Shanghai --> Hong Kong --> Vietnam

Shanghai was fun, but it was such a short trip!  I went out and walked around the city a little, had to see the Bund along the water, and then went to a little shopping/historial area that one of the guys in my meeting recomended.  I did some shopping (of course) and had a guy write my name in Chinese art/caligraphy or something like that.  I had the famous dumplings that everyone told me about - nothing to write home about in my opinion! ;)  Here are some pics from my free time in Shanghai...

My only not-that-smart decision of this day was to start talking to a guy who wanted to "help me shop."  He kept following me and asking me what I was looking for, and I didn't really know what I was looking for!  He asked about purses and jewelry - both of which I had PLENTY of from Hong Kong and Beijing.  Then he mentioned a coat.  Hmmm...well maybe I coud use a new jacket or coat!?  So off we went, me being a little skeptical, but not enough to act upon!  He took me to a couple shops - places where he knew people who worked there I guess - and I didn't see anything I really liked or wanted to pay that much for.  So finally, he took me one last place, where he just assured me I would find what I was looking for at the best price.  (Well why didn't you take me there first!?)  So anyways, I'm following him along these streets, turned down an ally, then another, then he knocked twice on a door, waited for someone to crack it open and said something to him in Chinese, he said something back.  We waited.  They came back a few seconds later and let us in to a darkish room with nothing in it.  WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?  Then a door opens on the side, a really short door that we almost had to duck through, and we went in to a lit room with NICE coats and jackets hanging on the walls, and just a few people in there.  Is this like the top secret shopping area!?  Or the REAL ones that are stolen or what!?  No idea, but yes, I found one I liked and got a pretty good deal on it I think.  I had to buy something for fear they weren't going to let me out if I didn't - haha!  So anyways, once I bought it, the guy walked me back to the main street and helped me find a taxi to take me back to my hotel.  Another good shopping day! :)

I went to my meeting - which wasn't anything exciting.  It was more of a due dilligence kind of thing - my boss just wanted to know they actually had an office and were really running a business, which I can confirm they were. (See picture below.)

So after my meeting, it was back to Hong Kong and then time for the good stuff:  9 days in Southeast Asia alone!! :)