Hard to Leave Home

Our plane needed to pulled back to the gate from the runway in SFO due to mechanical problem. The extra two hours were must needed for me to finish my absentee ballot, and convinced one of the technicians to drop if into the mailbox for me on his way getting off the plane. I was having a flashback as the last time I mailed out our absentee ballot from the airport, Aaron was in the race...

By the time we arrived in Shanghai Pudong International Airport, it was almost 10PM. I made a few phone call to secure a hotel close to the Bund because the other hotel Shannon booked was a bit off downtown.

Astor's House was built in 1846, and was one of the most luxuries hotels in Shanghai in the early 20th century. Now a youth hostel (but it is not cheap by any standard), it is at the north end of the Bund, next to Russian Consulate. We fell in love with the colonial style architecture immediately. The standard double room, was very basic and the bathroom was very unattractive. However, staying in a room next to where President Grant used to stay in 1921 made us feel a great sense of history. Among the many of its famous guests are the former Prime Minister of China, Zhouenlai, Albert Einstein, Charles Chaplin, etc.

Shanghai's midnight is a quiet in the Bund, we fond a fast food chain for midnight snacks, which was surprisingly good. This has been a long day.