Shanghai Business

Todd's position requires that he travel where he is needed throughout APAC.

(Asia Pacific Area)

Shanghai is only a 2.5 hour plane flight away, and he recently has been working closely with that office.

They had a big day of team building planned, and a special good bye celebration for the guy that was the lead of the office for the past 6 years (he is moving to Germany).

Todd was in charge of doing ice breakers.  He asked me to come along and join him in the day.

Of course, I said yes!

We left Hong Kong late on the 4th of July

 (3rd year in a row that we were not able to celebrate the 4th on the 4th with the kids, btw).  

Shanghai is REALLY huge.  It took about an hour to get from the airport to the hotel, after waiting for an hour for a cab.  

By the time we went to sleep it was almost 3am.

We had to get up at 7am, so needless  to say we were very tired.

These two dropped us off at the airport, and had dinner with us before we left.

Please note Krystin's very patriotic attire.

Shanghai!

The meeting was near to the Bund, which is really pretty.

It is a beautiful city for sure. 

Unfortunately, this was not a touristy type of trip, so this was my view from about 9am-7pm. 

Trying to stay awake.

The building the conference was in had a restaurant (where we ate lunch) that had an outdoor area that overlooked the Bund.

Lovely view.  Lunch was good too.

We took a short lunch break, didn't leave the building though,

and back to conferences, woo.

I should have gotten pics of Dinner, but we left on a bus from the conference and had an amazing Dinner.  It was almost like a Chinese-Mexican Fusion or something, so good.

Then we went to a Karaoke place.

Ok, I am NOT a big karaoke fan to begin with,

but then add Love songs in Mandarin and wow, it was a very unique experience.

Apparently, love songs are super popular out there.

Ha ha, one after another for hours...

and NO Todd and I did not sing, as we don't read Chinese, yet!  LOL!

It was still fun, we stood outside on the balcony in the semi-rain (had an umbrella that we bough off a little old dude selling them from his bike) and chatted with peeps and took in the night, to the tune of the very loud serenade of Mandarin (karaoke) love songs in the background.  

We had to catch a plane home the next day, but before we left we were determined to find Donuts to bring home.  Hong Kong does not have real donuts, but we had heard China does.  We thought it would be a fun way to celebrate the 4th with the kids.  

We found a Dunkin Donuts only a 10 minute walk from our hotel.

The donuts looked amazing!

Duffy was excited too!

Sadly though, they did not taste like American donuts.  

Where is the SUGAR?!!!  

Kay added sugar to hers and said they were good.  

Ha ha.  In China you have to add sugar to the donuts...  Oh my.