sixteen days to go

Not that I'm counting down or anything. I really like Shanghai -- it's a city I've grown familiar with. I like the food, the vibrant city, my job, the people I've grown close to. But I also wouldn't mind spending a day at home, running up my staircase to my room, shuffling down in the morning for some granola and yogurt (or cereal or grapefruit or oatmeal), cooking and sitting around in the kitchen, etc. I would really enjoy one or two days -- after that I'd be ready to go back to Shanghai! Or elsewhere. No point in staying in one place forever.

A couple of us went to Beijing this weekend and crashed with other HCF-ers (HI, IDA !!). We toured the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tienanmen Square, and Olympic Stadium. We had Peking duck (SO DELICIOUS) and drank a lot of CoCo bubble tea. On Saturday night we went out to experience BJ nightlife. We ate scorpion and silkworm. We were constantly drenched in sweat (especially when climbing the Great Wall). It was great seeing new (old?) faces and I'm so happy that the other BJ HCF-ers went along with us on some of our adventures.

Maybe I've become too accustomed to Shanghai, but I REALLY prefer Shanghai over Beijing. Beijing was super smoggy (we couldn't even see the Olympic Stadium across the street...), really hot, and too crowded (the metro was way more pushy and really inefficient in its walk-a-gazillion-miles transfer system). It was very different -- even the people looked different. There are definitely more historical/cultural sights to see in Beijing, though... Meh, I still like Shanghai more.

Back in Shanghai, I've finally realized bao zi lady has been replaced by bao zi man. Initially, I had thought this would be a temporary thing, but bao zi lady has been absent for far too long. I don't mind -- he's friendly enough and tries to speak Chinese to me even though I clearly indicate that I don't understand through my blank facial expression and confused nodding/shrugging. The other day he motioned for me to hand over my whole wallet several times as a joke which I mind only so far as to make note of it in an online blog with a readership of at most, like, ten people.

I guess the latter rant demonstrates the lack of happenings in my life. Beijing was fun. I like Shanghai more.