A new look for Sandra in Sweden

I am still writing my blog, but it is in a new place and with a new look. Check out my new blog home sandracarpenter.net. Here you will find my same observations about living in Sweden and traveling the world, but also some travel tips and some of my other writing. The new look was created by my friend Lisa at Lisa Hazen Design & Editorial. It is a work in progress and I still have to add articles and tips, and there are a few tweaks that need to be done to the design. But it is ready for your perusal. Let me know what you think.

Commercialism in Shanghai

The water village of Zhouzhuang was charming and made for a relaxing day trip. But in taking a street scene that included an old woman at work, even she charged Robert for "her" photo.

I thought the US was the consumer capital of the world until I went to China. Shanghai is mind-bogglingly commercial. Everywhere I went, I was sold to. The hawkers were relentless. Walking down the main shopping streets such as Nanjing Road, I could tolerate it. I was there to shop after all.

“Hey lady, you want watch? You want bag? No buy, just lookee. Cheap today, just for you.” The litany of suggestions was repeated to me continually, by one salesperson after another as I walked the shopping gauntlet. It was crucial to not make eye contact and keep going. Making eye contact always guaranteed a longer pitch.

While I got used to the relentless offers on the street, it depressed me to be relentlessly sold to in a Buddhist temple. The instant I stepped into the Jade Buddha Temple, I was approached by a guide who attached herself to me with the intent to tell me a bit about the temple, but more importantly to sell me souvenirs. As soon as I bought, she moved on.

Another view of Zhouzhuang.

It was the same in the water village of  Zhouzhuang. This beautiful water town is the oldest in China and dates back to 770-476 BC. It is appropriately called the Venice of the East (much in the same way that Stockholm is called the Venice of the North). You feel like you have stepped back in time to a kinder, gentler place. But don’t be fooled. The locals there expect you to shop, too.

Signs of humor in Shanghai

Wherever I travel, I love checking out the signs on shops, restaurants and highways. I have found so many good laughs, especially in places where English is used as a second language. Here are a few of my recent favorites from Shanghai and Beijing, complete with a few hard to resist comments:

Don’t follow too clowsely

Don’t dring and drive

Donkey Meat for sale. (Do people really eat donkey?  Never mind, don’t answer that given that I saw dog heads for sale in a street market.)

Baby on Road (This was on a car window sticker in Beijing. I could not decide whether it was a joke or a spelling error.)

Best restaurant and store names: Gotta Pick My Precious Love (I am not sure what is sold here, but the name is spectacular.)

Paris Lice (Yuck. Lice does not sound good for a clothing store, even when you place Paris in front of it.)

Happy Everyday Bar, Happy Station Restaurant (There were lots of happy places in Shanghai.)

Baby Move (clothing store).

Hot Taste Restaurant.

“Behavior and upper taste” on a billboard advertisement with all the rest of the writing in Chinese. I would like to think that I have behavior and upper taste.

Now, what are some of your favorite signs?

Shanghai’s skyline

The view from the terrace of Bar Rogue, looking toward Pudong.

In just about every way, Shanghai was more interesting than I expected. It was both totally modern and completely ancient and the intersection of old and new made for a dynamic combination.

Looking from the Bund toward Pudong, you get some beautiful views of Shanghai’s modern skyline . . .   even on a rainy night. The Bund is Shanghai’s version of Wall Street and there are some beautiful old bank buildings along the waterfront. But at the moment, you can not see the waterfront from the street thanks to all the construction going on for Expo 2010.

The photo here was taken from the Bar Rogue, a cool bar on the Bund that was just a five minute walk from where we stayed. We got there about 11 pm on a Monday night and people were just starting to come in. By midnight, the place was full and the dj was playing some great chill out music. Given the spectacular views inside and out, we decided to stay for a while and sampled the Bar Rogue signature cocktail –a mixture of vodka, Grand Mariner, cranberry juice, raspberry puree, lime juice and a slice of orange. It was so good that I had to have two.

Live music in Stockholm

Last night as I was leaving The Liffey pub, the band was playing “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” I don’t know how many years it has been since I have heard that song, but it instantly transported me back to the US. It reminded me of my friend Ted who loves John Denver, as well as my cousins Kara and Kristy who were born in West Virginia. And finally, it reminded me of my Dad who played John Denver on his turntable. I felt warm and fuzzy and left with a smile on my face.

Then as I walked into the Gamla Stan (Old Town) subway station to come home, a street musician was playing ABBA’s “Thank You for the Music.” Just as quickly, I was back in Stockholm.

