Xian and Shanghai - Hello Jackie Chan

Me defending myself :) Muslin Quarters

It has been extremely hot in Xian well over 100 degrees so checking out areas during the heat of the day is out of the question.  The teacher from Abu Dubai and I went to the Muslin Quarters on Saturday morning, it was like a carnival. There were street vendors making sesame treats and taffy.  They were selling all kinds of foods (which I did not try nooooo way) but my adventurous friend did. After a couple hours in the Muslin Quarters a welcome break at Starbucks!!  In the evening we went to see the Big goose Pagoda, the Bell Tower and Drum Tower.  The old city walls which surrounds the city, was built in 1370 during the Ming Dynasty, 12 meters high and has a dry moat. Oh yes, they do have a Walmart here!!!  Here are some pictures.

This is the Walmart

Big Goose Pagoda

The Front Door

The Drum Tower

Taffy Pulling in the Muslim Quarter

Pounding a sesame treat

The next day, I had to take a shuttle to the airport to catch my flight to Shanghai.  Of course I got lost trying to find the hotel where the shuttle was leaving from.  Going underground to cross the street you can miss one turn and be lost forever!!  But I kept asking for directions, and this one couple actually walked me directly to the shuttle bus.  The trip to Shanghai was uneventful but I did not get the direction from the hostel on how to get there.  But studying the map, I knew what metro stop to get off and I figure I would go from there.  As it turned out, it was right in the middle of the touristy section of Shanghai.  When I got off the metro I walked into a zillion people (of course).  I saw this guy and he had an IPhone and helped me go in the right direction.  After that it was just a matter of asking the police which way to go.  It was an incredible walk to the hostel, if I wasn't so tired I would have taken pictures, it was all light up and I passed a Sheraton, a Waldorf Astoria, and a Marriott, so then I go down a side street and here is my hostel “Captain Hostel” ($45.00 for four nights!!).  The next morning, I woke up and made coffee.  I needed to plan my day, I decided to go and get my train ticket to Hangzhou first and then walk along the river.  As it turned out, I bought my ticket and right across the street was a really nice restaurant.  I had steak and eggs (about $8.00).  The first steak I've had since being back home over a year ago.   I am definitely going back to that place.  I then took a cruise down the river, it was hot but there was a nice breeze.  It is probably in the high 80’s here so it is much cooler than Xian and Beijing but the humidity is still quite high.  So after I bought some fruit and went back to the hostel until evening. I took some evening pictures, here are the pictures:

At the airport in Xian - Sleep boxes

Buildings are amazing

The "Bund" 

Near the river 

Same bull as on Wall Street (see below)

Explanation of the Bull

On the River Cruise

Financial Center

Oriental Pearl Tower

Same tower but at night

Boat cruising on the river

Night Life

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