Shanghai Summer

Heat is setting in here in Shanghai. The sidewalks are becoming ovens. Trees are in full leaf. Drinking water is now a necessity, not just a healthy habit like in the winter months. Pollution seems to be aggravated by the heat – at least in my opinion. The Sun’s rays are now strong enough to bounce through the cloud of pollution. Whenever eating out, I’m always looking for an outdoor table to get some natural air flow and light. Light is an expensive commodity here in Shanghai. Skyscraper after skyscraper blocks out the sun, particularly in the afternoon and morning. This makes it difficult  to feel fully alert after waking up in the morning and you lose track of the day in the afternoon: Is it evening? No, it’s just 1PM. 

Denim shorts are in season this summer. Skimp out. Chicks shorts here could not get any shorter. I don’t think they could get away with it so hassle free on the streets in the West. Horns would be honking , whistles would ring out, ph. Numbers would be asked for. When I tell girls that, namely students, they are surprised to hear about this type of macho behaviour. I guess the Chinese man really does have a different set of etiquette when it comes to the chase. 

I think of home food more and more everyday. Particularly Corned Meat and Barbequed Mutton Chops. Would love to get my hands on some of that! Generally I’m now a 75% vegetarian. I’ve changed my diet right up this year to focus mainly around beans. White beans, chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans cooked up in a Slow Cooker is my specialty. It lasts ages, is cheap and helps me keep my waste in check. I tried making falafel one time but that was just plain difficult and clumsy.

When you actually take the time to sit down and think about how Shanghai is a cluster of ceaseless skyscrapers, you wonder how it was ever planned. You become exhausted thinking about the ceaseless streets, apartments, cars, subways, commuters and compounds that signal where you are: Shanghai. People probably don’t think that much about this. It’s more of a rat race out there on the streets. Who can cross the road first, who can get on the subway first, who can get on the escalator first, who can get their meal first, who can get their Starbucks drink first. 

It’s amazing to see how Starbucks does here. There is always one nearby and you can count on there always being a customer. Strange considering coffee is a new taste for Chinese consumers. And generally speaking, coffee is not that popular. But now in my third year here in China, I have got to say that Starbucks doesn’t seem so American to me anymore. The coffee-shop style, green lettering and imagery associated with Starbucks screams Modern China.

Drinking in China

 For The Real Deal, You Gotta Pay

It’s an all too common scenario after a night out in Shanghai. You awake the next morning with a thudding headache and a fire in your throat. At this point you wonder: Did I really only drink beer last night or was it something else? Fake beverages - alcohol mixed with non-essential and unsafe chemicals - is a rampant problem in China. Often the only indicator that you have consumed a fake beer, vodka, whiskey or wine is the morning-after affects. It can be extreme. Some friends of mine got together over dinner and had about three beers each. After returning home and going to bed, each one had problems sleeping. Instead they were fighting headaches, burning throats, and nausea. All this pain from just three beers each. 

"You can’t rely on bars or even some supermarkets to guarantee the booze they sell is legitimate."

It can be hard to know the quality and safety of your drink by taste. A good look at the labeling of your drink is always required. You can’t rely on bars or even supermarkets to guarantee that the booze they sell is legitimate. The corner store right next to my building, a legal franchise, sells fake Australian wine. How do I know? The wine description on the label is so fuzzy that I can’t even read it. The cans of western beer often taste like acid and it gets you thinking: I never remembered Bud or Heineken tasting like this! 

At a drinks function one time, a German expat who has lived here in Shanghai for over a decade said the only way to guarantee that you drink safe alcohol is to pay the right price. That means not buying cheap drinks and being wary of discounts. The more you pay, the more likely your beverage will be real. 

The same rule also applies when buying other food goods, particularly meat. Being a conscientious consumer in China boils down to a simple rule: price determines quality.