Henry writes about our first full day in Shanghai.

Today was my first real day in Shanghai. Shanghai is located on the East China Sea so it is windy, warm and humid. This morning I woke up at 5:30 and by 7:00 we had eaten breakfast and were out of the hotel. On the bus ride to the first school we visited I saw woven bamboo in place of steel girders on construction sites. The first school we visited was massive, with two thousand students enrolled. They did cheerleading and dragon dance performances for us and then we were invited to take part in the dragon waving performance ourselves. After the school visit we went to the Yu Gardens and ate lunch and then had a time to wander around and shop. I learned how to haggle today. Basically, I think the idea is to pay a fraction of the asking price. Then we went to see the house of Madame Soong Ching Ling and Dr. Sun Yat-sen and then back to the hotel.

Ms. Sopper writes:
You’ll forgive me, I hope, for putting last things first but the dumplings at dinner tonight were the best ever! These were the Shanghai specialty with the soup and meat inside. You take a tiny bite and all this wonderful flavor just fills the mouth. A fine end to a very full day. The highlight was our visit to the Shanghai Sanlin School where we were greeted by Principal Zhang Wei, entertained by students, and allowed to chat at some length with students and teachers.

After a try at morning dance exercises – a lot more difficult than it looks I assure you!- we were led to the new gymnasium where we were treated to a cheerleading performance and an extraordinary Dragon Dance. Our students were brought into the action and given some pointers and set loose on a waving Dragon Dance of their own. It was a sight – and again- not easy. Jackie gave a baton-twirling demonstration and the group sang “These Green Hills…” to an appreciative audience. Formal presentations over, we chatted and nibbled enjoying lychee nuts and assorted snacks with students and teachers and shared thoughts on teaching, testing, class size and life.

For lunch we went to the very famous Xiao Long dumpling house where we dined on stacks of varied dumplings with tastes ranging from curry to chicken-pot-pie to shrimp balls. Everything was hot and delicious. The dumpling house was in an older part of town and to get there we crossed the Nine Twist Bridge over ponds of carp as large as my cats.

Particularly interesting this afternoon was our visit to the home of Madame Soong Ching Ling and Dr. Sun Yat-sen. These were great Chinese leaders and thinkers. Madame Soong is revered for the work she did for China’s children and our hotel is not far from the hospital for women and children that she founded. It was a beautiful house with a private garden and photographs from what had to have been a fascinating life.

Finally, another word or two about our dinner are due. Our travelers are great eaters - special hat-tip to Russell who identified the flavors in an unusual dish as being hazelnut on the bottom and orange on top. The spinach and chopped garlic was presented in a pyramid and the dessert was bananas wrapped in green tea. How did they do that? We’ll have to get back to you on that.

Learning the dragon Dance was fun and after that basketball skills were on display.

On to lunch at the Xiao Long dumpling house.

Roof tops in Yu Gardens. Here's a 360 degree virtual view.

"A zigzag bridge slows down visitors' pace so that they may enjoy the scenery leisurely and it also enables them to see a different view whenever they make a turn." (source)

Shanghai Sanlin Middle School, Cheyenne in a group dance exercise.

Holly at Sanlin learning some dance moves.

AACE students with the dance performers.

The Dragon Dance by the Sanlin students.

Mr. Perrin doing a mean Dragon Dance.

A Chinese student was brave enough to try his hand at baton twirling while Jackie showed her techniques.

Mr. Blomgren and Ms. Greene discussing pedagogy
with a Chinese educator.

Time for socializing and snacks at Sanlin Middle School,
which is means high school aged students in China.

A group shot with our Chinese hosts at Sanlin Middle School.

Yu Gardens was the next destination.

The home of Madame Soong Ching Ling.