Hanging Out On My Own

One could term the current temperatures in Shanghai as cold, but I'm not bothered when it's -1°C thereabouts. As long as it's not -10°C and beyond. My Icebreaker merino wool inner layer dependably regulates the body heat, along with a cashmere sweater or wool dress. Throw a coat over it, pull on a scarf, beanie and gloves, and I'm sorted till -2°C. If I'm going to be out traipsing the streets for an extended length of time, I use heat packs, since they're invented to make my life comfortable.

From being devoid of inhabitants a week ago, the city is back to its usual bustling self, though still relatively uncrowded because not all humans are back from their Lunar New Year break. Still a pleasure to stroll through the streets. Seated for lunch in the Peace Hotel on a foggy day, I watched the going-ons of the humans along The Bund. Food at the hotel was excellent. The pesto pasta with garden vegetables was delicious. The pesto either came out of a very good bottle, or the chef really knows how to make a excellent blob.

Friends have learnt to stop worrying about how I would spend my time when left alone. I enjoy solitude. They know that I'll be pretty gainfully occupied by random stuff that somehow seem to pop up for me. Made concerted efforts to visit 2 nursing homes in the city to learn a little more about its social trends and policies. That was a wee bit depressing, but something I needed to do. Randomly, I was invited backstage to watch the actors rehearse of a Shanghainese opera (Huju, 沪剧) sung in Wu dialect, gleaned from the folksongs of the past. I understood only 5 phrases. :(  But the colors and emotions were beautiful. That was a brilliant afternoon. Passing by a little shop similar to a tiny wet market of sorts one morning, I randomly barged in and was allowed to watch and eventually participate in the salting of fish, and finally hanging out to air-dry in the winter chill. I finally understood why those slabs of meat were hanging off electrical wires and cables.

Oddly, I like Shanghai quite a lot in winter. It's really not that cold. :) I could visit the bff during any season, but I choose to do so during winter, and preferably during the biggest traditional festive occasion in China's calendar. It's probably the only period during which I want to wander around the city. Somehow, the cold and the empty streets and buildings make it so much more enjoyable, and almost romantic.