Shanghai Museum – The Ancient Chinese Bronze and Ceramics Galleries are particularly fascinating. The collection of masks is also great. www.shanghaimuseum.net
Men in pajamas and slippers all day long. They go to the market, they chat with neighbors, they have lunch…dressed in comfy pajamas! I wish this custom would catch on here in Austin. I am doing my part by wearing my jammies as much as possible.
Dong Tai Antiques Market – Several streets with stalls lining each side. This place is a feast for the eyes and there are some really neat things. Haggling is expected and part of the fun. Across the street is the Bird and Flower Market where crickets are sold as pets. Chinese men spend a long time agonizing over which cricket to buy. What, exactly, makes a good cricket?
Green Pea Cappuccino with Truffled Goat Cheese at T8. Thanks to BMW, I ate really well in Beijing and Shanghai. I am not a fan of pea soup so I was skeptical about item number three on our nine course tasting menu. It was fantastic…fresh, buttery, earthy, tangy. It came in a tiny cup. I wanted a bowl. www.T8shanghai.com
Outdoor “gyms”. Tucked away in neighborhoods are public exercise areas with simple, colorful, rather childlike equipment. I worked up a sweat on a brightly painted piece that mimicked cross-country skiing.
Soup dumplings at Nanxiang Dumpling House – This Shanghai institution serves up the most delectable steamed dumplings. Eating them is tricky because you want to avoid being scalded by the hot liquid that shoots out when you take your first bite. I also loved the curried meat pies…tender, flaky, amazing.
Shanghai Trio’s fun messenger style canvas bags. Mine's grey with a smoky lavender strap and red piping. www.shanghaitrio.com
The lights of the city and river at night. There are lots of great places to have a drink and enjoy the lights, including the terrace at Sens & Bund. www.resto18.com/sb/
And now, one to scratch your head over…babies and toddlers in butt-less pants. Apparently when the kid has to “go”, the parent holds the child over the road. No diapers! No diaper bags! Natural fertilizer! Although I saw butt-less pants all over China, not just in Shanghai and Beijing, I did not actually see a butt-less-pants-clad child “go”. I did, however, see a girl in a dress squatting near a garbage can at the Forbidden City in Beijing. That’s another story…
Copyright © Sara Young.