China {Shanghai}

Since we booked tours everyday, I didn't bother to do much research on China until about 2 days before we left.  In the small amount of research I did, I stumbled across the fact that there are quite a few Papa John's locations in China.  Papa John's is one of the things we miss the very most over here {somehow Japan missed the memo that Papa John's is superior to Domino's and Pizza Hut}. 

When we arrived in Shanghai, pizza was at the top of our to do list.  We'd barely checked into our hotel before we ordered a ridiculous amount of food.  The company made it super easy for us, they provide a toll free number and an option for an English speaking representative.  The quality was exactly what we are accustomed to in America. 

We both agreed that it was just as good as we'd hoped it would be and consumed an absurd amount of food.  I proceeded to eat left overs for the duration of our stay in Shanghai.  If there had been any left, I'd have found a way to bring it back to Japan.

After we gorged ourselves, we headed out in search of some nightlife.  We'd been told that there was a street lined with bars very near to our hotel.  3 hours of walking later, we finally found the bars 2 blocks from our hotel.  By that point I was tired an had no interest in a drink so we went back to our hotel with plans to go out the following night.  Unfortunately the following night when we went by, they were all closed...no Shanghai night life for us!

While out walking, we did stop for some delicious HOT drinks at a little shop called Happy Lemon

I had a hot chocolate and Jason had some cranberry apple tea.  It made up for the lack of vending machines we've become accustomed to seeing on every corner in Japan.

The next day we visited the Jade Buddah Temple,

 the Old Town which wasn't actually old but quite new,

The Yu Gardens which we gorgeous, 

  

and the Bund area.

I had really high hopes of getting a nice shot of the Shanghai skyline but the horrible air quality prevented that {and has also resulted in an awful sinus infection for me}.

That day there were many couples out having wedding photos taken so I had to discretely snap a few of my own.

We also stopped at a pearl shop where we learned the difference between fresh water and ocean pearls and how to tell a fake from the real deal.

We spent a few hours at a museum

Then finished the day walking around the city.

 This night we were searching for a specific type of restaurant but couldn't find it so we just randomly walked into a place.  They had a picture menu at the front counter but the images were very small and we really had no clue what we were going to be served.  It ended up being a GIANT bowl of broth and a plate of raw seafood and veggies that you added to the broth to cook.  {we also ordered fried rice as a back up}

The plates were all lined up along the wall ready to be served which made me a tad nervous but neither on of us became ill so we consider it a successful meal!

Shanghai was very similar to Tokyo with lots of tall buildings and lights at night. 

Overall we enjoyed ourselves in China but it wasn't our favorite {it's going to be VERY hard to top Bali}.  The language there baffles me.  Everyone was constantly yelling other and their words kind of slur together so it was like being in a city full of drunks.  They barter for EVERYTHING there and that just isn't our thing.  There is no part of it that we enjoy.  We always walk away feeling like either we got ripped off or we ripped off someone trying to make a living.