It was right around the corner...

Monday, September 17th, 2007



I would have to say that this weekend was quite productive…or maybe just yesterday. Saturday I pretty much just bummed around. But yesterday, Sunday, after we went to the Tibetan cafe and ordered expensive pizza, well maybe not really expensive. It was 68rmb so that’s about $9 US, but compared to my usual 8rmb meals, it was expensive. But afterwards, Adrea, Huy and I took the metro to the Shanghai aquarium. We rode our bike to the metro and then took the metro to the aquarium. It was about a 40 min. ride I think, with just one transfer, beats the taxi fare! But when we got out of the metro, we looked at the map and decided to walk in the wrong direction for awhile, thinking we had to cross the street. But we didn’t know how to because there was a gate in the middle. So instead, we decided to get a taxi and the taxi driver literally said, oh it’s right there. Right there as in on the other side of the metro. So we basically walked in the wrong direction the whole entire time and the aquarium was literally just around the corner…we’re so smart! It was definitely something to laugh about though.

When we finally got the the aquarium, the tickets are 120rmb per person, which is about $16US. 120rmb just sounds so expensive, but it’s totally worth it!!! The Shanghai aquarium is most known for their underwater clear viewing tunnel. You feel like you’re actually in the water with them and their swimming on all sides of you. Its pretty much amazing and I’d encourage anyone that gets the chance to to go to the aquarium. The exhibit we were most fascinated with was the sharks! They were so big and had such sharp teeth and we were so close to them. There’s also a moving platform that you can stand on and it takes you through the tunnel. Let me warn you though, don’t put your sandals near the corners of it, or it’ll get eaten because that’s happened to me. I wasn’t sure what to do! It caught onto my sandal and curled it up and then spit it back out. I was a little terrified I’d have to say, but it’s okay. After the aquarium, we went to find the China Sex Culture Museum. In my handy Shanghai tour book, it says Bund Sightseeing Tunnel, but we didn’t know that it meant inside the tunnel. So we probably walked around for a good half hour, at least, trying to find this museum, and we were literally standing outside the door. We’re really smart hah. But it was really pretty to walk on the promenade at night.

So finally when we went into the tunnel, the ticket to the museum was 20rmb and that also included the rare aquarium exhibit. The sex museum was…interesting. A little awkward I would say, but very interesting. And the artifacts were in such great detail. I’d show pictures, but they didn’t allow any photo’s. The rare aquarium exhibit was very depressing. The cages were so small that it didn’t seem like any of the animals could move, and it didn’t look very well kept.

After a long day, we went to KTV with a bunch of people until the late morning. KTV is also known as karaoke. It was a lot of fun and my first time! I was just really tired but it was a blast. And now back to reality…classes. I had international marketing today and I have an 8am class tomorrow for which I still need to do about 100 pgs. of reading. boo.