STARBUCKS IN PARADISE
Today, I found a Starbucks in the most unlikely place: the ancient Yuoyuan Gardens. This magical place is where you can go see authentic Chinese gardens, bargain down bric-a-brac merchandise from vendors in the narrow lanes, and look at children feed the thousand goldfish in the lily pond. Right smack in the middle of the bazaar, where tourists normally go enjoy the centuries-old big hat pagodas, you can now purchase your non-fat caramel macchiato.
There were other eccentric stuff there too, mind you. In one of the shops, I saw this woman demonstrate this iron-like stapler contraption that allows you to actually cut a plastic bag filled with water into two completely sealed bags without the water bursting out. It was really cheap- only 25 yuan- and I was tempted to buy it, but then I wondered... exactly when would I ever need to do something like that?
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Tip # 3: Look six ways before crossing the road
It appears to me that the rule of the road is that there's no rules. The system works like this- forget the traffic lights, forget that there's lanes on the road, and believe in your mind that everyone is crazy. Shanghainese pedestrians are quite the experts in navigating these treacherous roads- it's amazing to see them stroll nonchalently through a busy street- vehicles barely inches away and bicyclists headed on a collision course- without even the slightest hint of fear. On the other hand, I fear for my life each time I have to cross an intersection. I usually do this: I wait for somebody, say, a young mother with a kid who also needs to cross, and then I squimishly follow close behind them. It's the safest way to avoid getting hit by a half-ton truck.
It appears to me that the rule of the road is that there's no rules. The system works like this- forget the traffic lights, forget that there's lanes on the road, and believe in your mind that everyone is crazy. Shanghainese pedestrians are quite the experts in navigating these treacherous roads- it's amazing to see them stroll nonchalently through a busy street- vehicles barely inches away and bicyclists headed on a collision course- without even the slightest hint of fear. On the other hand, I fear for my life each time I have to cross an intersection. I usually do this: I wait for somebody, say, a young mother with a kid who also needs to cross, and then I squimishly follow close behind them. It's the safest way to avoid getting hit by a half-ton truck.
Tip #2: Don't pretend that you know how to paint.
My days so far have started exceedingly early because I keep waking up at 4 in the morning. I guess my body gave up fighting jet lag, resolving only to go halfway and settle with Hawaiian time. So now I'm here in smokin' hot Shanghai, enjoying an exchange rate that lets me buy a lunch for three dollars cdn, eating long donuts several times greasier than Krispy Kremes, and dodging crazy cars and bikes on the street. (I even saw an accident where the driver was trying to calm his bleeding bike-wielding victim with a wad of cash.) What has fascinated me the
most are the old residential alleyways, or tongs, of the city- narrow gated alleys with weathered brick, clothes-lines dangling everywhere, and old fragile people sitting outside with their wooden fans. This afternoon, I decided go to these places and do some watercolors. It felt like sketching school again, except that everything I did was horrible. People would stare over my shoulder, thinking they might see some Chinese master painter at work. Most walk away disappointed. One guy mumbled something incomprehensible, and briskly walked off. It's always neat to be famous, or in my case- infamous.
My days so far have started exceedingly early because I keep waking up at 4 in the morning. I guess my body gave up fighting jet lag, resolving only to go halfway and settle with Hawaiian time. So now I'm here in smokin' hot Shanghai, enjoying an exchange rate that lets me buy a lunch for three dollars cdn, eating long donuts several times greasier than Krispy Kremes, and dodging crazy cars and bikes on the street. (I even saw an accident where the driver was trying to calm his bleeding bike-wielding victim with a wad of cash.) What has fascinated me the
most are the old residential alleyways, or tongs, of the city- narrow gated alleys with weathered brick, clothes-lines dangling everywhere, and old fragile people sitting outside with their wooden fans. This afternoon, I decided go to these places and do some watercolors. It felt like sketching school again, except that everything I did was horrible. People would stare over my shoulder, thinking they might see some Chinese master painter at work. Most walk away disappointed. One guy mumbled something incomprehensible, and briskly walked off. It's always neat to be famous, or in my case- infamous.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)