Well ... today was our last full day in China! We are still in Shanghai!
We started out with a presentation from Westfalia Surge (a trip sponsor). A representative from the company spoke to us during breakfast and provided us with lots of great information about China's dairy industry.
Today's pace was much slower so we left the hotel a little later than normal. Our first stop was the Yu Garden — a beautiful garden even in the dead of winter and 32 degrees Fahrenheit. It covers over 20,000 meters and is filled with lots of beautiful rocks, halls and pagodas ... we are sure it is absolutely breathtaking in the summer months.
After leaving the Yu Garden we were given free time to shop for souvenirs in the nearby stores and then traveled to the Bund and Nanjing Road for more shopping. We had a lot of fun purchasing items to bring home to our family and friends.
We ended the evening with an entertaining dinner where some of our fellow participants provided us with some impromptu singing and auctioneering. After dinner we enjoyed an amazing Chinese acrobat show. We were in awe of the performers' talents including a contortionist, juggling hats, balancing plates and much more.
We are back at the hotel and are packing our bags and some of us are getting our final massages (very cheap — $20 US dollars for a one hour massage). We leave for the airport in the morning to head back to the United States. This has been an amazing trip! We can't believe what all we have seen and accomplished in nine days! It has been an experience of a lifetime!
We can't wait to see all of you in a few short days! ... and to eat a nice big steak and baked potato!
