"The Quality of Life"

is a phrase that is commonly heard in Shanghai. Though only uttered by 2 persons (GYs), it is a phrase that remains etched in my mind. Arriving in Shanghai on a bleak thursday afternoon, it did not look or feel as if Shanghai was all that the brothers made it out to be. That impression was going to be shaken and changed over the next few days.

A running commentary of our day to day activities would be too time consuming, hence this post will showcase the highlights of our trip. I'll try to include as many pictures and get into as much details as my patience permits. So I suspect the comments may get shorter and shorter as this post progresses.

Touchdown and it was pre-dinner drinks at the iBar over at Hotel Intercontinental. Joined by a long-lost brother for a quick beer, it was off to Xin Tian Di (the tourist spot, NOT the other one all you GYs are thinking of) for dinner.

It was at this Starbucks that the GY brothers re-united again in Shanghai. A small handshake and a heart-felt greeting, the meeting in Shanghai signifies how far we have all come. From the street-soccer courts in TCHS to dinner at Zen in the glamor that is Shanghai.

Post dinner drinks at various locations naturally followed. A quiet night when compared to some of the other exploits we've all been through at one point in time or another.

Shanghai is truely a breath-taking city. Only when you are surrounded by the throngs of human-traffic do you realise the immensity of this comospolitian city. And only more can come. Construction sites litter the city, promising bigger, brighter and better buildings. Billboards scream at you enticingly with their products. And in the midst of all this stands the spiritual foundation of any Chinese community, the temple. Pictures do not do justice to the splendor that is the Jade Buddha Temple.

Of course to up-keep the theme of "quality of life" that symbolises this trip, meals were had in style. The typical fan-fare of xiao long paos, dim sums and all things Chinese were savoured upon. We even had a little time for some Japanese and Italian. A picture taken from our cosy little Japanese restaurant at the Bund.

No trip to Shanghai would be complete without a trip to The Bund. Hence like the good tourists that we were, a scenic walk down The Bund was made. And it did not disappoint. The breath-taking night view of The Bund that only a city like Shanghai can provide. Home to the Peace Hotel as well, the oldest hotel in Shanghai and host to illuminaries like Bill Clinton (at least that's what CSC told me).

A trip to the shopping district is another must-do, especially if you're a Singaporean. Although not a fanatic when it comes to shopping, no trip would be complete without going through the paces as well. Of course what better way to remain true to the GY spirit by dumping your brother in a cafe while you go get a luxurious hair-cut, which I'm certain was made even more pleasant by the virtuous service personnel.

As if to further emphasize the quality of life, a trip was made to the electronics store as well, where CSC acquired his latest addition gadget, a 32-inch Samsung N7 LCD tv. Note that this is on top of the tv he already has in his apartment.

All good things must come to an end, and it was with great reluctance that we packed our bags and left our cosy little business suite that we had come to call home in Shanghai and headed for the Maglev, the bullet train that flies you to the airport in 8 minutes flat (as compared to the 50 minute taxi ride that we took when we first arrived). The miracles of modern technology. The picture is slightly blurred due to the vibrations of the train, but I was trying to capture the top speed of the train, which was roughly about 430km/h.

A meetup with brothers coupled with an unforgettable experience made this vacation truely enjoyable. The pointless chit-chat, the binge-drinking and the hospitality of brothers in a foreign land. What more can you ask for. Cheers to the brothers overseas, take care and may all the brothers one day have the chance to gather again.

P.S. If anyone is looking for accomodations in Shanghai when on holiday, I highly recommend the Greentree Inn. Accessible and affordable. Come look for me, I'm now a VIP member of their hotel franchise.