March 15, day trip to Zhujiajiao (Zhujiajiaozhen), Qingpu, Shanghai

Getting places seems to be half the fun, or not, depending on your ability to keep things in perspective. After spotting images of Zhujiajiao in one of the brochures, we were ready to combat whatever transportation means available to experience it first hand. With the name of the town scribled in Chinese characters, we stormed a bus station through the back door and, with dumbfounded expressions accompanied by Nihao, managed to get on the right bus. One of the station agents literally took our hand and deposited us by the bus heading for Zhujiajiao, on the outskirts of Shanghai. Yesss! Once in our seat, not knowing how much we should pay for tickets, we presented a handful of money for the attendant to pick out correct change. It seemed like the only option. It was also surprising how comfortable we felt doing it. Not for one second did we consider getting scammed. Strange. Was our guard down? Or was it the feeling that everybody is on everybody's watch here and nothing goes unnoticed by the authority?
Getting out at the proper stop wasn't as big of a hassle as we expected either. We kept an eye out for signs in Pinyin and then followed river of tour groups to the historical Old Town.

Zhujiajiao, a quintessential southern Chinese water town, was established some 1,700 years ago. It boasts over 30 wood and stone bridges, numerous rivers, and many old historical buildings lining the riverbanks. Rice and spice shops, even banks, housed in buildings from Ming and Qing dynasty, still speak of prosperous times originally brought on through rice and clothing business.

The town is also famous for its cuisine, particularly green soy beans, Zongzi (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves), and lotus roots. Avoiding meat, we eat our way through tasty and piping hot buns filled with veggies and sweet bean paste. 

Because of its large number of waterways that run from Dianshan Lake, much of the town's transport is by boat. Zhujiajiao is often dubbed Venice of the East.

uhm...not so picture happy

haircut memento for future reference 

On the way back, the second we show up at the bus station and without us even mentioning a destination, people usher us onto a bus going to Shanghai. We pick up our bags from the storage at the hostel and take a night train ('hard sleeper') to Tunxi (base for visiting Mt. Huangshan). It turns out to be a very uneventful ride except for the blasting noise at 5am (!!!). Music is force-fed to our half awake bodies as it pours from the speakers right above our heads. Pass me those earplugs PLEASE!

Had to catch this before leaving Shanghai. Intense. 

Turn signals are optional and spontaneous merging prevails.