Taking tea in Shanghai

The Huxinting Teahouse at night.

Sometimes you just have to give in and do the tourist thing. Going to the Huxinting Teahouse is a case in point. Located in the jam-packed with tourists Yu Garden Bazaar, the tea house was built in 1784 and is the oldest in Shanghai. The name means mid-lake pavilion and the tea house does indeed sit in the middle of the lake.

The five-sided building is charming and you have to walk a zigzag path to get to it. Apparently, evil spirits can not turn corners and thus walking the Bridge of Nine Turnings will keep you safe!

In spite of all the tourists, I was charmed by the place and we  stopped in for afternoon tea. We were in good company at least as both Bill Clinton and Queen Elizabeth have had tea here.

We sat on the second floor and had a beautiful view over the lake and gardens. Our tea was poured into the famous Yixing purple clay teapot, which is said to brew the best tea. Whether it was the best tea in China I don’t know, but my oolong was good and it was served with a variety of sweet and savory treats, including tofu, eggs, rice crackers and more.

Eating in Shanghai

In the street markets, all sorts of ready-to-eat food can be found. Noodle dishes were everywhere.

I had some fantastic meals in Shanghai and – to my western way of thinking – some strange ones as well. In the soups, I often found chicken heads and feet as well as fish tales and heads. As long as I did not inadvertently crunch into one of these additions, I was OK with their presence. That said, when I did bite into one of the more unusual options, they did not stay in my mouth for long.

What I was not so OK with were the dog heads we saw in one of the markets, complete with teeth bared and fur still on. I could not stand to look at let alone imagine eating man’s best friend.

What I absolutely loved where the dumplings, both savory and sweet. Xiao long bao or pork dumplings are a Shanghai specialty and you could find them in street markets and in more formal restaurants. Served up with fresh ginger, soy and vinegar, the ones at  Din Thai Fung were particularly tasty. I am getting hungry just thinking about them.

The view from Shanghai

A game of mahjong on one of the back streets.

In traveling to Shanghai, I was not sure what to expect and wondered whether this super-size city of 17 million would be too big to navigate and enjoy. But what I found was an exciting and dynamic city that was full of life and energy at all hours of the day and I absolutely loved it.

I loved the contrasts: glittering skyscrapers, elevated neon-let highways and luxury boutiques sit next to lanes with no indoor running water and street markets selling everything from kiminos and pearls to Chairman Mao bags and terracotta soldiers. Horn honking taxis and cars do battle for space on the roads with mopeds and bicycle carts laden with fruit. In the back streets, life is lived on the sidewalks. Hair cuts, dog baths, dish washing, cooking, teeth brushing and playing mahjong and checkers – everyday life rituals as well as entertainment is played out for all to see.

In a carryover from the past when only the wealthy could afford pajamas and thus wore them as status symbols, both men and women wear their fuzzy polar and silk pjs on the street during the daytime. That means that by Chinese standards, when my cousin and I would go to the drive-through late at night in our pjs we were actually being fashionable and making a statement about our wealthy flannels.

Jumping back on line

While it is good to disconnect from the web, it is frustrating when it’s not voluntary. I got back last night from two weeks of traveling in Shanghai and Beijing and was blocked from entering my blog the entire time. Thus I was happy to hear President Obama admonishing China to stop censoring internet access today.

While I was not able to post, I was able to write and now have a backlog of impressions to share about the fantastic time I had there. Stockholm is rainy and dark, so a little travel reminiscing will do me good in getting over my jet lag! Thanks to everyone who wrote and wondered where I have been.

Systembolaget woes

Robert and I are having a Halloween party tonight. So this morning we got up early to get things organized, go to the grocery and go to Systembolaget to get wine and beer. As we are walking toward the stores, Robert comments on how quiet it is out. And then we come to our first stop: Systembolaget. And it is closed. Big problem. Especially since we are having a party and there is no where else we can buy this stuff.

Given that neither of us is Swedish, we did not think about Systembolaget being closed today for alla helgons dag or halloween. (It is not a holiday in the US or Australia.) Since the state controls the purchase of alcohol, the only place you can buy wine and liqour is at Systembolaget. You can buy low alcohol beer at the grocery, but none of the good, higher stuff.

After we got home, we got calls and text messages from friends that were bringing drinks to the party and they had the same problem as us. So it is kind of funny in a pathetic kind of way tha we all goofed up. Thank goodness we have some alcohol in our liquor cabinet. Just let me know when you are ready for your Halloween cocktail . . .