11 September 2012
Still walking
Last night in Shanghai, this time tomorrow I will be on the plane.
So what to do except go on a giant walk?
I discovered that Chongning road wich changes names a few times but starts near Zhongsan park and snakes around to the Shanghai railway station is interesting and busy for the entire journey.
The start is the excellent cloud 9 mall, which I visited last time I was here. It has at least 50 huge restaurants in it. Last time I must have gone on a weekend as there were big lines everywhere, tonight I could take my pick which was exciting.
Something I forgot from this morning, at breakfast I sat next to a salary man from Japan. He asked me a lot of questions then told me he was jealous that I can freely move around the city.
It seems that due to this island dispute going on between China and Japan, and also another one between Japan and South Korea, he cant function in China anymore.
He has been working here most of the time for a few years, but now no one is prepared to do business with him.
He is very upset with the mayor of Tokyo who has 'bought' the small island at the centre of the dispute. I have been following this story but I dont understand who the mayor has bought this island from.
Anyways Japanese salary man is heading home this weekend.
I am heading home tomorrow, unfortunately. But my flight isnt until the evening, so I have a full day to watch the clock waiting for it to be time to go to the airport. The airport should be fun, I have only ever arrived at Pudong, not departed, so its like going to a new airport for me. One of the most exciting things for me to do.
This building towers above the giant Cloud 9 mall. I dont think it was there a year ago.
For dinner, I had Korean style BBQ. No carbs! I will probably have noodles for lunch tomorrow.
Ordering was fun, the waitress talked me out of more vegetables. She then tried to talk me into more meat. But that was foolish of her because I had no desire for chicken hearts or tripe.
You leave the paper on to cook. Theres a range of sauces you can use but I decided to go au naturale. I left the food un sauced too.
My epic walk home passed many buildings. This is a KTV karaoke bar. There was a similar large place that was apparently a snooker club. I am not convinced these places are constructed just for snooker and singing along to lady gaga.
The only time I have ever seen helmets. On a busy street corner a pop up late night child care roller derby park.
This sign depicts a new subway line under construction. Look how many lines it interchanges with! Now I have reason to come back again.
These guys were pretty good. Especially the girl drummer. She looked absolutely hopeless but actually played really well. Like a hybrid robot / animal from the muppets.
The blue ring of pedestrian overpass blinds oncoming traffic in every direction.