Shopping Day?

So, today I started out by puttering around as I have no solid plans.  Now that I have an idea of how the subway works, I feel a little braver too.

The exciting thing this morning is that I figured out the dish sanitizer!  Remember how the water here is unsafe and untreated?  Yeah, washing dishes in it doesn't sound safe, right?  Well I figured out that the kitchen contraption above the sink is an ozone dish sanitizer.  So I took all the grungy dishes out, washed them and started the sanitizer!  Now the apartment smells like ozone, but I know the dishes are safe!  Yippee!!

After that exciting revelation, I showered and got ready for the day.  I've decided that the one experience I had with rush hour on the Metro was enough, so I was in no hurry.

Full disclosure, I brought my camera, but took no pictures all day long.  I should have, but I totally spaced.  Basically, it was a pedestrian shopping street, just like any in a big city.  The only difference is that the signs are all in Chinese.

I found my way to Nanjing Road without much trouble...got a little turned around coming out of the subway, but not by much.  Like I said looooooooong pedestrian shopping street.  There are trolleys to take you up and down if you want for 5 yuen (one way).  I should have, but I forgot that I'm not as young as I used to be.

There are tons of designer shops and gigantic department stores on this street.  Didn't find much in my size, but that's ok.  Lots of jewelry stores and I think I'm determined to get something in lavender jade, but we'll see...it's pricey.

Now, I did see a couple of TV shows on Shanghai before I left and the one I most clearly remember (but not the one that convinced me to travel here) was Samantha Browns Places to Love.  She did a trip to Shanghai and visited the Zhang Xiao Quan knife and scissor shop on Nanjing and raved about the prices.  I found it and the prices are really good for high quality stainless steel knives, so I bought one...

See, you got a photo today, my shiny new kitchen knife.  I was thinking of going back to get a cleaver...but what do I need it for?

So I was on the return trip back to the Metro and I think I hear my name being called.  Now, I'm in China...Donna is not a common name anywhere anymore....nevermind China, so I think I'm imagining things.  Then, I hear it again.  It's Rolundia from my tour yesterday getting in some last minute shopping before she heads to Hong Kong. Who knew?

Let me steal something from her Facebook...

This is the two of us from the tour yesterday...so I guess  you get two photos.

Anyway, a quick hello and hug and she was headed back to catch her plane. I was on a quest for liquid refreshment.  I chanced a mango smoothie as it was actually quite warm and I needed something cold.  I then found a food hall, kind of a big market for candy, cakes, and junk foods...so I felt safe heading in with my drink. 

That place was a cacophony of smells.  One minute you were smelling fish, the next some gorgeous buttery bakery stuff.   I wandered around aimlessly and ended up buying a bag of Chinese treats that actually ended up being mostly peanut brittle...some with white sesame and some with black sesame...but peanut candies all the same. 

I was feeling pretty rough by this point, I guess my shoes weren't as good as I thought they were, so I decided I needed to head back to the apartment.  Got distracted by a mall and almost bought a dress.  Went out the wrong door and had to find my way back to the subway station.  I thought I was going to have to sit in People's Square for a few hours to let rush hour pass, but I looked at the time and found it was earlier than I thought, so I quickly hopped a train and made it just as things were looking dicey. 

I'm now in my apartment eating a cheese sandwich for dinner.  I'd grill it but the pan has burnt on crap that I can't get off...the wok is even worse as it's dented to hell and crusted with rust.  I will email KK on it over the weekend to see if she can get me some new ones.  I would like to actually cook at some point on this trip (pot noodles don't count).

I'm probably not going to do a lot of eating out this trip (except for the next two days in Disney) as I am not as an adventurous eater when I don't know what I'm eating.  I don't need to spend time sick from eating red meat (remember, I haven't had any in years and I would likely have trouble digesting it).  I do plan to go back to old town and get some of those crab soup dumplings though...wooohooo.

Maybe a Jianbing from the vendor that sets up around the corner from my building too.  I have to watch people order so I know what to do.  They look awesome. 

Anyway, for now, it's cheese sandwich and cucumber potato chips.  Not sure I like them that much, but I don't hate them.  It's back to the Mexican tomato ones for me....

Early night tonight for tomorrow we Disney!