sybarites

We have arrived in China (proper)! Shanghai is the first stop on our tour of the country and we’ve only just cracked the surface on checking out the city. However, in a short period of time, we’ve taken note of a few things to add my mental list of things that are different and/or interesting; relatively speaking, of course. Most recently, we’ve come across giant bottles of beer which are ¥3.50 (about 50¢ CDN) and are pretty tasty when sipped cold on the shared balcony of our hostel above the sounds of the Shanghai traffic, which consists mainly of honking and squealing of breaks.

Then, there are the intersections which, although they have traffic lights, are uncontrolled and pedestrians are expected to navigate thorough and around cars, buses, bicycles and scooters at will and as best as possible. Maybe the lights are only in use during rush hour?

While walking down the waterfront promenade today, known as The Bund, we stopped at a shady spot for a rest and a map consultation.

I left Marc with the map and walked over to buy a Coke from a man selling cold drinks and had to turn back when I realized that all I had were large denomination bills. I couldn’t have been gone more than 30 seconds and when I returned, Marc was encircled by three young women who wanted their picture taken with him. They left as I walked up and Marc commented that that was the best thing that had happened all day. How flattering for me. Then, a minute later, the same three returned and asked to have their picture taken with me. So we did, but I still can’t fathom why. Do we look that much stranger than any other tourist on the boardwalk? Are they collecting pictures of tourists? Were we the butts of a joke or being set up as marks? It was harmless and the motivation remains unknown. (BTW, I don’t even look like that much of a freak anymore because I got my lip ring removed when we were in HK. I look normal again.)

Anyway, to keep it brief and to act as a reminder for me later of some of the interesting things we’ve encountered so far, here is my Top 10 List:

10. Seen: seven wedding parties during one weekday afternoon near the Hong Kong Cultural Center- can’t imagine what a weekend is like.

9. Snoopyland.

8. On a menu: “Hot Lemon Coke” We didn’t try it.

7. In a restaurant: a table-top waiter control system (?) with buttons for “Order”, “Water”, “Bill”, and “Service”. Incidentally, this saved us from succumbing to our usual fate of being trapped at the table of a restaurant being incapable of requesting the bill. On the plus side, we’re getting really good at charades and my Chinese vocabulary has doubled (i.e. 4 words)

6. On a poster in the Metro: an ad for KFC with a woman against a red background holding a bucket of chicken and shouting, in a big speech bubble, “Casual wear!” It defies explanation.

5. Method of transport: the fabulous Aloha bus line from Taipei to Kaohsiung. The bar has been raised to a new high level after having taken this trip. All the huge, Lazy-Boy-esque seats were on the top level of a double-decker bus and featured personal climate control systems and in-headrest speakers to go with the private 12”, fold-out TV screens. One of the channels showed the route, the ETA and where we were on the GPS. Also, there was a Bus Attendant, offering free refreshments, blankies and pillows.

4. Method of transport: the Maglev train from Shanghai Pudong airport to the Metro station. It took less than 5 minutes to to reach our destination while we relaxed and watched the sunset at 300km/hr.

3. Method of transport: the longest escalator in the world in SoHo in HK. We’ve never escalated so much as in HK.

2. Food: Asaji Ichiban is a chain of shops in Hong Kong that sells only a phenomenal variety of ichiban-type noodles.

1. T-shirts: “Blondes are Great, Dumb and More Fun”, “Help me! My girlfriend wants access to my trust fund!”, and, above a picture of a chocolate bar, “Peanutbutter Mother^#*&$er”.

Off for dinner now. I think we’ll go for Chinese.

We set out this morning to see the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery. Our book made it sound quaint, quiet and small, at its location along the periphery of the city. The first leg of the journey was via MTR subway where I saw, and had to take a picture of, the Nail Art Machine.

The directions indicate that one should apply a base coat to one’s nails using the bottles along the shelf at the front before choosing and design on the screen and then placing each finger, one by one, into the slot for the design to be applied. Then, one must apply a topcoat. Finally, a machine for those of us with no time to spare for a relaxing manicure so that we can get our nails done with classy art whilst on the run to the subway!

We connected to the mid-range train circuit to reach our final destination. At our station, we disembarked and Marc starting searching his pocket for the directions we had written out before leaving but, there was no need because the subway signs were clearly posted to indicate the correct exit for the monastery. We followed the helpful signs in English that were spaced 100′ apart, turned left at the IKEA, and then rounded the last corner to find this:

It appeared as though we may have been encouraged to visit this sacred site.

We started climbing the 400 steps up the mountainside and the path really was picturesque, with the first few hundred golden buddha lining the path.

This one was very upset, presumably about the the bug in his eye.

When we reached the top, we came upon a small, sunny square, with yet more buddha, several pergolas and a tower.

Also, we saw the temple, which we weren’t allowed to photograph but could enter and buy souvenirs. The inside of the temple itself was where the remainder of the ten thousand buddhas sat, lining the walls from floor to ceiling. We thought the number was figurative but it was very much literal. I could’ve bought a key chain stating this fact.

Before I came here, I thought I knew what crowded was, I thought I knew what rich was, I thought I knew what culture was. And then I experienced the MTR subway at rush-hour, the outrageous cost of living in Repulse Bay on the south part of Hong Kong Island and the fantastic food, art and, mostly, architecture that this place has in abundance.

The first day we were here, we went straight for the waterfront along the northern edge of Hong Kong island to see the tallest building in Hong Kong.

We saw a TV documentary on this building once and now, we have actually been to the real life version! Does it get any better than this?

The next thing we did was to take the tram up the unexpectedly steep slope to Victoria Peak for the view.

I won’t go on about how amazing the view was because the interweb is littered with such descriptions. I will, however, mention that the people who live in the houses on the road leading up to the peak must be exceptionally wealthy. The kind of wealthy I wouldn’t even know if it bumped into me on the street, which it may very well have already in a city this busy. I am invigorated by the crowds. There are more people on this island than I can even fathom and when everyone decides to take the MTR at the same time (when the drivers of their Mercedes and Jaguars have the day off, I presume) it is too crowded to move. The crowds at the Temple street Night Market can’t really compare but the lights, colour and traffic make up for the density.

Today, we visited the Graham Street market which is known for its food. From start to finish, from one end to the other, we were wishing desperately for a kitchen in which to cook.

There were many vegetables and a myriad of fish that we’ve never even seen before, let alone can imagine cooking. What I wouldn’t give for just a chef’s knife! (Though the hostel does have a corkscrew for happy hour so we’re not completely lost.)

Speaking of food, we went for dim sum today at the “famous” Yung Kee restaurant in SoHo.

Apparently, the roast goose at this restaurant has been the talk of the town since 1942. We didn’t have the goose, but we did have steamed dumplings with shrimp and bamboo fungus, yummy steamed pork buns, spring onion pastries, garlicky squid,spring rolls, mango pudding and an appetizer we didn’t order: century eggs.

I think they’re hard-boiled eggs that have been… um … preserved (?) for a few months. I tried them first and then coaxed Marc into trying. They weren’t bad but they’re weren’t something I would’ve ordered. Who cares, I tried them, and that’s the whole reason we went on this trip.

P.S. Typhoon Chenchu is due to pass through Hong Kong tonight. Should be.. interesting.