I decided to take a 3 week vacation in 2001, and I had always wanted to visit China. I booked my flight with Cathay Pacific Airlines. Their staff and crew were fantastic, and the Flight Attendants were beautiful...It makes the flight go so much better when there are beautiful Flight Attendants that are so friendly and hospitable. I landed in Shanghai's Airport and was quickly approached by a cab driver. I spoke a little Mandarin Chinese that I learned in college, and I asked him to take me to a nice hotel. He was nice and accommadating and appreciated my willingness to speak in his native language. He drove me to the Peace Hotel, in the Bund area. It was about $85.00 a night which seemed reasonable, and it was worth every penny. The Hotel had an old Chinese and Russian feel to it, and it felt like I had gone back in time. They had renovated it as if it was 1950 all over again. I only stayed two nights there, and I had eaten at there restuarant, which was very elegant. After dinner, I di some exploring of the Hotel. I walked up some stairs that lead to an outdoor balcony that over looked the Bund river walk. It seemed to be a place that Russian and Chinese dignataries, and Generals wined and dined their significant other. I went exploring again, and I went to some bars and clubs...Asian stlye clubs are the way to enjoy your night. I went to a local restuarant on the Wu Jian Street. I ordered a Chinese meal, a 650ml beer, and a dessert. and the whole bill came to $1.50 ( that's why you go to local restuarants instead of tourist spots). I paid the bill and the young Chinese girl who was about 16 years old treated me very well. I placed a $1.00 bill on the table for her Tip, and she shook her hand at me in a friendly way and said no thank you. She would not accept the Tip, this went on for for about 5 minutes. I know that she could of used the money, because they do not make alot of money in China. She cleared my table and took the dirty dishes to the kitchen, that is when I decided that I was going to leave her a $1.00 tip anyway, eventhough she persistanly refused my Tip earlier. I swear I was not even a block away from outside of the restuarant, and she ran up to me and gave me back my tip, she thanked me anyway, and she then ran back to the restuarant to back to work. I very humbled that day, because I know that she could of used the money, but it not important to her, she just wanted to work and give good service. I had the best time in Shanghai, China, and would go back and visit again on my next vacation destination.
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