Monday, July 9, 2007

I've got quite a lot to say about recent impressions but don't want to risk getting in trouble, so I won't now. I've become a bit paranoid and also slightly hypochondriac. Current ailments include: scoliosis, heat rash, germy hands.



Classified ad in City Weekend:
Need a big strong black guy to attend 7.19 to 7.23 (4 days) Chinajoy videogames expo (one of the biggest video games expo in the world) in shanghai. We want bring audience an exotic feeling on exhibition. So wat u will do is just show ur cool face there to look like a killer. Contact Emily: 1363 661 5407.



NO TRUMPETS





I went to the Shanghai Zendai MOMA then the Shanghai Sex Museum on Saturday. The MOMA was more subversive than I thought they would be allowed to be and the sex museum was hilarious. And intersting. There was an aquarium attached, so I went to that too. The sex museum had signs in English but the aquarium did not.

"...the widows who were not able to remarry always needed it"


"He was not able to keep this part of his body under control":


Caught in 1834, still bummed:


The Epic Battle of the Tiny Ships Versus The Giant Crabs:




More photos




On, a personal note, I think I'm one day closer to death with the travel than I would have been otherwise because of the 12 hours I lost coming here-- I'm continuing westward and so never gain them back.

Our final new person in the flat arrived yesterday. She is older, and from the UK. I'm quite glad she is not another 18-20 year old. Michelle and Reagan found her ancient but I am relieved as her goals for the trip are probably not for this to be a prolonged vacation as it seems to be for the other two. Though she is a bit strange and dragged the land telephone into her room within 2 seconds of arriving.

My speaking voice is a strange mix suddenly. Michelle is from Chicago so we speak nasal midwestern to each other but Reagan is from Kitchener, so I slip into the Canadian accent with him quite easily and not on purpose. My boss is Australian and I know a couple of Brits so my English vocabulary is upped.

I went to the Lotus Supermarket again yesterday and they were playing the Jackson 5 amongst all the various activities in the front.

I am a bit troubled by the Chinese insinuations that everything Western is superior. Consumerism is spreading rapidly here and there is loads of crap to buy in the streets and even more in secret warehouses if you follow the hawkers. Oh, THINGS and STUFF, I am a bit more of a hippie than I originally thought. The average Chinese income in 2004 was $2950; I feel very rich here, so I guess it is easy to preach from where I stand. I think it is quite a bit more difficult to jump classes here.

No comments: