Fall has arrived here in Shanghai and it is not nearly as beautiful as Wisconsin or Minnesota. It is grey, windy, and as chilly as Chicago, some days including scattered drizzling. BUT, amongst all this grey, obscure weather, two bright lights shine there way through. Ms. Jessimuhcuh Yau has stopped in for the 2nd time into Shanghai - so I was able to do really neat things with her. We checked out LaoXimen (Old West Gate -- 老西门) and walked around that older bit of town. We scoped through an animal bazaar, of all things. Chinese people apparently adore Chinchillas much more than cats.....strangely enough. Even crazier was the fact that you could find crickets in small wooden cages, just like in Walt Disney's "Mulan"!!! SOOO stereotypical. and awesome. I was thinking about getting one, but then I don't think my classmates would appreciate a cricket chirping during our listening class....haha. They had a pretty large range of animals - cats, dogs, chinchillas, crickets, salamanders, frogs, fish, ferrets, turtles....and a chipmunk or two ; ) (try sneaking those things through the American customs department....haha. good luck.) Sorry Uncle Brian, no kamodo dragons like in "The Freshman". maybe they had them in the back......
Around the same area were antique chinese souvenir shops --- really really neat places! (although the products we not super old -- maybe only 20-30 years old, so not really great quality or anything like that) It was quite fun to take a look around. I think Jessica had enough of antiques though.....haha. AND, it was neat because I recognized some things that could be found in my own household (gifts my dad receieved from business partners in Japan/Singapore) and friends' households.....needless to say, it was really neat. I plan to return with my mother, the second light of my eastern travels in Shanghai's fall.
Mom comes in tomorrow! I plan to take the Maglev (Shanghai's super super fast train between downtown and the Pudong Airport). What normally takes a 45 minute taxi ride will now take a 15min bullet train ride. BAM. super fast. super excited. Unfortunately (and fortunately) my mother's arrival means that I will be obligated in attending the World Expo. For someone who hates touristy areas, it might spell eternal doom -- especially with the expected 1,000,000 visiters PER DAY. ><;;; 6 hour lines, here I come.....Prices are double this week, but hopefully I can go somewhere at the back gate to barter them down to half.....yay for Shanghai's infamous markets ; )
Sorry -- I haven't taken any photos in awhile, otherwise I would post them to show you my adventures.....especially when I attended the Shanghai circus the other day --- they had some really neat tricks! and motorcycles.....among other things....
well -- I'd better get started on my homework. Heading out later today to get dinner and a radio with a friend so we can better practice our listening skills (one of the harder classes here....for anyone....). Although, despite the difficulty, our class fully agrees that our reading class, even after preparation, is the one with the highest standards. 加油！ Go, go!
until later,
~fran
