china: final day

i apologize to those of you who may have been checking my blog periodically in the hopes of finding a new and interesting piece from my china trip! i had the best intentions when i started blogging again, but unfortunately they fell to the wayside...so again, i apologize.

this trip has been incredible! i will be posting some pictures on facebook so you can get a visual of what the places below look like. i would post them here now, but my bags are all packed and my pictures are somewhere in one of my suitacases!

so, over these three weeks, i have stayed in shanghai, visited beijing, and hangzhou. some highlights:

shanghai -- the modern city

• shaoxing park -- tucked away in the French Concession, it was filled with seniors just hanging out, playing mah jong and exercising on the public exercise machines
  
• yu yuen gardens -- lots of pagodas, caves, very lush, beautiful gardens in the middle of the city
  
• going up to the 88th floor of the jin mao to get a view of the city -- unfortunately, the smog clouded most of the view, but it was still worth it!
• dinner at y's table -- a set menu of fancy but delicious japanese food
• century park

beijing -- the historic city

• the sleeper train
  
• temple of heaven
• hongqaio pearl market -- a tip for anyone travelling to beijing who likes to shop and a good bargain - do not miss the silk and pearl markets. bargain hard, and if you don't like the price they give you, just walk away. more often than not, the price will plummet.
• the great wall -- this was phenomenal.
  
• visiting mao

hangzhou -- the lush, scenic city

• biking around west lake and through lanes of traffic

tonight, i sleep my last night in shanghai and tomorrow, i ride the maglev (google it, it's awesome) to the airport and i'm back in the air for fourteen hours before that sweet touchdown.

china, it's been interesting and eyeopening, thanks for the good times. until we meet again.