Final words on China

I've been avoiding writing these final words because I think I didn't want to end
thinking about the trip!
I've been recouping from some sort of stomach thing which seems to have
come from China and all I'm doing is sleeping and losing weight...to put it
euphemistically.
But the final leg of the trip was the best...Shanghai! Spectacular! Very
much like NY or Chicago with skylines that are magnificient. Very
sopisticated.
I took off a day from the group as they were going to a silk factory and
I didnt want to buy silk.
I did however go to the street of lots of shopping boutiques and I was
pickpocketed!
We had been warned to be careful carrying money or passports and
I didn't have too much...just a credit card and some small Chinese bills.
I heard a yell..and looked around to see what had happened...when a
police van pulled up and surrounded me.
I turned to see a little girl or short woman running away. I didn't realize
anything had happened to me so was going on my way when a woman
on a bike came up. She had seen the pickpocket hit me and screamed and
frightened her into running away...and dropping my wallet!
I saw it lying about ten feet away and hadn't even felt it leaving my purse.
The cops wanted to make sure I was ok, but didn't chase the perp.
I was really shaken...not enough to stop shopping but since all's well
that ended well..it was a good story to tell the group.
We went to see the Chinese Acrobats in the most astounding show.
One of my friends here told me it was corny but I am so glad I went.
It was thrilling! These performers did things that seemed impossible
with their flexible bodies and the whole time the audience was screaming
in delight.
Another great hotel...a Hilton, great massages...I got the hot rock which
I love and we drove around seeing the city which I adored.
The Bund is the walkway along the water and filled with tourists.
The resteraunts were great and the two couples I bonded with and I
went out for a last night dinner. There was a very hip club on another
floor and I just peeked in.
Shanghai is a place I could have stayed a week. But alas..the trip
was over and as I usually do, I wrote a poem about everyone on the
tour and read it on our last bus ride.
And they all gave me the most adorable little figure of a child bending
over and revealing his tush. (The habit of the kids there is not to have
diapers but little pants with slits from front to back and I and a few
others on the trip were determined to catch a tushie shot...which we
did on the last day. The mothers all kept turning the kids towards the camera,
not realizing we wanted the rear view! So glad I wasn't arrested.)
All in all it was a fabulous trip. They are an incredibly smart and
hard working people who have accomplished miracles in a few short
decades.
Everyone who has ever gone there raves about it and I recommend
it to everyone reading this. If you have the chance...go!