and tailors
Good first day out in Shanghai today. We came a day earlier than the rest of the party to get over the jet lag and have used that day to first go and get some tailored shirts and jackets and then do some touristy bits.
Our first port of call was stall 133 in the Shanghai soft furnishings market. Recommended on TripAdvisor. We met with JoJo and Sophie, the two ladies often referred to in TripAdvisor comments and they were indeed very charming.
I chose a couple of copies of the Tommy Bahama shirt I was wearing, one in a purple silk and the other in flowery blue cotton. They recognised it was a Tommy Bahama shirt – cool stuff. Then I have a patterned blue blazer and a tweedy looking sports jacket. All made to measure and ready by 4pm tomorrow. Cost was 2015 RNB. I’ve no idea if this is a good price. It is 20% lower than their starting point but I guess my reference point was the several hundred pounds per jacket it would have cost back in the UK. Quality looked great but I will find out for sure tomorrow.
Rich got 5 shirts, a jacket and a waistcoat.
We then walked towards the river but found ourselves in an area that seemed to be a combination of residential and industrial with no access to the waterfront. Walked on a bit and came across the start of the main touristy bits called the Cool Docks. Paid a fortune for a bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water.
Thereafter it was a stroll through shopping areas and to the Town Temple which was no longer a temple but loads of shops. We stopped for lunch in some sort of food court. We had to regularly fend off hawkers (if that’s the word) trying to sell us fake Rolexes and handbags. I don’t wear a watch but I did buy a manbag in a proper shop. I need one:)
Decided by three o’clockish to head back to the hotel to chill a bit. Taxi was 29RNB though I did have to get the hotel bellboy across to check because the meter said 2900 which seemed a huge ripoff. Couldn’t see the decimal point! 🙂
Sat in reception lounge for a while sipping green tea. The waitress would occasionally bring more hot water to refill our cups. Then to recharge phone and left it in the room whilst I went for a haircut. 300RNB including tip. More than I’ve ever paid for a haircut before but we have to remember its a 5 star hotel and it did include a wash, blow dry and head massage which I hadn’t been expecting. Looking lovely with 20 years knocked off me I am now back in my room writing this post before getting ready to head out for the evening.
Plan is possibly a Teppanyaki followed by the jazz at the Long Bar at the Waldorf Astoria which is apparently hugely famous and is (also apparently) the longest bar in the world. Bring on the night.
Lots of interesting pics and vids. I’ll have to think how I share them all with you.
Tomorrow we are moving to the main conference hotel, the Shangri La.
Tags: diary