8/16/06 ~ You Know...

On the Rio: Bob Seger ~ Night Moves

You know that you've been in China too long when:

• You cross the road without looking, it's safer
• You have to think how to use a knife and fork
• A June 2001 Great Wall Cabernet is your vintage of choice
• You only drink beer from one litre bottles
• The China Daily is your source for hard hitting, fast breaking, investigative journalism
• You find yourself "getting back to nature" in a park that contains nothing but concrete and a giant revolutionary statue
• Open spaces make you nervous
• You think a 30 year old woman who carries a Hello Kitty lunch box is cute
• You believe you are really tall when you are only 5'8"
• You finally decide to eat at Pizza Hut to put some solids into your body
• It becomes exciting to see if you can get on the elevator before anyone can get off
• You ask people in what animal year they were born
• You have a pinky fingernail an inch long

On Sunday I went with my colleague to Yu Garden Bazaar. It is the Chinese version of the Grand Covered Bazaar in Istanbul. Oh, so crowded. But actually the locals shop here and some of the back alley shops have very good deals on items, so I will return.

We had a pre-set lunch menu - crab and pork dumplings, cream buns and crispy cakes with various fillings, tea, fruit.

After lunch her driver took us to the Fabric Market. Right as we arrived the car involved in a minor fender bender with a taxi -- so we were shuffled out of the car while the drivers dealt with the situation. (Poor Audi.)

I hadn't been keen on going to the fabric market, but now I'm glad we did. I will probably return to have some clothes made. The silk and cashmeres are beautiful.

I had a great dinner Monday night in a Shanghaiese restuarant: crispy fried squid (although a little on the greasy side, as is most Shanghai food), sweet and sour ribs, and spicy eggplant with garlic (the eggplants were sliced and stuffed with bean curd).

Well, back to work!