Daydreaming in Shanghai

Today, Jeff took off early and went his own way. Mar and Kendra went out to find Chinese breakfast while I hit the shower. They came back with scallion pancakes and dumplings (they really are the best friends one can travel with). We planned the day, which included hitting the Urban Planning Exhibition Center, a sculpture park and hitting the streets to wander.

The exhibition center was off the hook. While there were exhibits that showed Shanghai then and now, the entire second floor consisted of a 1:500 scale model of the city of Shanghai. I posed to Kendra: how’d that meeting go over? Because I’d be the one in the back saying, I’m sorry, boss, I thought you just said we’re going to build a scale replica of the entire city (at roughly 600 sq km). Not only was it a scale replica, but it also lit up to show it at night! There’s an exhibit on another floor that shows you how they can repair circuitry and keep it clean. The museum was great, but it had just so much content that it bordered on overwhelming.

We walked through People’s Park north to find a little place that was mentioned in all of our guidebooks. All you need to know that 20 dumplings (and good sized ones) and drinks cost us $7 US total. And it was delicious!

We headed over the sculpture park and rested for a bit. We enjoyed the art and made our way back to the French Concession. On our way, we literally stumbled upon a former residence of Chairman Mao. A free museum, we went in. It was small, but what I noticed is that the photos of him showed him smiling, which I hadn’t seen before. Somehow, it made him a bit more human to me. We spent a little time there, and I finished first so I went out to the street to watch the world go by.

Big cities are great because there is always so much to see. So many little kids were on mopeds with their grandparents. Taxis buzzed back and forth. Pedestrians of all types made their way. For many I saw today, I am sure they call Shanghai home, and they just were getting through their day. They live their life, not thinking about people elsewhere living their lives. Of course, I am guilty of the same when I am home, and because I have the luxury of time and space here, I can reflect on what doesn’t even occur to me in my daily life in Seattle. I was able to recall the times when I have had this moment when I have visited other places, be it New York, Sydney, Paris or Rome. I realize how fortunate I am to have the ability to rattle off such a list, knowing in my heart that over time it will grow, too. Like so many times before on such trips, I find myself stopping to watch the world go by, and instead find myself counting my blessings. And like so many times before, I always wind up losing count.

More to come...