Shanghai

China! We were in Shanghai yesterday and today. It felt odd to be back in China for the first time since 1996. While I had only been to Shanghai once before this trip, and that was only for a few hours between meetings, the amount of development was clear from the fantastic buildings (see below) of which I think only the Pearl Tower (looks like a big Q-tip) was under construction in '96. Someone with better internet connectivity than I have can fact-check me on that one. We went to the Shanghai Museum (lovely and free), the Bund (historic and futuristic at once), the French Concession (Korean food?!) and many shopping spots. We bought a watch for Jr so he can stop asking when we need to be back to the ship, a hat for me, and some yummy snacks and meals.

Most of the voyagers are traveling overland from Shanghai to Hong Kong, but we opted to travel with the ship. We knew we'd be tired after having been away from home for just over a month at this point and thought the two quiet days on the ship would be welcome. We underestimated how welcome it would be. Yesterday, one of our faculty members sadly died of what was likely a heart attack as his tour group was leaving the museum we had visited earlier that day. While we had only met him on the voyage, he was a charming person, and his wife is the retired dean of the UVA School of Nursing and someone we know and admire. We are not yet sure if she will rejoin the ship after arrangements are settled. Plans are in place for a memorial service onboard the ship in coming days (probably after the students reboard following Hong Kong).

I hope I'm finally getting rid of a cold I've been carrying since before Japan. We are looking forward to sailing into Hong Kong. In both Shanghai and there, our docking spot is very central. The night cityscape shot below was taken from the deck of the ship on the evening we arrived. It will not be quite as spectacular tonight when we sail out as it has been quite hazy today.