Shanghai pt.3

Yesterday I went to the Bibliotheca Zi-Ka-Wei, sort of a Shanghai version of the British Library, but obviously on a smaller scale. The book said it was open every day, with English tours on Saturdays. No problem, I could live without a tour, and just looking would be fine. Unfortunately, the building is open every day, but the library isn't--Saturday only. So I wandered around a little bit, found a mall (not hard to do) crammed with computers and electronics, and walked through Jiatong University. Not the most attractive campus; there was actually a "Jiatong University Souvenir Center," which turned out to be room about the size of our old back porch, with a few sad t-shirts, hats, and sweatshirts. No souvenirs today. . .

Back to the mall, which had a really nice grocery store in the basement where I got some sushi. It was just like the place in Tokyo where they wrapped everything up nicely. It looked like salmon, the nice lady said something that sounded like salmon, so I got it and it turned out to be . . .salmon. And as a bonus, more great grocery translation, something like "bring the fresh taste so you will find your deliciousness taste among them," or something like that.

Then it was off  to the Jade Buddha Temple, which is about a mile off West Nanjing Rd. Remenber how I told you about East Nanjing Rd being like Michigan Ave, and how I thought it was more like State Street 15 years ago? Well, I had my Nanjings mixed up. West Nanjing Rd IS nothing but money. The Brequet watch store had 2 watches in the window. One was $140,000. Somehow, though, the street just doesn't look like it deserves it's reputation. The same stunted trees on the sidewalks, uninspired architecture--no sense of being somewhere special. Anyway. . .

After a long walk (I walked 7 hours yesterday) I get to the temple and find the cashier, since there's a small fee. Thankfully numbers are the same in any language (more proof that mathematics is universally beautiful) so I point to the biggest number on the sign, which was equivalent to about $2, and got my ticket. Which was actually for the vegetarian restaurant. Walking around the corner I found the actual entrance, and went in. It's an actual Buddhist monastery, with all the essentials. The highlight, of course, was the Jade Buddha. That's an extra $1.40, but he gets his own room. There is music and incense and quiet and the Buddha sitting there with that inscrutable grin on his face and it was just. . .nice, you know?

So I walk back, all peaceful and enlightened, to naked commercialism, including the world's biggest MontBlanc store. Too expensive, but interesting to see. By now it's getting late, cold, and polluted. Honest, this wave of God-knows-what just drifts in and diffuses everything. There are 2 American-style restaurants in the neighborhood, both recommended in my book. Well, one was completely empty, which didn't bode well, and the other looked as if they hadn't washed the windows since the Cultural Revolution. Of course, with all that crap in the air it's probablly a losing battle. So I headed home and, not wanting to eat in the same restaurant 3 times in row, went to Hooters. And if our Hooters are anything like Shanghai's, I hope to never go again. Not the food, the happy fun time. . . But they did have Guinness on tap.

Now, random things before I forget them:

4.1 million people used the Shanghai subway. Not last year; last Friday. You think London was crowded? I though they would run out of room on the platform.

Yes, it was disconcerting when the guy in front of me in the grocery line put down his 2 catfish on the belt. Live catfish that were in the process of dying inside their plastic bags as they flopped around on the belt. Even the cashier didn't want to touch them.

Personal space does not exist. If I'm driving or walking, I need to be in that space now. The fact that you or a bus/truck/moped is there now is immaterial, as I need to be there. And I will be there, as soon as I get there. Everyone understands this. There are no honking horns, the car simply stops if you have managed to stake your space-claim a fraction of a second before they claim theirs.

At the University. A very heavy class load.

No crowds? Must be the temple.

The coal dust looks so pretty in the afternoon.

Non-rush hour.