After having visited the bank once more I could finally buy the bottles I fell in love with the other day and around 10 o'clock in the morning we were heading for our first stop in the suburbs of Shanghai where I got to see a little nice old town.

Driving through the Shanghain traffic had been one of the greatest challenges on this trip so far: sharing the lane with all the other Chinese riding cycle or motorcycle to work was not only exhausting but also very impressive as I realized the city's size.

Another 20 kms later we arrived at the highest mountain of Shanghai but the altitude (about 187m) frightened us so we decided to rather take a long lunch break in the restaurant close to it (though nobody was really hungry).

Our first accident occured before we arrived the wonderful ancient city of Jujiaojiao. There my kind partner and guide (!) took a rest while I discovered the touristic part of this place.

Around 7 o'clock in the evening the lamps of Xitang greeted us cheerfully causing an intense feeling of relieve after our first 87 km!

Once connected to the internet, Harry looked at several accomadations while I was observing and listening to the traditional Chinese concert that was giving right in front of us. We finally ended up with this lovely Mingshu for which I negiotated the price while Harry was looking at another one - and I do admit that I am a little bit proud about that due to the fact that I never dreamed of being able to bargain at all, leave aside in Chinese!
Sure enough it would not have been possible if there hadn't been a piece of paper as my Chinese is still deplorable.

I thus realise what I knew before: even though I love the sounds of different languages the phonetic is and has always been the biggest and sadly the most persisting language barrier. Will I ever get to communicate here? So far I doubt it, but I can still write.