Shanghai

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After few days in HK, I hopped on the train to ShangHai. I shared a cabin with a graduate student from CUHK, a 18-years old boy who is going to China sole for the first time, a mother who is visiting her daughter in HK and a quiet uncle. We have a good time hang out with each other, the twenty something hours went by fairly quick. The auntie and the girl from CUHK were able to give me some great tips on where to go. When the train pulled into the station, it is time to say goodbye and go our separate way.

I did not enjoy my time in Shanghai a bit. It is just another big city with way too much people, it felt empty and lonely. Everywhere I go, it is "people mountain people sea" and it is not even the peak holiday season yet.

But there is a few good moments that I would not want to forget:

- Dumpling with the least meat: the hostel I stayed is right behind a local market. In the morning, I would eat from the breakfast shop along with the locals. A meat bun costs me 0.5yuan, a bowl of soy meal also 0.5yuan. The most expensive item on the menu is dumplings, 2yuan. These dumplings have the least meat inside that I ever seen. If you don't look closely, you would think there is no meat inside. There is only a thin smear on the bottom, the rest of the inside is empty. When bite into it, all you can taste is flower. This is the life of the locals. It does not matter how developed and international Shanghai had became, there are still a huge population who are still living their basic life. This is where I made the decision that local life is what I want to experience in China, live like a local and eat like one too. I want to blend in, which is why I did not tell many people I met in China that I am from the States. I want to be one of them.

- Crossing the street: first culture shock in China is trying to cross the street in China. There are so many cars, motorbikes and bikes on the road going all direction. Even with traffice lights, the cars don't stop for the pedestrians. Pedestrians have to walk around cars to cross the street, dodging cars coming from everywhere. I am so amazed there is no dead body lying on the street. Whenever I tried to cross the street in Shanghai, I stood at the corner and looked everywhere for at least few minutes. But there is alway car coming and going. = / My temporary solution is to walk along with the locals. By the end of my time in China, I became the local. There is no solution to this situation in China for now. If you want to go anywhere, just walk and the cars will magically drive around you.

- Where is the old?: With thousands of years of history under its China, the biggest attraction in China is to see and experience the old and culture. But in this aspect, Shanghai is a big disappointment. Shanghai had transformed into a "CITY" with countless of high rise buildings and neon lights, just like any other big cities in the world. I also went to the visit the old street and 豫园, which suppose to represent the past of Shanghai. The old street is renovated and all buildings had turned into food shops and gift shops. 豫园 looks very new and is crowded with so much people what I can not walk without touching another human being. I did not feel any of the "Old", they are just like another shopping mall to me. Disappointment!

- Luxury life in Shanghai: By accident, I strolled into a classy and quiet neighborhood with beautiful tung trees and houses with characters. The Antique Garden Shanghai coffee shop caught my eyes and I decided to go for a snack. It turned out to be an expensive snack. I ordered a piece of chocolate cake (a quiet small piece) and tea. They are delicious, but price tag is steep (80Yuan). Definitely not daily snack for ordinary working class. I guess part of my 80Yuan is paid for the unique decor of the shop, which shows the owner had put his/her heart into it. While I am there, I noticed there are number of students there studying. I wonder how they can afford to pay for it. My guess: rich parents. = /

- Artistic corner in Shanghai: This is my favorite place in ShangHai. The area used to be abandon warehouses, which got turned into art studio, art gallary and public art display. It is quiet and peaceful there. No tourist, but local parents and their kids spending a lazy afternoon. It is a get-away from the city.

The saying is when you come to Shanghai, you have to try the Shanghai dumplings, which I did and disappointed. Yang Sing in SF has better.

After two days in Shanghai, I had enough and ready to escape. My next destination is Xi Tang Old Town (西塘古镇).

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