Shanghaing Around with Magic Squrrels and a Male Masseuse

Today was my last day in Shanghai. I didn't have any specific plans, except to "Fill in the blanks", with stuff I haven't done before.

- First of all, I went to the Shanghai Urban Planning Museum, which wasn't particularly interesting. There was a scale model of Shanghai today, which was actually pretty cool. Otherwise, the museum showed some future plans, and also some pictures of old Shanghai, and old buildings, but it wasn't that great. There was a whole bunch of uniformed officers in the museum looking at the exhibits, and that was distracting.

- I took a walk around the French Concession, which was a part of Shanghai that was signed over to the French, after China lost the opium wars. I did a self-guided walking tour from Lonely Planet, which was ok. It showcased an old church, different houses, and a nice hotel. It was a nice tour down shaded streets. The highlight was some old mansions which we're turned into shops-I had a coffee and croissant at a Costa Coffee.

- I then followed some other recommendations in the Lonely Planet. One was for a bird and cricket market. The crickets we're kept in tiny containers-and they we're unable to move-but you can hear them chirp. Their we're many little birds as well, and lots of animals of other types, all in cages. I saw tiny turtles, the tiniest i have ever seen. i guess they we're used for racing or something, because their shells we're painted. I saw dozens/or hundreds of little rodents in fishtank-like enclosures. I am not sure if they we're small rats/mice/gerbils or hamsters. There we're also animals I have never seen. I saw three small animals clawing and moving rapidly in a small cage. I had no idea if they we're baby rabbits, but thought they we're because of their ears. I learned later these we're magic squirrels, which I have never heard of. There we're three of them competing for space. There we're bunnies and worms. A large number of small animals competing for space in tiny cages-it was somewhat sad but also fascinating.

- Then I walked a few blocks over for the Confucian Temple, which was pretty. I took a break here and sat down. The temple was similar to the Buddhist temple. I have heard that the Confucius predates the Buddhists in China. It was a relaxing place.

Today, the weather which was already cooler than the previous days, turned colder and windy. I walked along towards the riverfront and to the pedestrian mall. Along the way, I grabbed a cheap dinner of noodles and steamed fish. Before returning to the hostel, I got a cheap foot massage from a male masseuse. I was hesitant about having a man massage my feet, but he had me put my feet in boiling hot water with apple peels (or something like that), and he rubbed them. It was pretty good.
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