Another fun-packed weekend!

The weekend kicked off with Jorge, Joseph and I going to Dongchang Lu to the cinema to watch Prometheus. Joseph managed to book our tickets online for 50RMB (not the usual 120RMB). I didn't realise it was in 3D and that it was a scary movie! Ok, so people told me it wasn't scary but it isn't the usual thing I would watch. It was rather dark... Also the atmosphere was so different from the VIP screen and people munching away so noisily I guess it made the movie a little less scary.

Afterwards we popped into Hagan Daaz to see what these ice cream mooncakes looked like. Wow the price was incredible - for 6 small cakes cost around 700RMB! That is almost £70! For 6 ice cream cakes?! Insane... As me and Jorge were in shock the waitress asked Joseph where we were from so he explained. As usual I hear the same old "but she doesn't look English", so Joseph explains my background. Obviously we left without ice cream and went to the metro.

We were supposed to change lines but we were so occupied talking we missed out station, had to exit the train at the next station, cross the platform, go back one station and change lines. We got to Shanghai Library station and called a taxi to Zapata's which is a Mexican restaurant (where Jorge wanted to go for his birthday). Berlinda was there already and got us a table outside. It was really nice to eat outside in this courtyard which is for these 4 restaurants. There is a bar outside, tables with umbrellas, people outside smoking sheesha and a kitchen outside where chefs are cooking pizza for Sasha's (one of the other restaurants).

Unfortunately the service was so very slow and we were rushed to order drinks because happy hour was ending in 5 minutes. The food took over 40 minutes to arrive. It is a little expensive but as I'd mentioned before, non-Chinese food is more expensive out here in China. Just as we were finishing up it was raining a little so we quickly paid the bill and left to get a taxi. In that 5 minute taxi ride it started pouring! That night there was a huge thunder storm and I was so glad I got back home just in time as there was a massive downpour.

Sunday

On Sunday we were meant to go to the Sunscreen event at Geisha Bar where they were showing an international movie and then playing board games. As this wasn't until 3.30pm we met up at Manabes for lunch. I met Berlinda and Karen there and then Jorge came, late as usual. Joseph we assumed was sleeping. After lunch it was pouring with rain so we waited a little until it stopped and Jorge came with me to buy a lightbulb. I was too short to change it in my room so he helped me out and we grabbed some DVDs from mine and went to Berlinda's to watch them.

We didn't make it to the movie screening and instead watched Men in Black 3 followed by some episodes of Lost, during which Joseph turns up and we continue to watch until we are hungry.

We go downstairs to Koala Bar to have burgers and enjoy a drink. We played some pool in teams and a man came in with his pet dog who was so cute and friendly! It was really chilled there and I really like it. We then went back to Berlinda's and watched Snow White and the Huntsman. The special effects were really good but I'd agree with most people, Kirsten Stewert isn't very good at acting...

Pancakes and KTV with the Meet Up crowd

It started off another rainy day with a thunderstorm which woke me up around 9am and left me in bed for an hour contemplating if I should still go to the Meet Up or not. By 10.30am it had stopped thundering but it was still raining and I thought to myself I'm sure people of Shanghai can't stop their lives because of heavy rain and that I should try my very best so I headed out.

I underestimated the rain from the 13th floor it didn't look that heavy but when I got to the front door it was pouring and pouring. I put up my umbrella and took a brave step outside. It isn't cold and still a bit humid and as I got to the main road I saw a taxi. I thought someone had just got inside as I saw it leave the kerb but I waved anyway and to my surprise it came for me!

I went to Julu Lu to Mr Pancake House and there I met some people from the Meet Up website. At first there were only 4 of us but soon we had about 12. I had breakfast pancakes which cost 42RMB and is very filling.

Afterwards a few of us went to Party World as Lucy, the organiser of the event, had booked a karaoke room for a few hours.

KTV here seems quite relaxed and they didn't seem to mind us bringing in outside food and drinks. I'm not too sure the price of the room per hour though as I didn't pay but Lucy assured me it wasn't much. So we had English, Mandarin, Cantonese and Japanese songs which was interesting and all very good fun. People came and left throughout but I stayed until the end.

Around 5pm I got a taxi with a friend and went to Berlinda's place and watched a movie there with Jorge. Another friend, Sho, came and joined us and we headed to Koala Bar nearby for dinner and drinks. I see this bar on HuaiHai Xi Lu as it is near the university and the sign says its a coffee bar but it is more of a drinks bar and has a pool table in the back. The atmosphere was nice, we sat outside to eat and the waiter could speak and understand English which is a bonus.

Burgers cost around 50RMB and breezers around 40RMB which is a little steep I think.

I'm hoping tomorrow's weather is ok and that the predicted typhoon has moved away so that I can do some exploring with my friends.