A day in Zhujiajiao

In early May, I took a trip to Zhujiajiao with visiting family members. It was a Fong (and Morkels) affair. We drove out to Zhujiajiao, a watertown about an hour outside of Shanghai to watch Tan Dun’s Water Heavens, a music-dance-show held in a renovated old house in the town that overlooks the monestary. To be honest, the show went a bit over my head, too alternative, too artistic.

Zhujiajiao (which to this day I have trouble pronouncing) is pretty if touristy. Apparently it’s not even THAT bad, which kinda scares me regarding the other more “famous” watertowns. But it was a good day out and by private car, not at all a hard trek out.

Anyone heading there should NOT go to the Illy Cafe. It sucked balls both service and coffee-wise.

Shanghai in pictures

I keep finding it hard to leave this city so much so that I’ve managed to extend it for another month…even though it means I’m going to spend a few weeks bouncing around. Before I get back to my smoggy, shovy, pushy, currently-adopted city, I’ll be heading to Bangkok for a hen’s night, Singapore for Chinese New Year and Koh Samui for a wedding. Not that I’m complaining.

I really like being in Shanghai, though the cold has definitely been a challenge. Fake Canadian that I am, I actually  freak out when I see the temperature go below 0. So far I am trying to keep my layering to about 2 to 3 layers, just in case it ever gets colder and I need to wear more. These are pics I’ve snapped on my little Samsung were mainly taken before it got too cold to work a touch screen without gloves (and that’s the only way to work one…need special gloves).

Jing An temple is just memorable for me because for the first two months I lived practically next door. I finally took a peek inside on a free pray-day. It was a lot more chaotic than this picture suggests. People running around trying to burn joss sticks on open fire is a little scary.

Made an important visit to People’s Square to find a husband. In the past parents used to congregate there and really share info about their kids to help them find a mate (much to their children’s embarrassment, according to my Chinese teacher. Nowadays, there are just as many matchmakers as parents, and probably even more tourists. If my crappy Mandarin is correct, I believe the sign above says something like “Mom! Here is where I’ll find my true love.”

I like spending time in Tianzifang. An old Shikumen style sort-of tourist trap where there are lots of interesting stores. I’ve been about four times and still can’t find my way around. It’s like an ever-changing maze. But lately I’ve learned to just wander and somehow I end up where I need to be. Ridiculous I know.

Poor bunnies, saw them being sold while walking to The Bund.

A friend took me to this lovely furniture/cafe (popular in Shanghai) that my crappy photo does not do justice to. This is the address is anyone ever wants to pop in for a cuppa or a couch. The surrounding areas are also great for a walk. 145 Nanchang Lu, 南昌路145号

Of course I can’t post about Shanghai without a requisite food picture. On Beijing Road behind the Portman Ritz-Carlton there’s a local dumpling restaurant that does these great steamed jiao zi. They were delicious, and gone in about 20 minutes which is what happens when you eat with your 21 year old male classmates.

I think there’s a real possibility that I could live here (if I don’t get run over by a cab, or a bicycle first). It’s still more affordable than HK though that’s probably changing soon. And somehow there doesn’t seem to be that many bankers here (which is a nice change). Beyond the pollution, the language (which I’m still struggling with) and the occasional food poisoning, I still think there’s a lot f possibility. It could be worth it, especially for views like the ones below.

Shanghai sightings

Hello internet world I’m back! Getting on to wordpress was a bit difficult here in Shanghai but I’ve finally managed to get my act together and write a post, ironically just two weeks before I’m supposed to head back to HK haha.

I’ve been in Shanghai for just over a month now and I’ve barely scratched the surface of the city. I came here to study Mandarin and I alternate between feeling successful and slightly more fluent, and useless unable to get by except for a few choice phrases.

Cute old school mailboxes in an old laneway

But besides that, if I’m going to be honest, I came for a change of pace. I wanted to see what it would be like living somewhere else without having to invest in the whole moving countries thing right away. At least this way I could say I was doing something productive while having a good time.

pretty fences

At the same time, this IS China. I was reveling in being able to eat doritoes on my bed as I blogged, but now I’m throwing an internal tantrum because one of my neighbours is definitely smoking and the smell is making its way into my room. But I’ve generally found that the things that annoy people about China (the spitting, the shoving, the near-maniacal driving by anything with wheels) don’t faze me, I tend to find it more amusing than aggravating (except for the smoking in the apartment. that drives me crazy). The only thing I find hard to get used to is having my friends so far away (technically a phone call I guess, but I don’t have a long distance calling plan), and also the lack of easy access to my magic skincare drawer back at home. When I ran out of serum earlier this month I felt like I had dry raisin face till I made it back to HK and restocked.

Of course nothing would make a proper Shanghai post without some pics of food, so here are pics of some of my favourites so far.

Juicy soupy oily sheng jian. Delicious and oh-so-bad for the skin hah.

Rice cakes drowning in crab sauce

my RMB 1.50 lunch