More tidbits from our trip

We are in the olde person's garden a block from Justin's place. Sun, flowers and fragrance. Casual and smiling after a night's rest and a full breakfast, plus a brisk walk to Justin's. We are overjoyed to be here.

The kitchen in Justin's is modern and spacious. Enough outlets to run the usual appliances, cook the food and wash the dishes. Large refrigerator to pack all the food to be prepared. Unfortunately, neither Justin nor Sherry are much on cooking. Hmmm.

Andre is not quite Rubin's "Reclining Lady" but the living room is spacious, furniture a bit low to the floor for my taste, my needing to struggle to get out of the sofa and chairs, otherwise a young person's modern.

Although the curtains are closed and the skylight has movable cloth shutters, the room is light and airy, the night sky is visible, and the room feels expansive.

Next to the bedroom is partitioned the computer room and an outward looking window. These two rooms plus a large shower and bath make up the second floor. Plenty of room to roam around up here. Hardwood floors, no handrailings to get down the angled staircase though, slippers with traction a must for me.

The night we arrived, we went out for "Chinese" and this is a typical restaurant, on the second floor in the old French concession, a lazy susan in the middle where plates are placed and then spun around to each place setting. There are communal chopsticks to place the food onto your plate, and then there are people willing to share everything.

Our arrival into Shanghai and first stop was the Radisson Hotel, a 5 star affair where the doorman remembered Justin from Justin's stays before finding a place of his own. We were teated to excellent service, a full buffet breakfast, night attendants at the door with greetings no matter what time of night or early morning we came back. A very comfortable experience, all arranged by Justin and Sherry. Andre and Sarah stayed at Justin's and lingered here long enough for Kathy and myself to get ourselves situated in our rooms and then down to walk to Justin's, taxi to restaurants and then back. All this the day we awoken in East lansing at 3:30 AM to catch the Michigan Flyer bus, to catch the plane in Detroit Metro, to catch the plane in Chicago to fly to Shanghai via the north pole, await our health clearance while still seated in Pudong International Airport, lumber through customs with our full compliment of luggage, cab it to the Radisson, etc etc etc. So began our two weeks in China and the Special Administration Region (can you believe it "SARS") Hong Kong, and back again.

Arrangements by Justin and Sherry were outstanding. Thank you so very much.