Just another day in a Chinese hypermarket, this time on a mission. Among the giant bottles of cooking oil, fish parts chilled on ice, and duck heads drying on racks, I search for food I recognize, food I understand, and food I can make into dishes I know and love. There are items I recognize … More Day 64: Got Spam? Why packaged food is considered “healthy” in China.
One night we walked the dark streets of the French Concession in Shanghai. This area was a French settlement from 1849 to 1946 till the Vichy French government gave it to the Nanking government. We got lost because nobody except tour companies and hospitality calls it the French Concession. The streets are narrow with cobblestone sidewalks … More Day 63: The French Concession
On a cold and drizzly Wednesday, Peter and I took Subway Line 7 to the Jade Buddha Temple in a quiet section of Shanghai. After wandering down the wet streets, we came across souvenir shops selling ornately hokey Buddha figurines. We knew we must be close. After paying the entrance fee, we walked into the … More Shanghai: Jade Buddha Temple
Photo of the Day. Jing’an Temple in Shanghai.
My first trip to Ikea happened in China! Random. We were on a mission to find a mattress pad since Chinese beds are a joke. For the last 4 nights I was sleeping on a lattice of metal rods supporting a cold-air chamber of doom. It was miserable and I would wake up each morning … More Day 61: The Ikea Experience
China is full of contrasts. From luxury shopping malls to hole in the wall restaurants and ancient temples next to modern skyscrapers, the difference is exaggerated. Here, a neon orange grocery stores occupies a building from the late 19th century in the “French Concession.” Clean and dirty, ancient and modern, the past is never far … More Day 60: Old and New
All cities in all countries have at least one thing in common… diversity. While China may not be as ethnically diverse as America, the range of socio-economic classes is just as wide. Like any other country in the world, China is a mix of people both wealthy and poor. While food is very cheap in … More Day 59: Finding balance across cultures
In case you missed it…. Shanghai: Initial Explorations ________________________ After a weekend of shopping, eating, and walking, Peter wanted to take me to a famous tourist destination in Shanghai. So on Monday we bundled up and stepped out to brave the overcast and drizzly day. But first we had to walk 20 minutes to the … More Shanghai: Yuyuan Garden
On Day 57 I posted a photo of a Chinese (French-based) grocery store. I believe that grocery stores are great cultural indicators. Let me explain for the sake of my anthropology degree. Food=Culture Food is something we consume everyday (duh). We have local rituals and traditions surrounding the type of food we eat, how we … More Day 58: Chinese street food
Recap of China numero uno. Get excited. ________ After almost 24 hours of travel, I arrived in Shanghai, exhausted from the absurdly long flight. I watched 3 movies, chugged bottles of water, and was inspired by Oprah. Let’s just say it was a “productive” trip. Thankfully I didn’t miss my connecting flight and arrived in … More Shanghai: Initial Explorations
Kirsten Captures 