Advertisement
Published: August 4th 2009
The cloud cover
The clouds covered a big section of the totality path across China, Japan and some of India. So many disappointed people...The best eclipse of the 21st century and the initial reason I came to China was completely blocked by thunderstorms and smog this morning.
The eclipse occurred where I estimated it would, in perfect proximity to Shanghai's mindblowingly awesome skyline. I can't believe it. It's been bright and sunny every day since we arrived until this morning. I don't think I can convey how thick the clouds in the sky were, you couldn't even see the spire of the Oriental Pearl Tower.
I'm feeling pretty gutted because this eclipse ticked all of the boxes - perfect level on the horizon, the best skyline in the world, the longest duration of totality this century and I WAS RIGHT HERE IN CHINA, ON THE CORRIDOR OF TOTALITY FOR IT!!! The only box it didn't tick? Clear skies.
So yeah, I'm devastated, and as a result, this entry is going to be quite short. But I will say, despite the cards that were dealt, it was still INCREDIBLE to be in Shanghai when on a bright Wednesday morning, the city went as dark as night for 6 minutes. I was standing on a busy street corner and all of a sudden
During the eclipse
Like midnight in an instant cars started beeping, street lights turned on, people gasped in Mandarin accents and I just stood there, dripping wet, in complete awe of the cosmic alignment that was occurring.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.069s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 9; qc: 46; dbt: 0.0408s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
