Trains, Planes, and the Final Tragedy

Dear Readers,

I found a few more interesting pictures from Beijing I wanted to share with you. First, my condition on the subway. Steve managed to take those shots while we were mashed in there. Second, the horse and cart we passed on the highway loaded down with cabbages. The truth is that the majority of the local people outside the city travel this way. Third, that I noticed that under alot of the highway underpasses we saw sofas abandoned and set up as resting places for homeless? unemployed? Alcoholics? Passerbys? I just thought that was a great way to utilize the space. Ha!

We did arrive in Shanghai for the second week of our journey to China. This time the driver had no problem finding the Marriot downtown Shanghai. It use to be the tallest building until they built a taller one on the Bund. Again the sky was gray and it rained off and on throughout the week. From my hotel window I could see all the places I wanted to go-art museums, people's museum, McDonalds. Every morning we ate at a place near by called Wagas. It was a short walk to the store (a Japanese form of Starbucks) and I ate scrambled eggs and toast every morning. From there I would work on my latest novel, Woman in White, or plan my day.

The first day (Steve worked the whole week) since I was alone, I decided to head to National Art Museum to see what was new. They speak no English there. But art is universal. There were lots of people there and the whole four floors were dedicated to a famous Chinese artist that did modern 'earth' panels that were textured. Most of them involved a triangle representing the heavens protruding on a round ball (earth) and that seemed to be the major theme. Some of the canvases had dirt stuck in the paint or fossils. I thought of pizza when I looked at them.

Since that didn't take long I decided to try to find the Contemporary Art Museum which had been closed the last time I was there. On the way I had to walk through the park and people stopped, stared, and I kept my pocketbook clutched tightly. A group of girls stopped me and wanted to practice their English. "Where you from? Obama is cool. We are going to a tea festival. You come with us." Were they crazy? I walked off. I walked through a water lotus garden which was very pretty. At the Contemporary Art Museum they were having an exhibit on Pixar, the animated movies of Disney. It was interesting to see how they went from a script to sketches, to models, and finally cartoons. When I got to the end, I came into a room where they had two of the monsters from Monsters Inc. The guard insisted "Take picture! Can! Can!" Okay. I took a picture. On my way back to the hotel, another group of young people stopped me and insisted I talk to them. So I did. They also wanted me to come with them. No, don't be stupid. I insisted on talking THEIR picture which threw them for a loop. They didn't seem to want to be on camera and I was happy that scared them from following me any further.

In China, there is no facebook allowed. They don't want people to be able to put together a gathering. They don't want people voicing grievances. I was able to do email. In the afternoon I went up to the roof to the pool where they evidently vented the sewage pipes. It was so hot! I layed out anyway with all the other wives. You got a great view of the city from up there and the gray sky. Within walking distance of the hotel and where Steve works, is a group of nice restaurants (for the rich and the tourists). We ate at one Italian place there where I had fried Octopus. Yummy. The second night we ate at the California Grill at the hotel. Very fancy. I could look down on the stand still traffic in the pouring rain from there.

And so the week went. I revisited the People's Museum where they have the best collection of artifacts of Chinese culture (that weren't sold) and saw an exhibit of New Zealand Maori artifacts and art. Great. I bought some postcards and books and returned to the hotel. Every afternoon I hit the pool. For lunch I visited a deli on the ground floor and got a sandwich and a Pepsie. I was beginning to think I was going to escape this trip without any gastric problems. Not so. Wednesday night we had a company dinner at the modern mall at a place called Crystal jade. It's big here in Singapore as well. It was totally Chinese. We didn't even know what we were eating. That night at 1:00 am I became sick. Totally. I stayed in bed the next day and got better. We packed and flew back to Singapore Friday afternoon. I was trying to stay hydrated. I was so relieved to get back to our room in Singapore! But by Sunday, I realized I was getting worse so I visited my favorite hospital, Raffles for a quick chat with the emergency doctor. I was put on charcoal pills, antibiotics, probiotics, and packets of rehydrating powder. I felt better as soon as I got enough medicine in me. I am still not fully recovered but am eating again. I never lost a pound through the whole ordeal.

Well, that's the end of my big fat Chinese vacation. Would I go back to China? No. Will I? Probably. Steve will be returning every three to four months. Maybe he'll take me to Singapore-I have all those air miles! Maybe I am just dreaming.