My friend gave me the gift of a trip to Shanghai to attend a conference. (What a friend!) I went on a Thursday, came back the following Monday. The conference was Friday evening, and most of the day Saturday. On Thursday evening several of us went out to dinner, and what a dinner it was. The hostess remarked that she enjoyed watching me enjoying the food so much. She could barely grasp that we do not have such food where we live. The restaurant was Mexican and all the food was prepared to order. So, I had beef fajitas with NO HOT PEPPERS, NO SPICE. In our “real” life situation, we can order with NO HOT PEPPERS, but the cooks CANNOT BELIEVE that people really DO NOT WANT HOT PEPPERS! So, here at “home” my choices are limited. In my “real” home in the USA, I would have thought it was enough beef for 3 meals, but on that Thursday, I ate it all. I also enjoyed a salad of fresh lettuces and other vegetables. In our training for China we have been instructed NEVER EAT UNCOOKED FOOD IN CHINA. However, I have found that the food in Shanghai Western Style Restaurants is generally safe. So I ate with delight that which the Shanghai western women take for granted.
After the restaurant our group of girlfriends proceeded to the home of one of the organizers of the conference, where we enjoyed conversation in the warm and welcome atmosphere, and where we met the conference speaker, Ellie Lofaro, and the singer, Kathy Troccoli. Both these women were unknown to me–I haven’t been following the music business lately–but I know them now. As if this feast of the mind and heart were not enough, we also enjoyed home made desserts elegantly served on fine China.
On Friday, we went shopping in a special district where the old housing has been made into shops. I tried on a cloth hat, new, with an applique of old embroidery. I liked the hat and was tempted to buy it, but it was too expensive for me. The seller was willing to bargain, but I was not. We also went up in a high building, more than 85 floors, and looked out over the city while we ate lunch—another elegant, fabulous meal. What did I order here? A tuna sandwich, with lettuce and avocado–comfort food of the highest order.
On to the hotel where we would all stay for the conference. My friend and I went swimming in the pool. I have never seen such an artistic pool. The shades of blue mosaic tile floor in the pool showed fish and waves. The whole pool was shallow, suitable for lap swimming, but not for diving, about four feet. It was about half again as long as the pool at our YMCA at home. The water was the best temperature, not too warm for serious swimmers, such as my friend, but not too cool for me. We sat in the hot tub for a few minutes after swimming. At first I thought there were two hot tubs, then I realized that a whole wall was mirrored. The showers supplied shampoo and soap. The locker room was carpeted, and had little baskets with hand lotion and other niceties. There were also hand held hair dryers, and the towels were huge and thick, the sort called “bath sheets” in the fancy catalogs. Everything was so clean, so luxurious.
My room faced the river, and the whole wall was a window. I couldn’t figure out the curtains at first, but later I found a button on the wall by the bed which when pushed, sent a light blocking screen down from above. In the bathroom, I couldn’t find the toilet at first, because it was enclosed by its own glass door. I didn’t use the bathtub, since I had just been in the pool. It’s a pity, as our students say, because it too was luxurious.
Friday evening we went to the opening meeting of our conference. First we did some singing together led by a small band, bass guitar, guitar, keyboard, vocalists. There were about 180 women in attendance. Our speaker asked all who had been born in Europe to stand. Several women did and told which country they were from. Then the speaker proceeded through the continents, and we learned that there were women from every continent, except Antarctica. We laughed, we cried, we considered the main purpose of life. We listened to Kathy sing. Then we enjoyed dessert and small group sharing of our impressions of the evening’s theme.
Saturday both breakfast and lunch in the hotel lobby restaurant were unimaginable feasts served buffet style. I ate fresh salmon and so much fruit. Just for meat, the choices were beef, roast or broiled, chicken, duck, pork (of course, this is China) or lamb. Another table held fish and sushi. For noodles, Chinese noodles, Italian noodles, Thai noodles, Vietnamese noodles. I did not eat any noodles, because we live on these daily. Vegetables of every kind were available. The dessert table contained many French pastry delights. Saturday’s agenda included the “mini concert” by Kathy. On her electronic device she had her musicians and back up singers. The modern world is amazing! The conference theme, Taste and See, was certainly carried out: it was a feast for heart and soul, mind and spirit, body and life.
I stayed with my friend in her elegant home until Monday morning. On Sunday morning we met with other friends, and in the evening we had massage at a place walking distance from her home. My trip to Shanghai lifted me to a place of beauty and joy. I am grateful for the conference committee and all who made this meeting possible. I stand in awe of their capabilities. I am forever grateful for the friend who provided my every need in this gift.