Shanghai China Snippets Observations about living in Shanghai and China in general

[tag]Romance[/tag] was all over the city yesterday. Interesting to see how [tag]Valentine’s Day[/tag], which in essence is an US marketing concept driven by retailers who needed another excuse to sell their ware, has taken hold here in [tag]Shanghai[/tag].

Half of W.’s colleagues got flowers and/or chocolates from their boyfriends/husbands. People even sent each other sms to wish the other person a happy Valentine’s day.

Booking a table was not easy either, as most restaurants were fully booked. I managed to get a table at a very nice [tag]Spanish Tapas Bar[/tag], but only at 20:30.

Although very much a western restaurant it was packed with young [tag]Chinese[/tag] couples. I saw a guy kneeling next to his girlfriend whispering in her ear. Another took out a golden necklace of it’s case. They fed each other, sipped from each others glasses and held hands.

Not everybody would leave happy as I overheard a girl saying “I don’t want to hurt you”.

An an antidote, yesterday was also the foundation of the Shanghai Divorce Club.

“There’s nothing frightening about a divorce – it’s merely a slight mistake in life,” said club founder Shu Xin. “So don’t get desperate, as there’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Then again

A record number of couples registered to marry yesterday, celebrating their love on Valentine’s Day.

Across the city, 1,720 couples registered to tie the knot, according to the marriage management division of the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau. The bureau said only about 200 couples registered on an average day.

Sources: Shanghai Daily
Picture: BBC

The [tag]Portman[/tag] [tag]Ritz[/tag] [tag]Carlton[/tag] has a bookshop where they sell papers. Normal papers , meaning not originating from the mainland. The Hotel is the absolute top in [tag]Shanghai[/tag], maybe even in [tag]China[/tag] and has, as it goes with a [tag]5 star hotel[/tag], staff that pretend to understand[tag]English[/tag] and pretend to give 5 star service.

Hi, can I have the [tag]IHT [/tag]please?

Yes, that’s 23 Rmb.

Ok. [I am reaching for my money in my pocket but apparently I am not fast enough]

It’s 23 [tag]Kuai[/tag].

Yes, I know, you told me, I am busy getting my money.

You don’t want the paper anymore?

Yes, I like to have the paper and it would be nice if you have some patience. As you see I am busy getting my money.

Oh, Yes.

All this happened in a timespan of 4o seconds

While the clash of civilizations is continuing I went to the Bus station near the Jing An Temple.

I used to take taxis to the [tag]Shanghai[/tag] [tag]Pudong Airport[/tag] or the [tag]Maglev[/tag] but the [tag]Airport[/tag] Bus No. 2 is the most convenient and a lot cheaper as well. A [tag]taxi[/tag] costs about 150 Kuai, a one-way bus trip 19 Rmb.

There was still some time left before the bus would depart so I smoked a cigarette. Two guys standing next to the bus starting to chat and tried to convince me to take a taxi. A taxi that was parked next to the Airport bus.

I friendly declined their offer, explained that the difference between 150 Rmb and 19 Rmb is significant so they gave up. It was only now that I realized that one of the 2 guys was actually the bus driver. Mmmm, a bus driver wanted me to take a taxi while the bus would go anyway.

A girl arrived and the guys started to tout their services and at first it seemed she would decline too. I finished my cigarette and just as I was about to get on the bus, when a third probable passenger arrived.

Some talk and suddenly we were all directed to the taxi by the bus driver, three strangers destined to share a cab for 20 Kuai each to Pudong Airport. One kuai more than the bus fare.

I guess the bus driver preferred driving an empty bus and get some kickback from the taxi driver.