First Day in Shanghai

We awoke only a few hours after going to bed, had another eclectic international breakfast in the hotel (I still like the Shangri La's buffet better). We piled into the bus and struck out into the traffic of Shanghai. From the traffic signs (and the traffic) it was clear we were no longer in a quaint ancient village:

We were taken for a "Chinese Cooking Lesson". I was kind of excited, hoping to learn some new techniques, maybe even a recipe or two for some of the regional dishes we'd eaten over the last weeks.

No such luck. First of all it was a vegan restaurant, not really like anything else we've eaten in China. Second of all, the lesson consisted of us all seated at tables in front of a chef with an electric hot plate. We were given 2 fried tofu envelopes to fill with mixed vegetables (which looked suspiciously liked Birdseye frozen corn and peas) to spoon into them. We tied them closed with blanched spinach stems and then the chef dropped them in boiling water to heat through. End of lesson. It was more like a sheltered workshop for developmentally disabled adults than any kind of learning experience. The actually made us wear paper chef's hats while spooning our vegetables. And gave us certificates of completing the "Chinese Cooking Experience". Argh.

The lunch they served us afterwards was a series of vegan dishes which were a nice break from the relentless porkiness of the previous meals, but having had breakfast a mere hour and a half previous prevented me from doing much more than sampling.

Next stop was a restored home in the old French Concession of the city. It had belonged to a family that made its fortune in textile mills, mostly cotton. It was interesting in that it was the first private residence we've seen in China that consisted of closed, indoor spaces. The ancient homes in the villages all were mostly all courtyard, and even the interior spaces had celings or windows open to the elements. I suppose this reflects European styles, and also the later construction, happening in the end of the 19th century. They also had some lovely textile related decorations. I especially loved the second one, made from yarn and buttons: 

Driving through Shanghai, a sea of skyscrapers appropos of the financial center of China, we saw pockets of old, decrepit 2 and 3 story buildings that until 15 years ago or so were the dominant structures in Shanghai.

It's kind of mind boggling to contemplate the rapid development of the cities in this country. This, in combination with the relentless pressure for young people to acheive academically in the cities ("Susie" our guide told us her 8 year old daughter goes to school 8 hours day and routinely has 3-4 hours of homework), make me think the US is doomed. China, with all its inequites, corruption, governmental caprice and opacity, is an unstoppable rocket. Until they run out of farmland. Or water. 

Last thing this afternoon we were taken to a silk factory outlet, where people purchased truly staggering numbers of silk duvets and scarves. I have no idea how they plan to pack all this bulky bedding into their luggage, but that's not my problem. I bought some small items, including a cushion that unzips into a throw.

Tonight I skipped the Shanghai Bryn Mawr reception, and ate dinner at on of the Western restaurants in the complex around the Ritz Carlton. I had a grilled chicken sandwich on a baguette, a cup of delicious pumpkin soup, and a glass of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. SOOOOOO good. I love Chinese food, but I'm used to more variety than we've had these weeks. Also I'm tired of eating everything off a tiny saucer, which is what they give you in all restaurants. You pick what you want off the serving dishes on the lazy susan and pile them all together, in series, on the tiny plate. Being a large group means you never know if you'll get any of some of the dishes, or enough of the ones you want. It was nice to have my own meal, on a dinner plate, with metal utensils. 

Afterwards I hung out in my room alone, and organized my belongings. After so many days of motion, activity and constant interaction, it was nice to have some down time, by myself. My roommate will return soon, but it's been a pleasant interlude. I think I'll watch a movie on my iPad now.