Days 30 & 31

My studies are coming to a close and I am doing some last minute touring of Shanghai. These photos are from Thursday and Friday, June 23rd and 24th.  The pictures include the largest shopping center I have ever seen, and it had mostly all luxury stores.  Shopping center included a department store, movie theaters, many restaurants, and of course many luxury stores.  As I walked around the area, you will see that it is as modern as any American city, and also has some unusual and interesting architecture.

I also took a walk through a park and you will see pictures of kids learning to skate and the the shooting of a commerical.  I've often mentioned that the Chinese were very friendly, and the site where they were shooting the commerical was no different.  As soon as I got there someone came up to me, said "hello", and started a conversation in English.  It wasn't the best English, but he tried, and he wanted to practice his English.  Then his friends came over and we all talked for a while.

Friday afternoon we were invited to a celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party in China.  My friend, Professor Zhang Xijiu (retired Dean of the College of International Exchange) invited me and a bunch of other students to go to the celebration.  There were many singing and dancing groups there, and it was quite some show.  Much to our surprise, he schedule us to go on stage and sing for the large audience.  Fortunately for us we had Omar.  Omar is a fabulous singer and he sang a song, in Chinese, telling everyone how wonderful China is.  We danced while he sang, and the audience loved it.  There are many pictures of the show, and two of us on stage.



Huge indoor shopping center with mostly luxury stores, many restaurants and a movie theater

 

Buildings and another shopping center in the area

 

Unusual building with Chinese house on top of it



At one entrance to park, workers are planting flowers



Shooting of commercial.  One of the workers spoke some English and befriended me



Children learning to skate in Park

 

Singers and children at Community celebration of 90th Anniversary of Communist Party




People receiving awards at the ceremony

 

Another performance



Very colorful group of performers



Three men dressed as soldiers.



Here is our group.  Omar is singing while we are waving flags and sort of dancing.  The audience went wild over our performance, because Omar had a great voice and was singing the song in Chinese.

 

Our Group picture after the show. That's me with the professor in the center

                             

Me with Sergy, my friend from Russia



This is our group from the Special Topics in the Chinese Culture class.  Girls around me are Stephanie and Franchesca, students, and Dr. Sophia Chen, our instructor on the right

Street where we had our farewell dinner, all lit up at night