What? Shanghai Is Just Two Plus Hours?

I guess I'm still not over the 16 hours we spent in a plane a few days ago.  So when I found out flying from Hong Kong to Shanghai was just a little more than two hours, I thought - piece of cake.  Not only was it sort of a real shortie, the plane was half empty.  Ann and I had plenty of space to spread out.  We had no trouble getting through security and customs (both out of Hong Kong and into Shanghai and Mainland China).

Out front of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel

Shanghai is probably the one place in China (excluding Hong Kong) that combines both Chinese and Western cultures.  It is a very charming and vital place.  It is the financial hub of Asia.  There are 22 locally incorporated overseas banks in Shanghai.  In fact, there is a hotel right on the Huangpu River Front (the Bund) named the Waldorf-Astoria.  It is as grand as the one in New York City.  What it shows is that it and the other buildings along the riverfront all show their Western roots.  By the way, the Huangpu River runs right through the middle of Shanghai separating the new from the old.

Dinner is complete and as is our tradition a group photograph follows

Sunday afternoon, I met with the parents and advisor of six students that live in the Shanghai area.  I met with each family to discuss their children and any questions they might have.  Being so far from the Brewster campus, this meeting is a wonderful opportunity for them to meet with a BA representative in their own town in a relaxed manner.  It makes for good exchange and allows them to get to know the other parents.  After all our meetings, we finish the evening with a traditional Chinese dinner at one of the fine restaurants in the city.  A fun time is had by all.  Plenty of chat and laughter.