November 5 – OK the last entry here before leaving for home tomorrow. Today I went with our local office manager to see the old Shanghai area. This area consists of three parts, the true old Shanghai town where the original narrow streets and tiny structures exist, still inhabited by the locals in what look to be almost primitive conditions. I’m not sure what “original” means in this case, but I don’t think it is particularly long maybe only one or two hundred years. The second is a more modern portion where an unbelievable number of tourist shops have been installed. The third is a famous garden attraction known as the YuYuan Gardens, which at one time was owned by a very rich individual. Although everything was very interesting, the fact is that I am tired and anxious to get back home so I couldn’t enjoy it as much as I would have liked.

Last evening I managed to have a beer at the “Dike Country Music Bar”, which I had photographed some time ago but had not had the chance to check out. It consists of two parts, one of which is a gambling (mahjong?) establishment. I had checked it out during the afternoon when only the mahjong room was open. I returned in the evening to the music bar, but it was almost dead, nothing going on. It was being managed by a young lady who spoke almost perfect English. Well it seemed almost perfect until I asked her what the name of the bar signified and she responded that it was the Dick Country Music Bar. It was a little interesting trying to translate for her the various meanings, both hers and mine.