Shanghai

Well, we were up at 4:30AM this morning after a deep but fitful sleep. While Laure and I got our stuff organized, Gord went off with Peter, the hotel trainer, for a run around Shanghai. All this was done before 7:30AM! We then proceeded to go for breakfast and by the time we sorted out our issues with our Pandaphones and figured out how to get to the Shanghai Zoo, it was already 10:00AM. Six hours had gone by and we hadn't done a whole lot! The zoo was nice... we saw the giant pandas which are quite cool and we saw squirrel monkeys with one monkey actually carrying her baby on her back. Very cute!

Cara-Li then got hold of the site map and insisted on seeing the penguins. Who knew there were penguins in China. Aren't they an arctic animal?

Once back at the hotel, we all went for a swim and a hot tub. Did I mention how hot it is here in Shanghai? It's freakin' hot! We needed this just to rejuvenate ourselves. Once we regained some consciousness, we went for a walk along the Bund (Huangpu River) in search for the Peace Hotel. Several people have mentionned that we should go for drink and a jazz show there. After we finally located the said hotel, we were informed that it has been closed for renovation for 2 years. Ugh!!! So much for our cold pijius! We then proceeded to find the restaurant that the concierge suggested, the Shanghai Uncle. It serves typical Shanghainese (sp?) cuisine. It was somewhat difficult to order (thank goodness for pictures!) but Gordie did a great job (except for the crispy duck carcass that appeared).

We are now back at our room and have managed to stay up (it is now 10:00PM) so that hopefully we will be rid of our jetlag. We have touched base with Mary and Eric who arrived this afternoon and are also adopting with us. We shall meet up them tomorrow for dinner at the Oriental Pearl Tower.

It is great being back here in Shanghai again... it brings back many wonderful memories of when we were here last time before Cara-Li. We have come full circle, retracing our steps through Shanghai with our first daughter on our journey to meet our second.