I have never been impressed by the weather in Shanghai. Maybe it always turns overcast, rainy, or smoggy and miserable just for my visits. I can deal with humidity so that's not my beef (given where I'm from, I don't find Shanghai all that humid although it is compared to Beijing). In multiple visits there over many years at all different times of the year, I can recall only three blue sky days of fair weather, and those weren't on the same visit. As for the Shanghai Museum, mid-afternoon there doesn't usually seem to be much of queue to get in. Definitely worthwhile for a visit, as it is one of the better museums in China. And it delivers regardless of the Shanghai weather outside. :)

Generally speaking, the weather is a lot better than it used to be...I was recently in Chongqing for the first time in years and was amazed how much cleaner it was. The same is true for Shijiazhuang, where I once couldn't see across the train station square when I arrived from Beijing. Now, it looks a bit better...not good, but good enough.

I'm not a Beijing guy, but I know the pollution in Tianjin is worse than SH. SH gets that foggy/low cloud stuff all the time though, which is why I'm never going to make an advance purchase booking at the Park Hyatt.

We actually went there on three different days, in the afternoon. The first two times, there was no line at all to get in. The third time was on Oct. 2, and of course the line was very long!

sorry, missed a day
 

It's now day 5 of the China adventure. Sorry I missed a day of posting something, but the final Beijing day was very busy, lots of walking and subway riding, and then I was sick. We went to Prince Gong's Palace which is quite nice, peaceful, lovely buildings and grounds. That's where all the older Chinese people were-touring the prince's house.

I picked up food poisoning at dinner last night. Bob and I shared the food, and the only thing different was I had iced tea and he had a coke. Maybe the water was bad or the ice cubes. We didn't want to go far so we went to Viva shopping center and ate at Ajisen Ramen. Usually Japanese food for me is safe bet. So I was up all night running into the bathroom. We got maybe 2 hours sleep and then were up and out of the Cap Ren at 5:45 for the airport and Guilin flight. Now we are in Yangshuo, at Outside Inn hotel. I am exhausted.

Today's observation: I noticed that Chinese people are very noisy with their bodily functions. Sitting on the plane it was nonstop coughing, sneezing (never covering their mouth), hacking, wheezing, spitting (into cups), burping, and farting. It was a loud, noisy flight. To me as an American it comes off very rude, but I suspect it's perfectly normal behavior for the Chinese.

bold #1: I suspect it was not dinner (husband would have been sick) nor iced tea (all those Viva restaurants use factory ice from potable water, and tea is brewed from hot water), but something you had earlier in the day, or even day before with a delayed reaction. Sorry you got sick though. Just rest up in Yangshuo and take it easy.

bold #2: yes, perfectly normal behavior for the Chinese. But if you think planes are noisy, best think twice before taking hard seat on a train. :p

I wish I had been around to show you the ropes in Shuangjing. While Ajisen works in a pinch at times, it isn't exactly "Japanese".

Not so much rude, just a normal reaction to particulate polution.

+1

Keep in mind most food issues in China are:

1. Westerners getting used to Chinese food, it's not actually bad
2. Eating off something dirty, not the food itself

entrepreneurial bus driver
 

We get up this morning in Yangshuo to rain, so no bike riding or bamboo rafting today. We decide to go to Xinping, a charming old town. We shared a taxi wit h another couple going there, took the local bus back to Yangshuo which cost cny 7. We wanted to take the local bus back to the hotel which is in a village called Changlao. I show the hotel card to the bus driver, he nods yes. I ask how much,he holds up 4 fingers. Sounds reasonable.

We go around to the side to get in and he's kicking people off who were already sitting on the bus. He asks us to pay, but he wants cny 40. The bus has just become a taxi. Since we know a taxi is cny 30, we get out and go find a real taxi.

Anything to make some money, more than the bus riders would be paying. : )

Watch out there. The finger game is a funny thing to rip off tourists. He holds up one, you think one yuan, he demands a hundred at arrival. Might have been lucky with four meaning fourty and not 400... ;) You'll very often find this at tourism centers.

Yes, that is why I still carry a pen and a shirt pocket size writing pad. I used to use that in my pre-Mandarin speaking days 1970's in Taiwan and kept the habit. Very useful when I am in Asia. Numbers are international and the Chinese Character for RMB $ (元) is simple to learn. Same technique for rest of SE Asia.

One of the most interesting things about going to different countries is to enjoy their local food!

In Guilin/Yangshou, I like their "Guilin Mifen" or "Guilin noodles".
Their "beer cooked fish" is good too.

I still do this also--it ensures I forego a lot of future arguments or "misunderstandings". Works very well with cyclo drivers in Hanoi...who have a weaselly reputation on this, similar to pedicab drivers in Beijing. Also works for any goods and services anywhere where prices are not posted, and/or where negotiation/bargaining is the name of the game. Usually when something is clearly agreed-to and in writing, the merchant/vendor will not renege. Usually.

Anyway, let's see if Susie is feeling better, and where she and Bob will be turning up next. Good job on thwarting the greedy Xingping bus driver, by the way.

Also the calculator used by many merchants have partial disappearance of part of the number characters or a moving decimal point.

Friday, day 6
 

We are still in Yangshuo. Woke up to beautiful blue sky (finally see it!), less humidity. The perfect day to rent bikes and go rafting on the Yulong River.

Off we go, about 45 minute bike ride to Dragon Bridge to board rafts. About halfway there we stop to sip some water and a lady comes up and says "bamboo raft" and points in the direction to go (which we do know from a map supplied by Outside Inn).

Now she's leading/following us. I know she's making sure we go to her husbands' raft; I know the score. She's not just guiding us out of the goodness of her heart. So we stop and chat, she asks again about bamboo rafts, I say yes, and how much. She says RMB 200 for 2 people plus the bikes. I know the going rate is 150. She asks if we're American, I say yes, she says my Chinese is very good.

We arrive at the raft docks. I ask how much. She says 200 , I say too expensive, give me discount, okay. This is all in Chinese. She keeps saying 200, I keep saying 150. Then she's at 180, I'm still 150. back and forth. She calls her husband over, he types 160 on his phone, asks okay, and holds out his hand to shake on the deal. I hesitate...then okay and shake on 160.

Observation: I find it easier to negotiate with women as long as we both have a smile on our face. Plus even speaking a little Mandarin puts it all on a different level. I think they realize this mei gua ren knows what she's doing.

Rafting was lovely, quiet, relaxing. Scenery is stunning, meili. The raft man sensed we were in no rush and went very slow. He pointed out good places to take photos. At the end, he did not hover looking for a tip, but I wasn't going to give it anyways. Nice way to spend our last day in Yangshuo.