Ive truly had enough of the tour as I rolled into Shanghai for my final two days. Plan for tomorrow is to ditch the group with two other couples and go explore Shanghai without a plan or obligation to hurry-up and wait for the other slower members.
A block away from the hotel we boarded the subway. Three line changes and 1.5hours later we disembarked at the Yuyuan Bazaar and garden in the heart of old Shanghai. This commercial district has all of the touristy souvenirs you desire at good prices, once you bargain them down, and many street vendors selling the famous dumplings that Shanghai is known for. Of course there's a Starbucks...there's always a Starbucks these days.
After milling about the shops for a couple of hours we entered into the garden. The tour group missed this wonder but we made it a top priority for our day. The large traditional garden turned out to be a highlight of the entire trip. The architects mastery of water, buildings, and rock made a wonderland that we were pleased not to be rushed through.
Another crazy sight that came highly recommended was the laser tunnel passing under the river that cuts through the city. You board a pod and are slowly dragged through a tube which is filled with light effects, a crazy experience. We were all glad not to have bought the round trip though.
