Yesterday, I got to experience one of the things that I was looking forward to the most on this trip. We traveled to Shanghai on a bullet train. The trains travel at about 300 kilometers per hour and the track was about fifty feet above everything else so it felt like we were flying. The ride was incredibly smooth and you could even feel the train tilt into the curve so that even the turns were not bumpy.

Along the way, we passed all kinds of towns and people ranging from the seemingly poor to the potentially rich. There was nothing but farmland as we got farther from the city. Little villages and huts spotted the green and brown countryside and we even passed an area where people were farming fish, which I had never seen in real life. At one point, there was a line of cars stopped because one man was herding sheep casually across the road. As we got closer to Shanghai, the population density started to rise dramatically. The most common form of housing near the cities are about twenty hotel looking buildings in an organized array that I am assuming is just small apartment style living to fit and many people as possible. We passed dozens of new housing buildings being built which showed just how many people are living in these cities.

This morning, we went to a maze of a street market that had all different types of shops. The shops ranged from cheap knick-knacks and stamps to diamond jewelry that cost thousands of dollars. We were not allowed to bargain for prices at this market, but the prices were not as radical for obvious knock off attire. I was able to get some souvenirs for my friends and family before we were off to our next destination.

From the market, we went directly to Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in Shanghai. The building is over 600 meters tall and has a twist of 120 degrees from the bottom to the top giving it a one of a kind look. The view from the top was slightly tainted by smog, but it was still a beautiful view either way. The glass windows all the way around the building allowed us to get a great look at the entire booming city of Shanghai.

In the evening, after a filling dinner, the group went back downtown so that we could take a short cruise up and down the river that splits Shanghai in two. The boat was very crowded, but on the top deck there was no roof so you could see the city lit up from anywhere on the deck. The skyline had every possible color one could imagine and since we were on a river that ran down the middle of the city, every way you looked you were surrounded by brightly lit skyscrapers. While we were taking pictures of the city, we noticed that many people were taking pictures of our group. A few even approached me specifically and asked if they could take pictures with me. I was both confused and flattered, but I guess they do not get to see Americans too often.

I am ending the day with sore legs and great memories and I cannot wait to see what tomorrow has to offer.