Halloween on Friday/Taiwan on Saturday

This past weekend my friends and I went to Shelter on Yongfu Lu near Fuxing Xi Lu and Mural, then went on a Halloween Boat Cruise to celebrate Phil's 21st Birthday. Shelter was a very European-style bar/club. It was very different from some of the all-you-can drink type places here in Shanghai. I liked Shelter a lot. I met some really interesting people there.

Over the weekend (during the day) I met with some friends as well as relatives. On Saturday I went to my Aunt's house for lunch, took a long nap and then went to see my Great Aunt and her son and her grandson. We ate at Vegetarian Lifestyle. The food was really good. All that imitation meat isn't all too bad. Then my Uncle drove me to Mural, Bar and Restaurant to take shuttle buses to the boat cruise. That's where I met up with my friends all dressed up in costumes. Let's see, we had: Dora the Explorer and Diego, a a Pokemon master, Wolverine, Cat, Golfer, Carebears, Gold digger, Barbie and Ken, Ninja, an iPod, Basketball player, Flaaavor Flav, a Chinese tradition man, and I was a belly dancer. We went all out, compared to most people on the boat.

On Sunday, we met with people that Jen and I met in Xining. We ate at Element Fresh at the Shanghai Center on Nanjing Xi Lu (Metro Stop: Jing'An Temple). The food was great! Then I just chilled at a cafe to use the internet and I got a banana nut muffin for 12 kuai, expecting a regular sized muffin you would find in the states. Turned out, they gave me a mini-muffin. It was so scrumptious, but it was definitely a let down. After that we went to shop at this western food supermarket called City Shop, which was also located in the Shanghai Center near Starbucks.

Then I went to Jing'An Temple because for the Shanghai Metropolis class, I had to do some fieldwork in Shanghai about religion and how big of a role religion plays in the lives of the people who live in Shanghai. It was 10 kuai to get in, but it was worth it because I learned a lot by talking with locals there and finding out their insights and opinions.

After that, I met up with Michelle because she is also studying in Shanghai. She is at East Normal University or something like that, near Zhongshan Gongyuan metro stop. We ate at Always Cafe, where they served western food. It was good to catch up with some friends.

This Saturday I will be going to Taiwan. I hope to get some crepes near Shi Da Daxue where I participated in a summer program 4 years ago (summer 2004). It will bring back so many memories when I go back and go to Shi Lin Ye Shi, and everything! I am so excited to have my Passion Fruit Icee with Boba! :D

This weekend was fully packed, and I expect next week will be as well. Midterms are quickly approaching...not looking forward to those, however. I should put some pictures up. Hopefully I will have an opportunity to update while I am in Taiwan! :)