I have been shanghaied in Shanghai.

Stolen away from my prejudice against big cities. This largest port in the world (18 million) has knocked me out and taken me away from old ideas about big city rudeness and sameness.

From the first look outside the morning we docked I knew I was a goner. While most big cities have a half dozen significant skyscrapers, which become their signature, Shanghai has dozens — perhaps a hundred — uniquely designed structures. It is as if a contest were being held of all the great architects to come up with their best ideas and then make them a reality of 90-101 floors that soar into the heavens.

That is the experience in the daytime. At night, they come alive with neon glows. I am not a fan of neon, but in Shanghai, somehow it works. To top it all off, we were there for three days of Chinese New Year, and on the night of fireworks the city burst into a light show for more than an hour. Our ship was at the perfect place to see the display on both sides of the Huang Pu River. How lucky can one smalltown gal get?

For the holidays, the city folk went to visit family in the countryside and country families came to town. Huge numbers were visiting the gardens and sights we went to. They came to Shanghai to see the big city and shop on Nanjing Street. Everything is for sale on this famous street.

Hong Kong had a different feel to it. The harbor is the main focus, and, of course, there are great buildings. But they are not as unique as those in Shanghai. Each night there is an impressive neon and lazer light show.

We finished out the eight-day New Year's festivities here and explored many markets: jade, "wet" (e.g. wiggling) fish, all sorts of butchered animals, and gorgeous fruits and vegetables, antiquities, flowers, birds (men take birds for a walk here), and goldfish. We saw people practicing kung fu as well as tai chi — and had a one-hour lesson in this very Chinese movement.

A special treat on the last day of Chinese New Year was a southern Chinese lion dance in Kowloon Park. The lion's head had flashing eyes and twitching ears. The little children squealed in delight as it pranced around the park. I squealed inside!

I loved bargaining at the markets and got pretty good at it. I also wield a mean pair of chop sticks.

While we explored art and medicine museums, the students took tours focused on urban living, endangered species and finance in this huge megaplex of island cities. Students work hard and play hard on this voyage, and we are growing very fond of them.

Right now I am ready for the quiet of the ocean as we head to Vietnam and Cambodia.

Editor's Note: Socorro resident Catharine Stewart-Roache is traveling around the world with a program called A Semester at Sea. She will send periodic dispatches to El Defensor Chieftain during her travels.

Contact Catharine Stewart-Roache