After a month of back-to-back travel, we have made it to China. Needless to say, life has been hectic, and I know I’m behind on posts. I have not forgotten about our blog post for our trip to Morocco, and I plan to have it up by early next week. Chris also has one more post about Switzerland, and then I will turn full attention to our new home.
I just arrived three days ago here in Shanghai, and Chris has been here two weeks before that. I don’t think it’s actually set in for either of us that were actually here. I mean, China, really? Last night as we were walking around, I told Chris it felt like we were in a Chinatown in some big U.S. city. But, alas, we are here, and we’re looking forward to experiencing such an exotic locale.
And, do I mean exotic! Every sense has been assaulted since I stepped off the plane. It’s really loud here, and I don’t mean the city noise. It seems talking at a normal range is overrated and shouting is the preferred method. I went grocery shopping last night, and I couldn’t even hear myself think in the crowd. As one of the largest cities by population in the world at approximately 24 million people, it’s easy to get lost among the chaos.
Groceries were also quite the experience. I stopped by a food market to look at the vegetables, and rounding the corner I ran smack into the live animal section. By live, I mean frogs jumping in cages and eels squirming their way out of the top of the tank (photos to come). Chris has already eaten a bullfrog, and not just its legs. As I wasn’t a huge fan of Chinese food in the States, I’m pretty sure I’ll be losing some weight here as I become a vegan.
My first night here, we did enjoy a nice Chinese dinner at a restaurant specializing in Yunnan cuisine, food from the south region of China. As part of a cultural expedition, the local Shanghai Community Center sponsored a dining out where our guide explained the cuisine and how to eat it. We had an array of dishes from wild vegetables like pine needles to roasted duck to konjac root jelly, known as “poor people food” since you can eat as much as you want without gaining weight. I’m sure learning to eat with chop sticks (no forks in sight) can attribute to weight loss, too.
Being here only three days, I have already seen a new world. Shanghai is in extreme opposition to Zurich, and this will be a grand adventure. More posts are soon to come about the food, fashion and overall culture of this amazing country, and we hope you will join us for the ride.
Want to know something specific about China? Let us know in the comments, and we will work it into a blog post.
-Monica
