Free Internet

Today is Friday, Nov 9 and we are docked in the city of Keelung, Tawian about an hour away from Taipei City. Home to the tallest building in the world. After our shore excursion was over, I decided to walk around the city Keelung and it reminds me of a scene from the movie "Blade Runner" It's raining and there are all these poeple walking down narrow streets with shops and outdoor resturants packed so tight you can barely move. I even got lost for awhile but made it back to the ship. Along the way I found this place that has free internet so I update from where I left off which was Sat Nov 3. Our ship sails for Hong Kong at 9:30 Pm and its 7:30 PM now. Debbie!! Aunt Doris says to tell you Hi.

During the night , after we left Xingang, China and most people were asleep, the ship had to turn around and go back to Xingang because of a medical emergency. I heard that a passanger had a heart attack and so we had to turn around. We haven't heard there condition but I hope they are ok. Because of that we were not able to make port in Nagasaki. We were at sea for 2 days until we docked in Shanghai Mon Nov 5.

The night before I was walking around the bow of the ships upper deck looking for the gym. I saw a young boy and asked him where I could find the gym. He paused for a moment and the said he was from Russia. I told him I visited Russia last year. I don't think he undestood cause he just had a puzzled look on his face. Then I said I was in Moscow. He said he lived in Moscow. I asked his name and he said "My name Diemetrie" He let me take apicture and then he said goodbye. It was then I realized that the people you meet on these trips, and I met quite a few people are more interesting than the places you go to see.

Nov 5 Monday
We pulled into Shanghai in the morning and I was looking forward to watching the Eagles vs. the Cowboys football game which was shown at 9:30 AM. During the game I was talking to a fellow I had met earlier, Richard from Glenview, Illinois, who was here with his girlfriend. He knew I worked for IDOT and is very glad that the Willow Road project will be winding up soon.

My mother and my Aunt met and introduced me to a lady from the Virgin Island(Marva Applewhite). This lady knew their late brother Vernon who lived there and was killed in a plane crash in 1978. It's small world and getting smaller all the time.
Shanghai is the worlds 3rd largest port. I was going up topside to take some pictures when I ran into the British couple (Great Wall) and I congratulated them on their achievement. I had to get a picture of them and they obliged.

That night we took a river cruise of the Huang Pu River which flows through downtown Shanghai. It looks like Time Square and Las Vegas put together on water. There are many buildings with modern architechture. They are currentl building the next worlds tallest building maybe. Because nobody knows how tall the one in Dubai will be. Later that night we went to Xintiandi Plaza which is place with western style dance and jazz clubs, resturants, and open air cafes. Very nice. If you are a westerner living in Shanghai, you would feel very much at home.

My impression of Shanghai is that the new is being built on top of the old. There are so many high rises going up and new construction that as you ride along their elevated highways all you see are sky cranes as far as the eye can see. But at the same time you very old apartment buildings that look like they might fall down. Cars,trucks,busses,motorcycles,bicycles all share the same roads. And there are a lot of bicycles since owning a car is a luxury, but there are also a lot of cars. I can't imagine somthing like that in the states.

Nov 6, Tues
Shanghaied in Shanghai

Today we toured "Old Shanghai" and Yu Garden. We also visited the Shanghai Musem which houses many old Chinese artifacts.

I was dissapointed because there was a shore excursion that featured a ride on Shamghais Magnetic-Levetation train. It also featured a trip to one of the skyscrappers 88th floor for a view of the city.

Later that day we had lunch at a famous hotel where Richard Nixon and Ronald regan signed peace accord treaties with China. We also visited another silk factory and a school with gifted children which I thought could have both been eliminated and sustituted the ride on the mag lev train.

I guess I'll have to come back and ride that train so I can scratch it off my list of "Things to Do"

That night at dinner we celebrated my mothers birthday even though it was on October 31. There is a group of 12 of us and the captain sent cake to our table and she was presented with a birthday card.

I will log off now so someone else can use this computer.

I'll try to update again when I reach Bangkok. When I get home I will post pictures and videos.