Shanghai and Beijing

I am still amazed at how timing has worked over the past few weeks. This Shanghai and Beijing trip happened really last minute for me to accomodate client/audit team needs, at the same time trying to schedule training and other "meeting" times.

The travel plans made me miss the Hong Kong training session for IFRS, which took me a *long* time to get over and let go of. =p At the same time, everyone else has been busy and travelling too, that Chinchin ended up also missing the training and going to Shanghai with me. At the same time, the trip allowed me to have dinner with my UW classmate Karen, and Rick, who moved to Shanghai last year... and more so, they just returned to Shanghai from their vacation on the last evening that I was there (as I was able to switch my flight to fly out on the following morning.) Further, aside from travelling in Beijing with Aida, the Friday morning that I arrived in Beijing was also the last day of "shooting" for Sherrie's movie, and was able to go to their "wrap party" (and other expat bars...) on Friday night. Hahaha...

So, I just sit back and say "wow". Amazing! It's been great to be given the opportunity to travel, meet up with old friends... while arranging my current demands... aside from working through the weekend... but who isn't doing that, it seems, sigh. =p

Chinchin and I managed to get a few hours to walk around in Shanghai -- this is the famous "Bund" area.. the river between historic Shanghai and the new Pudong area. That's where we also picked up a 500g bag of roasted chestnuts.. mmm.... !!



Aida and I went to Tiananmen Square on Sunday before going into the office... Haha, our hotel held wedding receptions on both Saturday and Sunday. Seemed like the "normal" time for the bride and groom to get to the hotel was 10am! Also, instead of showing a blown-up picture of them, one couple had a larger-than-full size posterboard!




And... I must take a picture of the 11 RMB dumplings that we ate for lunch downstairs in the foodcourt! Such good value!!! It's been interesting... especially after chatting with Rick and Karen about their experience with the local peoples. Things are either very very cheap (from our usual standards) or very very expensive, which is kind of sad for the local peoples who would not be able to afford these luxuries that seem to be created for the expats and foreigners [say, a small sushi platter at the Grand Hyatt for RMB 450].

Until next time, this is Gladys Yam.