Mad About Shanghai

Whats in my Travel Backpack?

I came across an article on National Geographic Traveler written by an American woman, Daisann McLane. In the article, she mentioned she once had a very bad stomachache, presumably because  something ate is not quite hygienic. The runs to the toilet were so bad that it affected her physique to be in a departing flight the next day.

Her Hong Kong friend, on hearing this, popped over and gave her a few vials of Po Chai pills. Initially skeptical, she took it as a last resort. As it turned out, she became well  enough just in time for her flight the next morning. Since then, a few vials of this pills have always been with her on her trips to lesser known places.

Well, I actually tried these pills before. I dont know what they are made of but they do work most of the time in the event of stomach upsets. They provide fast relief, to get you out of a sticky situation or till you can find a doctor in a more decent hour.

I have been to many parts of China and a box of these are always in my packing list.

Available cheaply in Chinese pharmacies everywhere.

Good for combating the runs. But thank goodness, I think my ingestion system have built up through all the travels that I seldom get into bouts of food poisoning anymore.

Chinglish of the Week

Wise saying spotted at a Shanghai Metro station...

Whats in a Name ?

Got to know a cute lady. She got an even cuter name.

Her name is Lv Pin, written as 吕品 in Chinese. 

I think thats a great pun and play on Chinese words. A unique name consisting of rectangles and squares. Clever~.

More Cute Moon Cakes

Bakeries, restaurants and hotels in China never had an easy time whenever September is in the air.

Each year, nearing Mid Autumn Festival, they gotta put on their thinking hats to outdo each other in what else but moon cakes !

One of the reasons competition is so stiff in this area is because the margins are so high for each of these cakes sold (from 500 to 1000 percent).  As these cakes are often presented as gifts to suppliers, business partners, friends and relatives,  consumers  in the face-conscious Shanghai are more willing than ever to fork out the additional dollars to get better presented ones.

Beside the Nokia moon cakes below, here are some of the cuter ones from this year.

(Pics courtesy of Sina.com)

Look at this one. It doubles up as a jewellery cabinet:

Nokia Moon Cakes

How is this  for a bit of innovative marketing?

Check out these Nokia moon cakes:

In case you are wondering, it is a real and edible mooncake !

The Baozi That Will Change Your Lifestyle

Forget those one yuan humble "bao-zi" (hot buns) you buy along Xiang Yang Lu.

This is the ULTIMATE.

According to the packaging, this is the bao-zi  "that will change your lifestyle".

Now, not many chefs and in this case a bakery, in the world can make this bold claim.

What makes them special ?

Have a look:

Wait! Before you rush off trying to look for these life-changing buns, these arent actually available in Shanghai. Its available across the straits...in Taipei. 

If you are ever there, this is one bakery definitely worth visiting:

Mr Baozi
Tel : 02-2821-5252
Address:  77, Section 2 Beitou Dstrict, Taipei

Mr. Baozi
電話: 02-2821-5252
地址:台北市北投區石牌路2段77號 (裕民一路交叉口)

With fillings  and toppings consisting of Vienna cheese, succulent beef , Japanese unagi, fine chocolate and other exotic fruits and more, this is one bao-zi worth the air ticket !

 

Random Alleys

A Fear Factor Experience

After a long day of city exploration with Angel, we ended up at Fuzhou Road near dinner time.

I was famished. Angel suggested an excellent Shanghaiese restaurant nearby. She wasnt too sure of the actual address though. She rang her Dad who gave her the exact address. After about ten minutes or so we were able to locate that eatery.

We got the last table in the restaurant.  As she placed the order with the waitsperson in Shanghaiese, I have no idea what dishes are upcoming. She ordered the usual fare, I think.

When the dishes were served, I noticed an unusual looking dish on the table. Something which looks like its taken from the set of Alien 3 or Fear Factor. When I queried her on what that was. She replied "Duck Tongue" and quickly ate a few of it. She mentioned it was "excellent". I wondered if I had misheard her. Looking at the dish, I then realised that the dish was really ducks' tongues !

Plucking up my gastronomical courage, I picked one up with my chopsticks and took a bite.

Aiks! And it really felt like a tongue. It tasted very unusual. Sticky, yet slippery and wet. I tried another one and dabbed it heavily in the provided sauce hoping to mask the taste before deciding that was the last one I would try.

Conclusion : Not my favorite exotic fare.

Shanghai Updates

Some notable updates these few days:

1)     Shanghai World Financial Center is almost completed.
         Read about it here.

2)    Paris comes to Shanghai.
         Yes, no effort is spared in the copying effort.Not even the Eiffel tower!
         Read about it here

3)   Totally unrelated to Shanghai but related to this blog.  In case you are unaware, this blog is hosted on one of  Six Apart platform, Typepad (One of the best blogging and easy to use blogging platform in the world). See Wang Jian Shuo's visit to their office in US here.

Hello from Down Under

I got a pleasant surprise a few days ago when I received an email from the ex-owners of this blog, Brad and Sabrina.

For all you loyal long time readers out there, I am sure you might be wondering what the lovely couple have been up to.

They started  a new business call Datateq.

Sabrina is still translating and helping small business with their China dealings. She also started  a Yahoo Group to help facilitate discussions between couples like them - Asian partner and Australian Anglo partner. Her aim is to provide a platform where people can share stories, to create an environment of cultural understanding (as you would know, cultural differences and misunderstandings can be the generator for many , shall we say, interesting discussions) and to generally foster a community spirit of like minded people all sharing in similar experiences. Check out this posting and you would know what I mean.

You can check out the Yahoo Group at:

http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/asian_australian_couples/

Best wishes f0r Brad & Sabrina !