Rattan To Go!

This rattan chair stacking talent is, in and of itself, a pretty impressive display. However, it's nowhere near the awesomeness of this iconic Malacca Rattan furniture commercial that was an important part of my childhood. If you grew up in Vancouver, B.C. in the 80's, you will definitely remember this. Catchiest jingle ever. "It's Malacca for the money. Wicker for the show. Fabrics to get ready baby. Rattan, to go!" See, I already can't stop singing it!

My Hood - The Trunk Sale

Back in the day, there used be this hustle, where a van would pull up next to you and a guy would excitedly say something to the effect of, "Bro! I got these top of the line home stereo speakers in the back here that weren't accounted for in our warehouse! I need to unload them quick, and for cheap!"

If you were dumb enough to get suckered into buying them, the speakers worked, but were in fact just some pieces of crap thrown together with parts from RadioShack (no offense, RadioShack), worth a fraction of the price you just paid..

Anyways, this "trunk sale" of frozen chickens kind of brought that to mind. Forget the fact that they're just dumped on the ground and you have no idea where they came from. What. Just rinse them off and they're good as new. Pick one off the top of the pile, they're fine!..

He Ain't P. Diddy

But I call him Mr. Combs.

My Hood - The Recycling Collector

We don't have designated recycling collection days here, where a big truck comes around to empty out your blue box. Instead, there are people that ride around the neighbourhood on these 3-wheeled bike/carts, gathering recyclable materials. And they differentiate - one person may collect scrap metal, one may pick up cardboard, and another may do plastics. This guy I guess is the wood guy.

My Hood - The Noodle Maker

This is where people come to buy their fresh hand-made noodles.

As you can see, the operation is pretty old school.

My Hood - The Hardware Store

Whenever I need anything on the DIY front for my apartment, this is where I come - the local hardware market. On this particular trip, I went in search of a switch, a travel adapter, and super glue. As you can see, they sell all sorts of things - from lights, electronics, and tools, to even cookware, mobile phones, and that leather jacket you've been looking for. It's super hectic in there, but you can usually find what you need, and for next to nothing. $1.50 later, I had the glue and 3 adapters, and although I didn't find the switch, I did manage to find a pair of boxer shorts?!

Shanghai For Life...

...or at least 4 months. That's how long I've been here now. So I thought you might like to know what I've been up to and what life is like here. In general, it's been pretty great so far.

Here is the view from my serviced apartment when I first moved here. That is Huaihai Park down below and you can see my office just on the other side of the park in that low office building.