Yes, it's been a while. Have you been busy for the holidays, too? I have this problem after a long enough absence from blogging that I struggle with what to post when I finally get back to it. I have taken so many pictures here in Shanghai that I eventually need to share, but it can't all go in one post! Plus, I have something like 22 more "Adventures in Driving" posts to write. :)
Today, you, my dedicated readers, can experience my ride to school and back last week. I took the camera for an event in my daughter's class, and Mr. Mao was kind enough to remind me that I had it in the car! I often try to take pictures of things while we're driving, but my cell phone camera just doesn't cut it. I'm glad he reminded me so I can finally share some of these things with you!
This is a local neighborhood, maybe it's considered a village, that we drive past on the way to school. It's hard to see in the picture, but there is a huge green space in front of it (left front from this angle). The buildings are the traditional shape of local homes. What I love, and what is not traditional, is that there are so many colors of buildings. Add in the soft glow of the morning sun and it seems so idyllic. Of course, that's only when you can ignore the gigantic electric line towers looming overhead.
Here is a somewhat hazy view of downtown (about 8 miles away) as seen from the elevated highway.
Here, we're coming back from school. This is a view of the highway we're about to get on. A lot of the highways here are elevated. And by elevated, I don't mean like our highways at home. We're talking looking-in-the-windows-of-4th-floor-apartments-elevated!
Here is a view of the same neighborhood from earlier, but from the side this time. It's a common type of house in Shanghai. What you see in front of the houses are vegetable gardens. My guess is that it is a community garden of some sort. Sorry for the glare. I love you guys, but I wasn't opening my window on the highway in 45 degree weather!
I'm cheating a little here with this picture, but it was on the way home, so it's included. This is a mom & her child riding her bike. It should really be in "Adventures in Driving". It's hard to tell with his winter gear, but the seat the child is in looks like a decorative plant holder. There is a small partial bar across the front center of the seat that functions more as a handle than any kind of safety restraint. As far as I know, these seats don't have belts. Maybe this mom was getting creative and figured the package would hold him in nicely.
I, too, have always thought bushes by the roadside would be a good place to air/sun dry my blankets.
More laundry out to dry on the main road. Sometimes I can't figure out where it comes from. I think this is hanging out in front of a business rather than a home.
This picture is of something I've been trying to capture for a long time! I was SO thrilled that it turned out this time! I know I've told you about the walls that block the streets. Here is a perfect example. This one has a hole cut (knocked out?) on the sidewalk for scooters & people to go through. Plenty of street walls have this feature. What's great about it in this case, is that you can see the perfectly good road on the other side of the "door" in my photo! In all honesty, they may still be constructing the road further down. We may never know...
These next two pictures are of a couple of public parks near our house. The look very nice and both border a stream/river/canal type waterway. Now don't get all dreamy. I'll try to get a good picture of the water sometime to bring you back down to reality. They only recently took the walls down that were blocking this road that we're driving on, so the parks are a new thing for me. Maybe in the Spring when the weather warms up I can walk through them! Nice!
This building is on the corner by our neighborhood. It has been for sale since we moved in. None of the windows were broken then. It has had varying sizes of trash piles in front of it over the last year. We're not sure what happened, but it is a common theme around here. In fact, they are building two other places nearby that I hope don't meet the same fate!
We're coming up on the home stretch now! Here is our little strip mall just outside our neighborhood. It's new! Yes, folks, that's right! These shops have only been around for a few months. On an even more amazing note, many of them acquired the space and opened in a matter of days! Including one restaurant!
Here is the car wash/car repair place. The white line you see is the bike lane designation. That van on the left (partially blocked by my side mirror) is straddling the line, so he's part way in the bike lane, part way in the driving lane (check the above picture for clarification). The car is driven up onto the sidewalk. There is no zoning here. That's just how we roll in China!
And, now, what you've all been waiting for, photos of the very new restaurant that is the first business next to our neighborhood, and, might I add, 20 yards from our bus stop.
Some of the food items that you can get at this restaurant (of course, I'm just guessing. I haven't actually read the menu) are on display on a rack by the street. Others are in the cage to the left.
Sometimes I think American songs & slogans are misunderstood here in China. One would be "Freedom for All," which translates "Free for All" here and applies specifically to the subway as well as driving. Another is "Just Do It," which translates "Just Do It, whatever you want, whenever you want." This is less motivational and more directive here, i.e, if you need to go to the bathroom, "Just Do It." If you need to work that loogie out of your throat, "Just Do It."
WARNING: The following question and picture may be too much for some of you. If you are concerned, now would be a good time to stop reading.
Maybe there has been a similar misunderstanding about the popular children's song "How Much is that Doggie in the Window?"
Thank you for joining me on this trip to school and back! See you next time on the Great McBlog!
