenue/Michigan Avenue, the People’s Square and lastly Yu Gardens. It’s a very manageable city and user-friendly maps make it easy to walk all over on my own. All the signs are labeled in English, which means no need to translate Chinese characters all day long. I wish the Russians would take note. Using that as a crutch, it really encourages people to move about freely, if only the restaurants took such pity on me.

Eating is an issue for me. I don’t like American Chinese food. I don’t eat it and I certainly have no idea what 90 percent of the food is here even when when I am looking directly at it. That could also be because I don’t cook and no one speaks English.  After walking up and down endless streets for hours, I decided to take the plunge. I would not be that tourist at McDonald’s although the thought did seriously occur to me after rushing out of a few places due to the smell.

After thoroughly inspecting a few restaurants, I settled on a cafeteria-style place only because it looked clean and busy. It was not an easy decision. I recognized steamed broccoli and thought that would be a safe choice and I really went crazy and ordered some noodle soup to which I added the broccoli. There were items that resembled heads of birds and weird hands and broccoli while not my first, second or third choice seemed safe and edible.

While I definitely deserved a blizzard after that big step, I couldn’t quite explain in sign language peanut butter cup blizzard so I enjoyed a traditional tea before walking home to relax and recover before dinner. Eating is something I typically look forward to but maybe it’s a good time to cut back on the whole eating thing anyway.

Last but not least my learned tourist tip of the day (please note I caught on  before I was scammed- a very proud moment indeed). A boy and girl about 18-23 approached me to take their picture.  They started telling me they were from Beijing and asked me where I was from and I asked them to take my picture…HA HA.  Then they quickly got down to business and told me about a tea event they were going to see and would I like to join. Thankfully, I thought better and said I wanted to walk alone and check out more sights. They pushed hard but I continued walking. Just an hour later I was at my next sight and a girl asked me to take her picture and then started asking me where I was from and what I was going to see….An alarm bell went off and I was on to them! One scam averted. Be weary of an over friendly teen!

[easymedia-gallery med=”1531″]