(From our trip in April 2018)

Today was a big day of sightseeing.  We started the morning waiting for our private guide and driver to pick us up.  They were late.  If you know anything about me at all – it’s that I’m a total time NAZI!!!!  I’m standing outside the hotel thinking “oh man it’s gonna be on like Donkey Kong when this guy gets here”.  I wrote a mental list of all the tongue lashing goodness I was going to unleash on this guy when he pulled up.  It was a list that would make any grown man fall to his knees sobbing for my Queenly forgiveness.  This was going to be epic…..

Yeah, nah, I didn’t do any of that.  I just hopped into the car with a passive aggressive grunt and a door slam but I’m sure he totes knew I had mentally taken his life!

First up today was Confucius Temple (can you hear husband groaning now, not another temple).  Look I get it, they do start to all blend and look the same as you go along.  A bit like churches in Europe and castles in the UK.  But it’s on the list of must sees so we must see.  Stop the whinging you lot!!!!

It was all very pretty and impressive though.  I believe the temple was built somewhere between 1200-1300 and you know the deal….if you want more info than that, go look it up.  I’m just here with the pretty pictures guys ha.

He really does look very wise!

The gardens were actually very beautiful and very serene considering we were right in the heart of a bustling city.

These lovely little “prayer cards” are at all the temples.  I love the symmetry of this one.  It almost has a Christmasy feel ::yes I know, I know….I can see Christmas in anything::

After this it was on to the hectic and bustling YuYuan Gardens.  There are lots of shops on the way into the gardens.  I loved the buildings – all of the intricate detail work was stunning.

A couple of stunners themselves!

These gardens were truly so pretty.  The rockeries are an amazing example of tradition Chinese gardens

Lots of koi fish in the waters underneath all of the buildings

Zhujiajiao Water Town

Next up was something we had been really looking forward to seeing.  There are so many beautiful water towns to go and visit as day trips but Zhujiajiao Water Town was the quaintest one that was a reasonable distance from Shanghai.  It was like stepping back in time since it was built more than 1700 years ago.

There were so many weird and wonderful food stalls down the alley ways.  It was fascinating and a little disgusting all at the same time lol.

I was mesmerised watching this lady make noodles

There was this photography studio where you could dress up in traditional clothing – Husband was a big HELL NO when I suggested this.  He ruins all my fun!

And this dog is just being FABULOUS….times a thousand!

Lunch was shall we say – unexpected.  We ordered vegetarian spring rolls and received fried chicken feet instead.  I swear China is the best place to go on a diet my friends.

My fave part was when we hit the water in a gondola style contraption.  A fantastic way to see this amazing town.

Such a beautiful town!

Look at these cheeky old geezers.  Checking out the ladies walking past, living life to the fullest.

By now we were pretty worn out so it was back to our hotel for a nap and then a freshen up to get ready for the evenings festivities.

Acrobat Show

I was wondering how good this show was going to be if I’m honest.  The reviews were good but often these things can be very tourist-cringe-shudder-worthy so I had a 50/50 vibe upon entry.  I needn’t have worried because it was AHHHH-MAZZZ-INNNNGGGG.  Seriously from start to finish we were either sitting there with our mouths gaping open, laughing, cheering or clapping.  I can’t rave about it enough – actually I can and here I am raving.

And look at this incredible goddess balancing her champagne glasses.  She clearly is my spirit animal.  I was nervous she was going to spill some of that liquid gold but I needn’t have worried – she clearly is a lover of the golden drop just as much as me and she guarded those bubbles with her life, and her nose and her feet…..

The finale blew our minds.  It was a large metal circley cage of awesomeness and motor bikes rode inside it.  Now I haven’t described that in a way that explains the incredibleness and death defyingness.  They kept adding bike after bike until there were 6 bikes inside driving around so fast I couldn’t believe they didn’t hit each other.  It gives new meaning to “Jesus take the wheel”.  How they didn’t die I’ll never know but it sure made for an incredible show!

#nailedit

Wow what a day we’ve had.  We’ve seen ALL.THE.THINGS and are now exhausted!

Next up – Disney Days!!!