We did not rush today. Just sent of some laundry, walked up Nanjing Road to the Peoples Square which was the Race Course in Grandpas day and generally got our bearings.
It is raining which is a pity after the hot sunshine of yesterday but we are armed with brollies as we knew this could be a rainy stay.
Nanjing Road is very bust. Not much different to Grandpas day perhaps except that the old buildings re not there and the street is wider. However we were bombarded by requests to buy some roller skate like wheels you attach to your shoes!! Do we look like roller skaters!
In the afternoon we met with Steffie from the Shanghai Daily News. She had heard about us from the British Consul and wanted to hear about our trip as she is doing an article which will appear on Sunday We should be able to get a copy before we go to the airport.
Then we met Peter Hibbard at last.
Peter and I have been corresponding by email for about 9 months. He is Vice President (I think) of the Royal Asiatic Society, Shanghai Branch and knows Shanghai and its history very well.
Peter came along with Sasha his 11 year old daughter as her mum is away. We went out for supper.
A Muslim restaurant and you can see some of the stuff that was on the menu in the gallery. Suffice to say that we stuck to fairly ordinary stuff and it was delicious. At least the horses innards were clearly identified on the menu and not hidden in a beef burger.
Peter is great fun. He is returning to England in July after 27 years in China. Coincidentally Grandpa was here 27 years.
Peters wife has had to go to Guilin where she and I think Sasha were born to denationalise Sasha and get visas for them to leave China and go to England.
Peter will take us out tomorrow to visit some of the areas that Granny and Grandpa would have known. Back in a taxi which was almost as mad as Moscow
Peter told us that last year there was a new law preventing people sounding their horns except for someone who is blind. For one week there was blissful silence before the honking started again!
Good day, good dinner and great new friends
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