Sofitel in Ningbo

We arrived in Ningbo yesterday afternoon. I sat next to a guy from Vancouver and his Chinese girlfriend on the flight. He's here teaching English, and we had a great conversation about his experience, punctuated by some great cultural tips from his girlfriend. She's a native of Ningbo.

Upon arrival, We drove immediately by bus to our hotel, Sofitel, which is operated by a French company. Ningbo has grown dramatically over the last four years. A new expressway is under construction to the airport. Blocks of skyscrapers have been raised throughout the city, with most lightly inhabited. We toured the Nottingham campus and then ate dinner at an international restaurant in a business district called "Manhattan" (again largely empty).

A few of us went out to a bar with our host, Professor Hilton, after dinner. We went to a bar in the "foreigners" district called the Office. It's owned by a Texan. If the European football championships hadn't been the main focus of entertainment in the bar, i could have sworn we were in the US.

Now if's time for day 3.

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