Tonight I'm back in Shanghai after a long but glorious 29 days traveling. Yes, I know. I can get used to a vacation like that every year!! I wasn't backpacking or anything, as many of you know. In fact, most of this past month I spent in Tokyo with my boyfriend, and we stayed in a private apartment, so it really was like I was living there. But what a funny feeling I got stepping off the plane. It was almost as if I could feel the pleasantries and tranquility of Tokyo melting away as the buzz of Shanghai hit me. I realized quite quickly that I was back in the land of pushing and elbowing, spitting and shouting. I sighed, remembering Mimi's post (entitled Grr...Shanghai for good reason) upon her return to this crazy city as I got on the elevator with my three bags and pushed the button for Floor 2.
Four or five guys were in the spacious elevator with me, chewing loudly on gum and talking and laughing across the elevator at each other. This would never happen in Tokyo, I thought. Everyone would be facing one single direction, standing in perfect silence, politely bowing their heads and whispering a soft Suminasen (excuse me) on their way out the door. We reached the 2nd floor and I realized the door on the opposite side of the elevator was opening and I was like 8 feet away.
Excuse me, excuse me, I said, still caught in the Taiwanese/Japanese/everywhere-else-in-the-world mentality of, ya know, manners.
Hey hey hey! Watch out! someone shouted as the wheel of my bag caught his bag and dragged it a bit towards the door.
Ooh, sorry. I was getting closer, but, then there was this lady I didn't notice before in my way. Geez, move, I thought. Oh shoot....aaand the door was closing. Hey, could someone keep the door open for me? I just need to g--
Never mind. Some guy hit the button way too late, and so the doors to the elevator shut, and we made our way to floor 3. I just shook my head at how I was stuck in the middle of the elevator, halfway to the door because the Shanghainese wouldn't move their asses to let me out. Silly right? No, that's just reality here.
Welcome home, eh?
ninja boy
and kimono girl
i love
my hardy lil plant
hong kou
football stadium
streets of Akihabara
Tokyo night
amor
in Tokyo
i love
Taiwan night markets
adorable kid
that is my second cousin
Hong Kong
Victoria Peak
art
in Shanghai
rainy fridays at SISU
usually look like this
perpetually foggy Shanghai
The Oriental Pearl tower, waaaay up close
home
...for the year
keeping my usb safe :)
Wouldn't you rather have a custom-made one like this, Polo?
ode to a mooncake
Mid-Autumn Festival, 9/14/08
me on top of the world
That's way too high. Shanghai World Financial Center, 100th Floor
2 comments:
i miss you already.. come back to me..
omg.. SOOO many comments!!!
first, i love how you pointed out "spacious elevator"
second, you got me allll riled up in this post!! THROW SOME 'BOWS WOMAN!!! u know the deal here!! push those sons and daughters of beeyotches outta the way!!
on my 1st day out n about... i knocked over two ladies like bowling pins when i had to get off the train and they were INCONVENIENTLY standing in the middle where the doors open as opposed to the side where sensible people stand. ...in addition to getting yelled at by "walking traffic cops" who stand on the street to control pedestrians: i had my ipod on and there were no cars, i crossed the street.. then midway i heard some chinese man grunting.. i turned..and he was yelling at me to get back. did I? Helll nahhh, I was already 3/4 way across the street! I'm sure he was cursing lao wah (sp).
:-)... welcome home!!
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