What is the BIGGEST CITY IN THE WORLD? Well depending on how you ask google, Shanghai, China is and we are here! Not here an hour and it is easily the most exciting and appealing to the eye so far. Even in the dark.

Arriving at our point of ascension from the insane MAG LEV TRAIN who’s 300 km/hour top speed, puckers even the craziest speed enthusiasts, we are greeted by uncooperative internet and can’t bring up our map to find our building. Crap!

A little manifestation puts a crazy canuck on our path that happens to live here and we arrive safe and sound.

On top of all of this, we manage to find a great Chinese restaurant right across the street with very helpful owners and incredible food.

A great sleep puts us all in an exploring mood but first we need to settle the issue of dirty clothes. Washing clothes has been by hand where we need to but there is just too much. We need a washing machine! Luckily the building has one and we gain access to it…

THE LONGER VERSION has the details of this whole operation. It doesn’t go off without a hitch 😉

Shanghai is home to as many as 157 buildings that reach 450 feet plus and 5 that reach over 1000 feet. The tallest is the Shanghai Tower at a staggering 2073 feet high. Take into consideration that the tallest building in Canada is 1000 feet tall. All I can say is WOW.

The Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai and Jin Mao Towers are all sights to behold. The kids are also very impressed as we read them the stats of the immensity of these feats of architecture.

We also hit the Shanghai Science Technology Museum. I was somewhat let down when we all realized that the displays were from 2001 and not what we expected in “the city of the future”

Reid and Lela had a blast though, so it was all worth the millions of school kids yelling and screaming in Chinese for two hours. All worth it.

The Yu garden is also on our Shanghai hit list before leaving this great city. With plenty of rose wood pavilions and waterfalls, it was definitely worth the walk to check it out before heading out of town to our next hotel.

A rainy day is just what we all needed after a good night’s sleep to recharge and reconnect. Spending the day in this monster hotel was not difficult except for the walks to find reasonably priced food and beverages. A little bit of swimming, some homework and a nap and we are all set for what tomorrow brings!

The kids think we are going to a museum of old Chinese ladies. Funny thing is is that they never once complain. Reid is actually pumped. Are they REAL OLD LADIES? Yes Reid, they are real. What happened to them? I respond hastily, I’m not sure… Several different diseases were the cause of most of their deaths. LOL. Where am I going with this?

We keep it going for as long as we can but the subway stop aptly named “DISNEY RESORT” is a dead giveaway.

Yes… The happiest place on earth, in the biggest city in the world.

Disneyland.

(The pictures will speak for themselves… I cannot put this day into words. My explanation will mute the excitement that was truly felt by my children.)

This leaves us with 17m walked and a 2:20am plane ride to catch. Easy sleeping is not on the horizon. I can tell you that much.

Shanghai has left us with great memories, awesome pictures and cool family stories. I would recommend this city to any traveler who plans a trip to China…

See you in…