Friday

Two things that Western hotels in Asia get right...showers and breakfast.  I kicked off Friday with a 4:45 work out and I felt great (well until I realized it was KPH vs MPH).  I thought I had really gotten fast!  The showers in the hotels are always their best feature...all of them have multiple shower heads with a awesome rain option.  They also have the largest bath sheets I've ever seen and they are so soft.  We didn't have to leave till 7am, so we finally got to eat at the hotel's breakfast buffet.  The buffets are HUGE.  They have a wide variety pastries, fruit, fresh juices, full on Chinese area, brown eggs, homemade smoothies, etc.  It is different, but you can usually find pretty normal food (just stay away from all yogurt) that will keep you full.   We then boarded a high speed train to Ningbo to visit a filter wrench factory.  This is South of Shanghai and where the Typhoon hit earlier this week.  It was devastating to see all of the flooded homes and factories.  In the US this would have been a state of emergency, but here they just live on the upper level apartments until the waters recede.  No electricity or food and very little help.  When we got to Ningbo, the train station was rough.  Lots of beggars and an overall lower class area.  Our vans had not all made it there due to flooded streets and power lines down, so we had to squeeze into taxis.  It was an experience to say the least.  We arrived at the factory which was about 30 miles outside of Ningbo 2 hours later.  I believe the town was Nehaigh and it was beautiful with lots of rose bushes and large mountains...still horrible smog thought.  The factory owners were nice and the Chinese lunch they brought in was delicious.  I really am starting to appreciate good Chinese.  My favorite dish is the warmed bamboo and fungi.  I know...it sounds crazy, but it is delicious and I think pretty healthy.  Luckily our drive back to the train station only took about 45 minutes and we were back in Shanghai by 6:30 so we headed straight to dinner we had scheduled with a refrigerant vendor.  Train story...I was so tired and my ticket happened to be the seat next to my VP, so in true Brooke fashion I couldn't even hold my eyes open and I guess I passed out mid conversation and slept with my mouth open the entire 2 hours home.  Good thing he is probably the most understanding person I'm traveling with this trip and he owns bose sound canceling speakers!  Dinner was teppanyaki, which if a favorite.  Mine started with salmon, followed by the best french onion soup I have ever eaten and amazing shrimp, scallops and bean sprouts.  Not a bad day overall, but another long one.  However, I can't even talk about long days still Saturday is over...3:45 minute train each way.  Send me good vibes please!