August 12th - City Splendor

Because no vacation is complete without sightseeing and hitting all the major tourist traps, we ventured out and about for several days.

Most notably the Shanghai Aquarium. We’d heard rumors on the difference of what is considered respectable displays of interest at children oriented cultural centers, but rumors are rumors – right? Not always so. And, yes, ducks are much more useful than lake dwelling décor. Apparently they are feeders for alligators and lo and behold for public display! So there we stood for approximately 20 minutes morbidly waiting for the alligators to surface and snack on the mallard out for a casual swim. To make it more curious for such gawkers as us, the two-part visual of underwater and above-water viewing left us in a pitiful horror movie effect with the subconscious beat from the “Jaws” movie playing over and over in our heads. Imagine, alligators lingering on the pond floor, ducks wading and splashing and having a wonderful Sunday afternoon cruise on the water, alligators moving slowly but methodically about, ducks happy with not a care in the world. And then… nothing. It seems the duck feathers floating on the water were from the previous feeding and those alligators only movements the result of indigestion from an unfinished biological process. The biggest question is how long does morbid curiosity compel one to stand and wait? Did you ever watch “Faces of Death” when you were a kid after being told not to? Question answered. (picture to be posted soon)

We visited various places such as Nanjing Road, Yu Yuan gardens and the 100th floor at the world’s tallest observatory located at the Shanghai World Financial Center rounded out some typical hot-spots, quite literally.

And Chloe had her first "celebrity" moment -proving once and for all that blondes do have more fun...in China! It shouldn't be surprising that the Chinese find blondes intriguing given that a majority of the population here is dark-haired. Even I was requested to have my picture taken with a young lady...an awfully skinny young lady. I am suspicious as to the purpose since American women are considered a bit hefty! You couldn't even get away with a size 6 which would admirable from my perspective.


There is so much to see and do over the next couple of years.

Daily Myth Solver: There is shopping in Shanghai. Mind-boggling gobs of it. Some say it’s the fashion capital of the world – if you have some money to spend. Why did I think Birch Run’s Prime Outlet’s was my last stand against nudity? Although sizing is another adventure for Mrs. Bigfoot and all her sasquatches.