![\"20150416_074234\"](\"http:\/\/www.awholenewnormal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/20150416_074234.jpg\")
<\/a>Good morning Shanghai! #nofacebook #notwitter #thankgodforinstagram<\/p><\/div>\n
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GOOD MORNING SHANGHAI this was the view from my 9th floor hotel room window. If you see the two taller buildings on the left, the spire of the Pearl Hotel can be seen in the grey haze. That’s the neighborhood where the conference was taking place, a 20 minute walk, and 12 minute “Mr. Toad’s-Wild-Taxi-Ride.”<\/p>\n
After I checked in, I had half the day to wander. \u00a0I took another cab to the west side, and visited the Jewish Refugee area. \u00a0I had no idea this even existed until the day before I left home. \u00a0Check this out if you are interested. www.shanghaijews.org.cn\/English\/ Thank you Becky Elmendorf!<\/p>\n
<\/a>not the same neighborhood as the conference. #notwitter #nofacebook #thankgodforinstagram<\/p><\/div>\n
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This was one area where the Jewish refugees lived in Shanghai in the 40’s. Very European feel to the construction, and the colors were vibrant compared to the cement grey and blackened wood of the side streets.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I thought that if you clicked on any of these photos, you would\u00a0see them larger. \u00a0Sadly, no. \u00a0Anyway, my maiden name “Simon” was shared by\u00a0many refugees. \u00a0I don’t know if any of them were relatives of my family, but it does explain (at least to me) why I feel like my Chinese friends are like family.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Peter Max, the artist who made his rise to fame in the age of 7-up had family members saved in Shanghai. \u00a0He was always one of my favorites when I was in high school.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After the museum, I finally realized I hadn’t eaten a meal in about 36 hours and was ravenous. \u00a0I didn’t want to go to a touristy place. I wanted to find a local spot!<\/p>\n Two men in the gift shop at the museum recommended a place to each lunch (street food) but not out of a cart. This was two blocks from the museum, but right across the street from a sweet\u00a0little park. \u00a0It smelled good, looked clean, and there were other normal looking people eating there. \u00a0I decided my hunger overwhelmed my fear of the unknown.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This young man was very sweet, even looked pleasant while I took his photo. After I got home,I asked my personal interpreter (Caleb) to translate whatever the He*! I ate (the dish on the far right of the sign) and he could only tell me “peanut sauce.”<\/p>\n Duh!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n there’s no way I’m eating that soup. #icanseecilantroamileaway #notwitter #nofacebook #thankgodforinstagram<\/p><\/div>\n Yes, that is the evil green herb in that soup. \u00a0I did taste the soup, I’m not a heathen, but I did not do more than that. \u00a0The dumplings were filled with greens, I think broccoli and bok choy, and smothered in a tasty peanut sauce. \u00a0I ate every bite.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Entrance to the park<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n This sign was at the entrance to the park across from the restaurant were I had lunch. \u00a0It was very calming and serene there, unlike the roads and sidewalks.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Meeting of the Minds!<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I thought these men were so beautiful. I was trying to figure out if they were playing checkers or some other game.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I arrived back at the conference center, and still had a few hours to kill. The concierge at the hotel suggested I take the pedestrian trolly over to the Bund. \u00a0It’s 4 minutes, I tried to load the video here, but it’s too big of a file. \u00a0Here<\/a> is the YouTube link if you want to see it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Here’s the photo of the tunnel anyway.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I can’t believe I walked the Bund without my friend Bev…. #notwitter #nofacebook #thankgodforinstagram<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n In keeping with Caleb’s photo journal, I was amazed at how many people were at the Bund walking back and forth. I walked so much that first day, it was kind of surprising (and good, since I barely went anywhere for the next three days!) \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It was an amazing view to the east side of Shanghai from were I was. Yes, it’s very hazy there. My eyes were red and stinging like they haven’t been in years since I moved from L.A.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I got back to the east side before the sun set (and before the evening welcome.) This delicious champagne and lychee was not disappointing.<\/p>\n And as the sun set in the west over the far east, we called an end to a lovely day in Shanghai, looking forward to what the coming days would bring.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n OMG the most delicious Shanghai dumplings ever! Who needs VVIP dinner? #nofacebook #notwitter #thankgodforinstagram<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n But wait, dinner was needed. \u00a0Where better to get Shanghai dumplings than in Shanghai. \u00a0I found a shopping mall and made my way to the food court. (I didn’t grow up in the Valley for nothing!) There was a bit of a communication breakdown, luckily a nice young man took pity on me and helped me figure out how to manuever through the food court. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. These were the most delicious things I ever ate, and there was so much sodium in them I swelled up like a balloon. My hands looked like Micky Mouse’s. It was worth it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you ever get to Shanghai, this is the place.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n A final shot of the beautiful lights of the PuDong area. The photo of Toni&Guy is for my friend Emma!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Next: Lucky to be alive!!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As an Acoustic Neuroma surgery survivor (taking into account those who are W&W and post-radiation) I often read questions that come up regarding air travel. “Is it safe? Comfortable? Possible?” I am here to say, “YES!” and even in the … Continue reading \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n