Honkin' Around Shanghai

Wow! Where do I start to describe Shanghai? Well I guess I'll start with the very best, most important part of the visit. William Jr. is the main reason for our trip to China so here he is with Grandma and you can see Grandpa in the background. He's one big boy. At 2 & 1/2 weeks, he's over 11 lbs. and off the charts. I said honking around Shanghai because that is one of the main characteristics of the city. It is crowded with all kinds of moving vehicles-cars, bicycles, scooters, buses, taxis, etc. + lots of pedestrians, and everything that has a bell, horn, whistle, etc. is making it's noise. Lots of people talk loud too so it adds to the general ambiance. I was going to call it chaos, but that really isn't true. There is a constant flow to it, but it doesn't feel out of control. It just sort of moves, pulses, lives and breathes. Everyone is welcomed and absorbed into the crowd. You just become a part of it and its constant honking. This cyclist with his large load is very common. You see bikes and carts piled high with every imaginable item.

Our first day was full of sunshine which must be unusual for the area since everyone said it was the nicest day they'd seen in recent memory. We went to see Century Park where Taylor runs a lot but we couldn't get in because they were preparing for a big fireworks display in honor of the 60th anniversary of communism in China with the takeover of Mao. Note the many interesting, modern buildings in the background. The architecture was extremely varied and abundant with skyscrapers.

Steve and I in front of Taylor and Jen's apartment. With 30 million people, you can imagine how many skyscraper apartments there are. This newer, beautiful building is just a block from an open air market with fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, fabrics, trinkets, etc. most with tiny little living spaces behind or above them. Amazing!

This view from their dining room window looks out at apartments, offices, the river and one of the tallest observation decks in the world.