Day 82 - A little bit of luxury for an old man

Waking up a little stiffer than usual, it wasn't until Adam remembered he had just turned a year older that he realised why, and so the morning crept on at a very relaxed pace, until we finally attacked the day. As the morning had already disappeared (like 23 years had also done) we headed out in search of Gongdelin Vegetarian Restaurant for a birthday lunch treat - this restaurant has had its place in Shanghai since 1922.

Lazy in his old age, Adam left the ordering up to Liv, only interrupting to ensure a beer would grace the table, and before long a feast of mushrooms, 'chicken' and 'beef' arrived. Taking our time to enjoy the environment - in which we stood out like two sore thumbs in our shorts and singlets, when others were dining in dresses and shirts! The restaurant is situated in one of the flash parts of Shanghai, though it seems like you can be on one street surrounded by Maseratis and Gucci stores, and turn the corner to find a street of rundown and dirty housing and clothes hanging over the street.

After our share of wining and dining with the elite of Shanghai we found ourselves walking through People's Park and stopping for Adam's birthday treat of a Starbucks caramel frappacino to ward off the heat. We then headed for East Nanjing Rd, which the Lonely Planet describes as "Shanghai's Golden Mile", which is full of department stores (including Shanghai's historically largest and most famous, the No. 1 Department Store). This environment didn't exactly appeal to us or our budget, but it was a nice wander nonetheless, we even peaked into a few stores and acted like we might just buy something ...

Back at the hostel we changed into our fanciest dregs, which were really just our cleanest clothes (and Adam wore a T-shit instead of a singlet), for tonight we were to indulge in a night at the Shanghai Centre Theatre, and witness the spectacular that is the Shanghai Acrobatics Troupe (Shanghai Zaji Tuan). Despite blowing the budget the show was amazing, and while Liv sat there hands poised for clapping and mouth hanging open with delight, Adam drifted between evaluating the physical aspects of the performance and debating a career move and joining the troupe. The show was expertly correographed to music and lighting that intensified the whole performance as the troupe flipped and spun through the air, utilising ribbons, chairs, swings, amongst many other things. We even got to see circus type performances between acts, such as juggling, plate spinning and most hilarious knife throwing at an audience member (he had a blindflod over his eyes and had no idea the stars of the show were merely jabbing the knife into the board instead of throwing).

Leaving the show feeling exhilarated, we headed towards home and dinner. On the way when Adam commented on his desire to seek the acrobatic adrenalin rush, Liv let him know that his aged body would only be able to serve as the token fat guy at the base of the tower. She didn't mean it, honest.

Dinner was back to the typically cheap meals we're used to, after a day of high-rolling (to us, anyway), and beer in hand we were soon zonked out for the night ... or so it seemed. While Liv lay peacefully asleep Adam cursed his meal that left him seeing in his 25th year making close acquainances with the toilet bowl. Still, three months dining in China's street kitchens is a pretty good scorecard, and wont put him off (though he may return to the vegetarian ways of sleeping beauty for a while).

An Adliber's birthday in luxury.