Shanghai has a population over approximately 200 million. 90% of them seem to be out on the streets at the same time as you are. There are queues to cross the road.
They have 'Traffic Assistants' at most of the crossroads, who stand with whistles and flags to keep the traffic moving . They whistle fiercely at you if you start to cross when the little green man has already started flashing.
We went to see a performance of Shaolin Kung Fu (and this being China you have to pronounce the 'Kung Fu' bit properly). Amazing what they can do with a sheet of glass, a pin and a balloon. And you were just beginning to think the slightly podgy one at the front wont be up to much and then he stands on one leg, bends the other behind his head and falls down straight into the splits. All the men in the audience collectively winced.
The Shanghai-ites must have a fair amount of money. The shops here are full of luxury goods: watches, furs, jewellery. But it is not Europeans and Westerners you see buying. In fact there are few non-Chinese around although you do pass the one or two down Nanjing Road, say.
The there are the occasions someone runds up to you, waving a canera. You think they want you to take a picture of them standing with their friends. In fact they want their friends to take a pictire of them standing with you. We are clearly one of the most unusual things they had seen that day.
They have 'Traffic Assistants' at most of the crossroads, who stand with whistles and flags to keep the traffic moving . They whistle fiercely at you if you start to cross when the little green man has already started flashing.
We went to see a performance of Shaolin Kung Fu (and this being China you have to pronounce the 'Kung Fu' bit properly). Amazing what they can do with a sheet of glass, a pin and a balloon. And you were just beginning to think the slightly podgy one at the front wont be up to much and then he stands on one leg, bends the other behind his head and falls down straight into the splits. All the men in the audience collectively winced.
The Shanghai-ites must have a fair amount of money. The shops here are full of luxury goods: watches, furs, jewellery. But it is not Europeans and Westerners you see buying. In fact there are few non-Chinese around although you do pass the one or two down Nanjing Road, say.
The there are the occasions someone runds up to you, waving a canera. You think they want you to take a picture of them standing with their friends. In fact they want their friends to take a pictire of them standing with you. We are clearly one of the most unusual things they had seen that day.
posted by Jan and Al at 2:48 AM
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