well, so much for a good night's sleep.

It’s 6.15 am.  I woke up at about 4.30 and couldn’t go back to bed.  I tossed and turned for about an hour before giving up.  Now, I’m up!  I finished unpacking my bags, checked to make sure that none of my gear was stolen during the trip, and plugged my rechargable batteries into various outlets to give them more juice.  

Our hotel, JinJiang Shanghai, caters to western guests.  Almost every piece of text here is in both Chinese and English, and the power outlets are built to receive both Chinese plugs and American Edison plugs.  So, that’s nice.  The guide book has this to say about the hotel:  “Once known as the Cathay Mansions and the scene of some important political events, this famous garden hotel in the French Concession has restyled itself for the 21st century.  Rooms are elegant, facilities numerous, and the surrounding area houses a number of superb restaurants.”  

What kind of ‘important political events?’  Can someone do a little research and let me know?  I’m curious about what has happened in this hotel!

I’ve got a few hour now until I’m supposed to meet the other four for breakfast.  Today is a bit of a relaxing day.  We’re meeting at 9 for breakfast.  At noon, we’re going over to see the big facility.  At 4, we’re meeting our student docent/host, Michelle, who will take us over to see our venue for tomorrow.  Later, who knows?  We might see some shows, or go find some authentic Chinese food!  Don’t worry, Aunt Laura, I’ll post photos.

In the meantime, I’m going to be a little chill.  Maybe grade some papers or read my book.