Yesterday I left Macau for Shanghai. The world championships had past by in a blink of an eye. 22 Dragons Club will be bringing home at least 12 medals and the Montreal Senior Women are now the Canadian team to beat. Strange how the presentations of the medals were not the most emotional moments for me but rather all of those "in between" moments stick out in my mind; the finish line of the 2k, beating Brisbane in the 200m heat, waiting for results, hearing the other 22 Dragon teams applaud as we paddled back to the docks after each race, being met with applause from the Montreal Majhong Men as we returned to our seats in the stands, having a team melt down, having an incredible recovery from a team melt down, hearing the last bit of coaching from Matt before the final 500m, and finishing 2nd and knowing that this is not the end but just the beginning. We are no longer the under-dog, staying on top is harder than getting there.
I flew to Shanghai with 4 other tean mates. I'd have a meal with them in Shanghai and then the next 2 weeks I'm on my own.
The Shanghai airport gave me a taste of what I'd be in for over the next 2 weeks. I really thought more people would speak English in this modern metropolis but that was wishfull thinking. No matter, I'm managing and the "lost is translation" aspect of this trip is turning out to be a form of entertainment for me. Take my cab driver from the airport for example, when I entered his taxi and showed him the address of the hotel he said something in manderin that could have been one of two things; either "You're very tall" or "that's a long trip and I finish at 5". Judging by the way he was driving I'd bet he finishes at 5. This guy was creating a 5th lane on a 4 lane highway in order to pass other cars, trucks and buses. Driving is an extreem sport here and motorcycles, scooters and electric bycicles (of which there are many) think nothing of driving on the sidewalk or going through red lights even if there are several pedestrians crossing. I've only seen one accident so far and I can not comprehend how it is possible that there are not more.
After checking in at the hotel I set out to find a restaurant that had come recommened by my foodie friend M. I was told it would be impossible to get a cab during rush hour and in the rain so I headed for a better hotel than my own and let them do the work for me. The great thing about being a westerner here is I can walk into any hotel to get information, use the bathroom or get a cab and they assume I'm a guest of the hotel.
I met my team mates at "Din Tai Fung" for xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). Everyone was tired and cranky but that quickly changed after a couple of beers (finaly we can drink again!). The food was great! My favourite dumpling was the truffle dumpling (YUM) and the drunken chicken and deep fried pork chops were absolutely mouth watering (I believe that was Sishuan pepper on the pork chops, I'll have to pick some of that up while I'm here). I didn't think the girls would go for the jellyfish salad (something I had eaten many times in mtl before) but they all tried it and we cleared off the plate. It was a fabulous meal. Thanks M!
I spent my day today walking around the Bund and making my way toward the People's Square. This place seems to be living in the future and the past at the same time. I would say the strangest thing I saw today was a street cleaner truck playing "Happy Birthday" rather loudly through some tin speakers. At first I thought it was an Ice cream truck, but no, it was a street cleaner cleaning the streets of the Bund. The Bund is where my hotel is located and it has lots of designer shops. I'm hoping to head out toward the French Concession soon and get a massage by a blind massage therapist (this is not a weird fantasy, there are real blind massage therapists here). A Shanghai massage is not relaxing but meant to replace one's "chi" (energy).
There is no way I'll be able to experience even a fraction of this place before I leave tomorrow night on the overnight train to Tunxi. Too bad, it's a great place to shoot.
I'm not sure what the internet situation will be over the next few days since I'm heading into small towns so you may not hear from me until I get to Beijing on the 7th. The internet here is a bit unpredicatble. I have no access to facebook or my email today but I did have access 2 days ago in Macau. Everytime I go to my blog the settings have changed so I have no idea what you guys see back home. Anyway, I'm still alive and I'm eating well.
5 things that are faster than the internet in China:
1. paint drying (oil based paint).
2. bread rising.
3. a trip across Canada on Via rail.
4. my roots growing in.
5. a small child growing into full adulthood.
I flew to Shanghai with 4 other tean mates. I'd have a meal with them in Shanghai and then the next 2 weeks I'm on my own.
The Shanghai airport gave me a taste of what I'd be in for over the next 2 weeks. I really thought more people would speak English in this modern metropolis but that was wishfull thinking. No matter, I'm managing and the "lost is translation" aspect of this trip is turning out to be a form of entertainment for me. Take my cab driver from the airport for example, when I entered his taxi and showed him the address of the hotel he said something in manderin that could have been one of two things; either "You're very tall" or "that's a long trip and I finish at 5". Judging by the way he was driving I'd bet he finishes at 5. This guy was creating a 5th lane on a 4 lane highway in order to pass other cars, trucks and buses. Driving is an extreem sport here and motorcycles, scooters and electric bycicles (of which there are many) think nothing of driving on the sidewalk or going through red lights even if there are several pedestrians crossing. I've only seen one accident so far and I can not comprehend how it is possible that there are not more.
After checking in at the hotel I set out to find a restaurant that had come recommened by my foodie friend M. I was told it would be impossible to get a cab during rush hour and in the rain so I headed for a better hotel than my own and let them do the work for me. The great thing about being a westerner here is I can walk into any hotel to get information, use the bathroom or get a cab and they assume I'm a guest of the hotel.
I met my team mates at "Din Tai Fung" for xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). Everyone was tired and cranky but that quickly changed after a couple of beers (finaly we can drink again!). The food was great! My favourite dumpling was the truffle dumpling (YUM) and the drunken chicken and deep fried pork chops were absolutely mouth watering (I believe that was Sishuan pepper on the pork chops, I'll have to pick some of that up while I'm here). I didn't think the girls would go for the jellyfish salad (something I had eaten many times in mtl before) but they all tried it and we cleared off the plate. It was a fabulous meal. Thanks M!
I spent my day today walking around the Bund and making my way toward the People's Square. This place seems to be living in the future and the past at the same time. I would say the strangest thing I saw today was a street cleaner truck playing "Happy Birthday" rather loudly through some tin speakers. At first I thought it was an Ice cream truck, but no, it was a street cleaner cleaning the streets of the Bund. The Bund is where my hotel is located and it has lots of designer shops. I'm hoping to head out toward the French Concession soon and get a massage by a blind massage therapist (this is not a weird fantasy, there are real blind massage therapists here). A Shanghai massage is not relaxing but meant to replace one's "chi" (energy).
There is no way I'll be able to experience even a fraction of this place before I leave tomorrow night on the overnight train to Tunxi. Too bad, it's a great place to shoot.
I'm not sure what the internet situation will be over the next few days since I'm heading into small towns so you may not hear from me until I get to Beijing on the 7th. The internet here is a bit unpredicatble. I have no access to facebook or my email today but I did have access 2 days ago in Macau. Everytime I go to my blog the settings have changed so I have no idea what you guys see back home. Anyway, I'm still alive and I'm eating well.
5 things that are faster than the internet in China:
1. paint drying (oil based paint).
2. bread rising.
3. a trip across Canada on Via rail.
4. my roots growing in.
5. a small child growing into full adulthood.
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