My week in Shanghai was really different to Japan!

I met Aaron and Quique at the airport on Friday morning and we spent the weekend together which was amazing! Our 4th country we've been in together (Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand). Everything here is very Chinese but having Aaron with me most the time was super helpful! The first couple of days were jam packed since Quique only had 2 days with us! Aaron made sure our first stop was memorable by ordering chicken feet in the soup we got hahaha I couldn't even watch him eat let alone eat myself! We also had dumplings though so that made it a good food day! In the evening we went in to the city centre and walked along what is called "the bund" which is like the foreshore of Shanghai overlooking the waters edge and the beautiful skyline! We went to a bar in one of the hotels so we had a great view as we had cocktails and cake! So good hanging out!!

Sunday we went out exploring. We went to the Shanghai glass museum which was one of the places that was on my list and gosh it was amazing! Seeing how glass sculptures are made as well as some history of glass over time was really cool. We caught the public bus there and back which was also good to do! A lot of people wouldn't speak to us in English since Aaron could speak mandarin, and we got stared at a lot, but I'm getting used to it I guess. We also went to one of the famous gardens in Shanghai which were beautiful and so detailed with traditional Chinese architecture and art. For dinner we went for hotpot which is Aarons favourite thing and he talked about it so so much in Malaysia we had to try it with him haha!

Monday morning we all went to the airport to drop of Quique. Sad saying goodbye after a semester together! I definitely want to go to Mexico and visit him when I can afford it!! After that Aaron and I went to catch a train and headed to Hangzhou which is where Aaron's masters university is so we went to explore before he moves in next month! For dinner we just ate near our hotel. Aaron got chicken feet again haha I got fried rice which was served inside a pineapple which was real yum!

Tuesday we spent the day out and about. We walked a couple of kms to one of the famous landmarks of Hangzhou. It is a beautiful tower which was built centuries ago however destroyed in the war during the 1900s and so only got rebuilt early this century, but the foundations are all still there. From the top you can see so much across the lake and around the city! Once we left we went to a mall for lunch. We ended up eating Japanese haha but it was cooked right in front of us which was awesome! And we got fireball ice cream which was literally set on fire in front of us - so freaking cool!! In the afternoon we wandered by the lake and went to a famous bridge which was surrounded by beautiful lotus flowers - lots of people around though! For dinner we had dumplings again because when in China hey! They were really good!! We also had some wine which was really sulfuric but very yum!

On Wednesday we slept in late then ate nearby. Aaron ordered a so called delicacy which is literally just sliced tomatoes with sugar on top - super random mix but pretty good! We spent the afternoon getting to the train station then heading back to Shanghai. I had seen an ad for a trapeze show at a theatre so we headed there but after spending an hour heading there we found it wasn't on! So we just went and had dinner instead! We ate a Thai restaurant which was yum! After that we went our seperate ways as Aaron was heading back to his home town up north. I'm so glad he showed me around and it was great hanging out for the few days! My last couple of days I stayed in a nice hotel a bit out from the city. I got upgraded which was really good! I just took a bit of time to myself, eating nice food, setting my sleep back to normal again and enjoying the nice hot shower! The revolving restaurant on the top floor was buffet so I ate there Wednesday night. There was a live band which were awesome! And the food was so so good!

Thursday morning I made my way to the airport. Totally messed up and arrived late for my flight which was both stressful and expensive to resolve but I've learnt my lesson now! After a couple of hours waiting at the airport (and writing this blog!), off to Taiwan we go!