Stewart Girls Take Shanghai

I apologize my blogging has been so intermittent and unthoughtful this last month. I have been so busy with guests... which I'm certainly not complaining about.  It was a blessing to have my sister with me in this big city for 4 weeks and my momma for 2.5 weeks.  We had a blast together and I was so grateful to be able to share this interesting place with them.  I've included a few images from our time together...

HCS arrives at PVG, how was business class sissy? :)

 Unfortunately, no one really told me about rainy season until it hit Shanghai.  Beginning June 1, it rained for about 3 weeks straight... also unfortunately included in that was about the first 7-8 days of Hannah's trip.  Needless to say, she was not impressed.  I kept her positive and kept yummy Western food in her tummy and she made it through.  The first day the sky cleared I sent her on the double decker all city tourbus...

Hannah's great pic of Pudong skyline with tour go-ers in the red hats

 Franny showed up a few days later, and although we were late to the airport to pick her up, she was so excited to see the girls! There aren't many things better that seeing your momma after a few months.  She had a rough go of traveling - who knew you could actually get downgraded from business class? Poor Franny!

Lujiazui

Park Hyatt - Living Room,
Floor 87 SWFC

After a yummy sushi dinner, we took a few more pictures!

Hannah on top of the world -
Oriental Pearl TV Tower!

Girls Night Out on the Bund. Aside from these great pictures, we were asked to take many pictures with local people. Its still flattering....

Below, Hannah and Franny posing with the Lujiazui skyline in the background. Also, Hannah and I doing the signature Theta Kite.  Theta Magazine worthy? What do you think girls?

 Dinner at Lost Heaven, serving food from the Yunnan region near Tibet.  The girls were getting better with their chopsticks with every meal!

The girls enjoyed a sunny day out on the Shanghai Hop-On, Hop-Off tour bus.  Here is Franny at the Yuyuan Garden and Old Town area.

One night, we decided Mexican was a necessity and we headed to Catina Agave for an evening on the patio with margaritas.  When we arrived some workmen were jackhammering on the corner nearby - at 5pm on a Sunday! It was a bit distracting but after the first two margs they stopped, so we were able to enjoy a few more.  We have a pretty good time together....

Me and Franny at Cantina Agave

My amazing sister

Headed home on the metro!

Week 1 Highlights

This post I will share some of the great images from Adam's first week in Shanghai. 

One night we headed our for dinner a couple metro stops away and as we were walking to the restaurant, Adam saw something that he thought really interesting.  This bike was rigged up with about 100 boxes.  This is not that uncommon - seeing bicycles rigged up to transport things throughout the city.  Everything from food, to shoes, to construction equipment this is how they transport it here.  I can't even recall seeing a semi truck in the last 2 months.

the supply chain industry within Shanghai

 On Tuesday night, Adam and I were joining my friend Kimberly for our regularly scheduled Tuesday night dinners.  We decided we needed to get out once a week and try different places and just make it a regular thing.  This week we were headed to a place called Lost Heaven, with food from the Yunnan region which in the most southwestern province of China and borders Tibet, Burma, Laos and the Sichuan province of China.  The food is somewhat spicy and unique.  Also, they have really cool photography that depicts the region.  Kim and I have actually been before, but thought it would be great to bring our guests (Kim's 70+ year old aunts were here for 10 days!).  Plus, its at the Bund and it would be great to share it with them after dark.  

First though, Adam and I decided to take the metro at rush hour where were would have to make a transfer at People's Square the biggest metro stop in the system.  There are 20 exits to the street - and 3 lines connect here!  Below you can see our view as we entered the platform.

People's Square platform at rush hour

Also, I've been playing with editing some photos - I thought this was kind of fun!

Kim's aunts were awesome.  One lives in Chicago and one in Costa Rica where they grew up.  They were troopers and I hope that I am that full of life at that age.  They were really fun!

Kimberly and the tias (aunts)

After dinner, we headed down to the Bund for Adam to experience it after dark.  Unfortunately, my camera does not do it justice but you get the idea.

Adam with the skyline of Lujianzui (Pudong)

They have a bull similar to the one in the financial district in NYC
You can see the Bund style buildings in the background

Adam with the lights of East Nanjing Pedestrian Rd
on our way back to the metro stop

Another night we were in the same area and Adam found Yao Ming!
Madame Tussauds of course!

On Friday, Kim organized a fun outing! We had the opportunity to partake in one of the favorite activities of the Chinese people - Karaoke! We headed to the KTV around the corner of the office with some of Kim's chinese colleagues.  It was a blast - we sung both English and Chinese songs! And we were dying at some of the videos they played on the TV for the western pop songs.  I accidentally requested 3 Lady Gaga songs in a row and they wouldn't let me sit down!  Adam managed to not get peer pressured into getting up - no surprises there!

Adam and I at KTV

The crew at KTV

We had a great first week! So much more to explore!