Shanghai

Quick notes on what we have seen:

• Service is impeccable. With enough people, you can do anything. Example: the TV speaker in the bathroom was full of static, which makes watching TV very difficult. We went to the front desk and asked if they could either fix it or disconnect it. In the two minutes it took us to get back to our room, the repairmen were already in the room working on it.
• Turn signals are optional while driving; horns are not.
• If you can make it light up, it is.
• Purses, shoes, and DVD's are available every 10 feet walking down the street and people are more than willing to try and steer you down alleyways to purchase.
• People like to try out their English-speaking skills on you. We had a great conversation with a couple while walking down Nanjing Road. The nicest part was they just wanted to talk, not sell us something.
• We walked and shopped for about three hours this morning and probably only saw about ten Caucasian people the whole time.
• You can purchase Green Bean Pies at McDonald's.
• The sign may say Starbucks, but there aren't as many choices.
• I am currently enjoying Lays Mexican Tomato Chicken Flavor potato chips. They also come with a toy inside, kind of like Cracker Jacks.
• We feel like we are living in other decades. Depending on the newness and chic factor of the store, you may be listening/living in the 70's and 80's. We heard Phil Collins, Lionel Richie, Bertie Higgins, and Eric Clapton all in row.
• I don't know whether it is fog or smog, but it is here to greet me every morning when I open the curtains.

That's all for now, we'll have more later this week!

Mark