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indigo_rose99Seriously. Stranded.
The characters:
D (my brother-in-law)
Concierge
The Taxi Driver (TTD)
D arrived on Friday. By Saturday we felt we had 'seen' Shanghai and were ready for a relaxing lunch before I went to catch my plane. We stopped at the concierge on our way out at about 1pm, to ask for good recommendations. There are supposed to be some really good Japanese places in Shanghai, and I was on a mission to convince D that good Japanese didn't have to mean raw meat. The concierge recomended two restaurants, both requiring taxis. He even circled their locations on a map. We took the map.
We got a taxi and showed everyone the written Chinese from the concierge. 17.6 RMB later, TTD taps the ceiling, points down, and then points left. We should get out, the restaurant was to the left. We paid TTD and got out. I forgot to ask for a reciept. Foolish me.
We found ourselves... no where. No restaurants. Blistering heat. D found our location on the map... The too-far-to-walk-from-hotel-to-restaurant distance? TTD drove past the restaurant and kept going. And going. About two thirds of the distance from hotel to restaurant beyond the restaurant... and left us.
We started walking. And walking. Full sunlight, heat of the day, little shade... walking... We stopped in what might have been a hotel... or a restaurant... or a really nice car dealership with a restaurant(D wanted to take a pic of the Ferrari)... They did not speak
English, but confirmed our location (BFE). We got another taxi and directed him back to the hotel.
And he got lost. Seriously. We showed him the hotel card, and I wasn't stepping foot out until we were at the hotel, but... When the meter hit 18RMB I verbally noted that it only took 17 to get to our previous location (farther out)! He turned off the meter.
I'm convinced that he actually spoke pretty good English and was listening to our conversation.
But he got us back eventually. By this time it is 2:30pm.
We gave up and ate in the hotel. I tried to order Baileys & Contreau, but ended up with my first Long Island Iced Tea. D had to scrape his jaw off the table when he realized I had drunk the whole thing. but decided that being relaxed for my flight is a Good Thing.
At least, that is what he told me.
The characters:
D (my brother-in-law)
Concierge
The Taxi Driver (TTD)
D arrived on Friday. By Saturday we felt we had 'seen' Shanghai and were ready for a relaxing lunch before I went to catch my plane. We stopped at the concierge on our way out at about 1pm, to ask for good recommendations. There are supposed to be some really good Japanese places in Shanghai, and I was on a mission to convince D that good Japanese didn't have to mean raw meat. The concierge recomended two restaurants, both requiring taxis. He even circled their locations on a map. We took the map.
We got a taxi and showed everyone the written Chinese from the concierge. 17.6 RMB later, TTD taps the ceiling, points down, and then points left. We should get out, the restaurant was to the left. We paid TTD and got out. I forgot to ask for a reciept. Foolish me.
We found ourselves... no where. No restaurants. Blistering heat. D found our location on the map... The too-far-to-walk-from-hotel-to-restaurant distance? TTD drove past the restaurant and kept going. And going. About two thirds of the distance from hotel to restaurant beyond the restaurant... and left us.
We started walking. And walking. Full sunlight, heat of the day, little shade... walking... We stopped in what might have been a hotel... or a restaurant... or a really nice car dealership with a restaurant(D wanted to take a pic of the Ferrari)... They did not speak
English, but confirmed our location (BFE). We got another taxi and directed him back to the hotel.
And he got lost. Seriously. We showed him the hotel card, and I wasn't stepping foot out until we were at the hotel, but... When the meter hit 18RMB I verbally noted that it only took 17 to get to our previous location (farther out)! He turned off the meter.
I'm convinced that he actually spoke pretty good English and was listening to our conversation.
But he got us back eventually. By this time it is 2:30pm.
We gave up and ate in the hotel. I tried to order Baileys & Contreau, but ended up with my first Long Island Iced Tea. D had to scrape his jaw off the table when he realized I had drunk the whole thing. but decided that being relaxed for my flight is a Good Thing.
At least, that is what he told me.
