one night in shanghai

so we spend most of the day touring gardens and such again. and, much like the food, everything is starting to look the same.

we visit the 'water villiage' of tingli, which is a little village on the water -- sort of like the naples or venice of china. it's pretty much a tourist trap and we're bombarded by beggars ... either asking for money or our empty water bottles to recycle. at the entrance we saw a security guard and a chinese lady get into a huge screaming match which drew a crowd, including us. the only English phrase used was 'i'll kick your ass' by the male security guard. i think he was embarrased when he realized we knew what he said and giggled. glad to report no punches were thrown and no asses were kicked.

i declined to visit this garden and instead chose to wander around the little village and visit the shops on my own. after three and a half weeks of doing everything with a group i crave and value free time more than anything. plus it's 100 degrees outside with major humidity.

i stop by the shops and try to make deals but the locals are also sooo hot and tired they don't even get up out of their chairs to greet me, which is like totally rare. i understand and let them rest and turn this into more of a 'window shopping' experience.