Be Careful in Shanghai

Shanghai is an amazing city so modern compared to other cities in China but if you go please be careful, there are a lot of scams here. I read in my Lonely Planet book about young art students going up to men and asking to have their picture taken and then they take them to a "tea house" where they end up spending a lot of money. But it not only art students that does this, in one day I was scammed three times. The first one was by a young women and her friend who "wanted" me to take their pictures and then they wanted to be my best friend "come, we are going to an auction where a lot of foreigners will be", what??  I kept asking, lets be friends. she said.  When I said I was a Peace Corps Volunteer who made no money and I couldn't afford to buy anything they quickly walked away ( what, you don't want to be my friend!!).  Whew, that was close so  I am walking to People Park and a couple who stop me by "Peace Hotel" (this hotel was built in 1929 original called the Sassoon House where Charlie Chaplin, Charles Bernard Shaw and Noel Coward would stay during there visit to Shanghai!!), please can you take our picture. Sure, no problem, oh, the wife asked " where are you going"? "We are going the same way, we are tourist and heard about this tea house, come with us it will be fun".  Before I knew it we were sitting down in this tea house but my new best friends were just talking away when I ask "so how much is this tea"?  Oh, don't worry about it, "yes I need to know, I am on a budget, can I see the price list?" The women kept trying to take my attention off the cost and finally showed me the price list (which was outrageous) a small cup of tea for "energy" was 50 yuan ($10.00) and they were going to have 8-9 cups (already set up by the tea person) of different kinds.  I got up and said, sorry, I can't afford this but you two stay and enjoy yourself and I left rather quickly!  I believe my angel was with me this second time too!!.  I didn't talk to anyone the rest of the day, I took a city bus tour (jump on, jump off) and went to the Shanghai museum.  I did get to People's Park and Square and the museum was incredible.  This country has so much history it is unbelievable.  Oh yes, I said three scams.  As I was walking back to my hostel, a young women came up to me and asked me to take her picture.  I looked at her and took her Iphone and snapped a picture.  She started her speech and I just looked at her and walked away saying "you got to be kidding".  Here are my pictures:

On the Bund walking to People's Park

Built in the 1920's, Roosevelt's family refurnished it to a Grand Hotel

Peace Hotel Sassoon Family built this

This statue is on the Promenade

At the Park

Near Yuyuan Gardens (on the Bus)

These Lions were outside the museum

So Majestic

Inside the museum 5 floors beautiful

Furniture gallery

Costume gallery

Head dress

Life Challenge:  Fool me once shame on you, Fool me twice shame on me...  Randall Terry  Fooled me three times, you deserve what you get!!! A.M. Carlos