Notes On Shanghai

1) It is so damn hot and humid here. Today's saving grace was the arrival of fog, but still.

2) A young lady in my yoga class told me that buh-yow, which means "I don't want that" is the most important phrase in the Chinese language for an American tourist. Having used it frequently as a child in regards to Chinese food, I told her I was more than familiar with it. She turned out to be right - nothing deflects a tout like that phrase.

3) Driving a taxi in Shanghai seems to be an exercise in Zen. Every driver I've ridden with is extremely aggressive, but seems to take absolutely no offense at the aggressions of other drivers. They simply adjust course accordingly, and move on.

4) Speaking of traffic, the cars have right of way over pedestrians. And there are often no crosswalk signals, the lack of which results in the most terrifying street-crossing experiences of my life. As Brian says, "Get in where you fit in."

5) The city is an exercise in urban planning maximalism. The rule is: build as many skyscrapers as possible, as quickly as possible. The landscape is more reminiscent of Blade Runner than any other city I've visited, which brings me to my next point.

6) There is some strange Chinese preoccupation with colored lighting. There may be some municipal law which states that every building must be clad in animated neon. Some of the gargantuan skyscrapers on the skyline actually function as monitors, displaying pictures of puppies and kittens for no discernible reason.

7) The food is incredibly cheap. The bill for excellent dim sum with my parents at a really nice restaurant came to about $25. For SIX people.

8) Cheap cabs are very convenient. I feel like a rich New Yorker.