SUCCESS!!!

Hello out there!!! Finally some VPN links that work!

My sister had given me a few links that could help get through the "Great Firewall of China" aka the ban of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogging, etc. I can get on Facebook and Twitter, but I can't update or type anything so I assumed I wouldn't be able to post on my blog, but SUCCESS it works! So that is why I haven't been updating since my sister didn't send me the links until Friday! This excites me because I can finally blog, but I don't think I can post pictures. The site that was initially given to me by a friend ended up not working! I will just start from today since there would be way to much to update. I'm just hoping the Chinese police don't bust open the door and arrest me...

I realized I need to stop being sad and lonely and start exploring more. Even if that means by myself, I'm learning to be a "world traveler" as my mom put it and as Lil' Boosie once rapped "I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-T." So this weekend I ventured out. Today I went to "everything-you-can-think-of-fake heaven." I really exactly remember the name but it's all underground and it's a maze of hundreds of stores selling everything...fake. It looks a little like this: fake Abercrombie & Fitch, Marc by Marc Jacobs wallets & bags, Tory Burch wallets & flats, brand name sunglasses, iPhones, iPads (yes that's crazy), all kinds of shoes, Longchamps, athletic jerseys, pirated Rosetta Stone, brand name jeans, Ed Hardy and the list just gets longer and longer. It went from the classic fake Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Gucci, Prada to a new generation of fashion and technology. All I bought were some postcards, but many people were actually buying things! I'm not one to buy fake things, but I might have to spring on a Torres Spain jersey or a Hello Kitty iPhone cover just for fun.

The art of bargaining is a highlight of this area. I say it's an art because there are people that are actually really good at it. I, of course, am not good at it. I am too nice and think everything is way too cheap anyways. I learned the trick is to walk away and they automatically lower the price. It's quite funny. But there is only so much time you can spend there since it's pretty much the same thing after another.

For dinner, we went to the Super Brand Mall. I will have to go back there asap. I'm good for a few pairs of jeans since I feel like their clothes here fit the Asian body type better. The problem is, everyone has my size and there is usually none left. Damn the short legged Asians! We had beef noodle soup for dinner. This is pretty much a staple in Chinese cuisine, or at least I think so. It's fast and easy and when it's homemade like all the places here, its great. They were delicious, but I have learned my lesson about the hot sauce in China. I usually put a few little spoonfuls when I'm back in the states because it's not spicy enough, but my mouth was pretty much on fire with this hot sauce. I was sweating bullets! That's the last time I put more than two spoonfuls in.

This area is beautiful at night. It's in the part of Pudong where many of the tallest office buildings are, including the famous landmark, Pearl Tower-Dong Fong Ming Zu. The downside of Shanghai weather is the fog and you can only see about half of the buildings because the tops are covered in white fog. I know I'll be back here again.

Well I will be able to update my blog now so stayed tune!

P.S. GO ENGLAND!!!