Jet Lag Sucks
So does not speaking the local language. My day today consisted mostly of my trying to stay awake and also trying to gather up the courage to approach intimidating looking shops.
The thing is, when someone obviously non Chinese goes into a store, people will assume that he does not speak Chinese and will offer language help, an english menu, a slow guiding voice. When people see me, they assume i do speak chinese of course, and go a mile a minute in mandarin as i struggle to say "Excuse me, I do not speak Mandarin" - which I invariably get out wrong anyway.
Anyway, some more pictures why not.
Morning time - looks like a crisp clear day
View of the park down below
More view! Damn I'm up high.
Elevator bank on my floor.
view from one of the loungey chairs they setup all by the bay windows on the lobby - 38th floor.
Turn your head left and you see this. look theres my hand!
Turn your head right and you see that. The staircase leads to Wan Hao, a restaurant serving Canton style fare.
Heading out into the street! This is right outside the hotel.
Down Nanjing West road. One of the main thoroughfares of downtown Shanghai
One last look up at the hotel.
Continuing to walk away from the hotel.
It's the emmys!
Mister Softee exists in Asia too apparently. Or more likely its a knockoff. Probably the latter since when I approached the car, they only sold soda and tea (???)
A side street filled with small shops and street vendors offering their wares. The smells emanating from this street is what drew me down there.
Another view up that street.
Random alleyway? Sure lets walk down it.
Ahh an open air market. Much more cramped than the previous street. They seemed to be selling mostly small animals and birds in cages.
Like kittens! They look terribly cramped in this picture, but they seemed to be making out ok. What I didnt understand is why they had so many in one cage but the cage next to it was empty.
And lots of crickets in tiny boxes.
Another side street - this time it was more food oriented. Look at all those asian vegetables!
the fish and meat section.
some roasted pork over street briquettes. it was marinated in a light curry flavored sauce im assuming then coated in a really spicy pepper powder. it was delicious.
after all of that, i just decided to go back to my room and make some tea with their tea set.
i then got some food from their downstairs place. slice beef noodles with XO sauce. DELICIOUS.
the rest of my afternoon was spent in my room as i was too lagged out to walk around anymore. this presented a conundrum however: i was too tired to walk out, but that meant staying indoors with a nice big bed when i was supposed to be staying awake. a hazy hazy afternoon sky.
NEW view from my NEW room. switched for a silly reason. not worth mentioning.
The thing is, when someone obviously non Chinese goes into a store, people will assume that he does not speak Chinese and will offer language help, an english menu, a slow guiding voice. When people see me, they assume i do speak chinese of course, and go a mile a minute in mandarin as i struggle to say "Excuse me, I do not speak Mandarin" - which I invariably get out wrong anyway.
Anyway, some more pictures why not.
Morning time - looks like a crisp clear day
View of the park down below
More view! Damn I'm up high.
Elevator bank on my floor.
view from one of the loungey chairs they setup all by the bay windows on the lobby - 38th floor.
Turn your head left and you see this. look theres my hand!
Turn your head right and you see that. The staircase leads to Wan Hao, a restaurant serving Canton style fare.
Heading out into the street! This is right outside the hotel.
Down Nanjing West road. One of the main thoroughfares of downtown Shanghai
One last look up at the hotel.
Continuing to walk away from the hotel.
It's the emmys!
Mister Softee exists in Asia too apparently. Or more likely its a knockoff. Probably the latter since when I approached the car, they only sold soda and tea (???)
A side street filled with small shops and street vendors offering their wares. The smells emanating from this street is what drew me down there.
Another view up that street.
Random alleyway? Sure lets walk down it.
Ahh an open air market. Much more cramped than the previous street. They seemed to be selling mostly small animals and birds in cages.
Like kittens! They look terribly cramped in this picture, but they seemed to be making out ok. What I didnt understand is why they had so many in one cage but the cage next to it was empty.
And lots of crickets in tiny boxes.
Another side street - this time it was more food oriented. Look at all those asian vegetables!
the fish and meat section.
some roasted pork over street briquettes. it was marinated in a light curry flavored sauce im assuming then coated in a really spicy pepper powder. it was delicious.
after all of that, i just decided to go back to my room and make some tea with their tea set.
i then got some food from their downstairs place. slice beef noodles with XO sauce. DELICIOUS.
the rest of my afternoon was spent in my room as i was too lagged out to walk around anymore. this presented a conundrum however: i was too tired to walk out, but that meant staying indoors with a nice big bed when i was supposed to be staying awake. a hazy hazy afternoon sky.
NEW view from my NEW room. switched for a silly reason. not worth mentioning.