First Leg: Shanghai

Flying direct from Toronto, we landed in Shanghai on Dec 9th. We were warmly greeted at the airport by our relatives.

Recalling my previous trip to Shanghai in 2008, I was eager to see how much this mega-city has evolved in the past 4 years.

So many buildings have sprung up in the city, stretching far out into the suburbs to accommodate for the growing population. But my interest still lies in the antiquated lane houses.

The common alleyways that are overshadowed by the bamboo sticks hanging clothes to dry.

An old woman sitting outside her house.

The next day, my uncle took us to Suzhou via the express train from Shanghai. The new railway system is very efficient and comfortable.

On the outskirts of Suzhou, we stumbled upon a small fishing village. Two ladies were using these long poles to catch their ‘free-range’ ducks to sell.

Really like this shot of my mom. Didn’t notice the color matching at that time!

Back in Shanghai – After a big family dinner we wandered around the Pudong New district. Again wandering into the older neighborhoods.

A fun group shot with the cousins. It was getting pretty chilly so we bought some lamb skewers and snacks.

They also took us to a popular local street vendor. The shop grinds the soybean at 10pm and by midnight fresh soy milk is available for purchase.
We also sat down to enjoy some of their fried dough and rice patties. Delicious!

Shopkeeper taking a break from the cold night.

Walking by another street famous for their BBQ and crayfish, we were surrounded by these beggers. They would yank on the ropes and the monkeys would do a flip in the air or try to grab onto our shoes/pants. But you can see that the monkeys are in pain. Many people give money to dismiss them, but we were really disgusted with how inhumanely they treat these animals to make a profit. :(