Thursday, May 9, 2013

Things I saw in Shanghai this week

I've walk past this small bakery so many times, and I thought at first it was a mobile home.  But then I realized the building is a re-purposed shipping container.  I bet it gets really hot in the summer.  I can't decide wether I think this is ingenious or desperate.  Maybe both. 



Domino's Pizza, Papa John's and Pizza Hut are really, really successful here.  These chains have adapted well to the Chinese palate.  Although they all deliver, they are more dine-in restaurants.  Pizza Hut has a really big menu here, with lots of pastas as well as pizzas.  They also have "Chinese-style" rice dishes, fried chicken and pork.  They serve juices and sodas, but un-chilled.  They also don't offer any ice or water.  When we first came to Shanghai, I didn't realize I had to bring my own water to drink at some restaurants.  So we all had warm juice, and were not happy with it.  Didn't seem right to have pizza without a cold soda.

Domino's Pizza introduces…
Tuna Mashed Potatoes!
 One of the reasons I have a difficulty learning Mandarin, is the accents and tones.  Each subtle variation changes the meaning of a word completely.  Our teacher repeats words using each of the different tones, but I swear I can't really hear the difference.  I try to speak to the cab driver, gardener, ayi, etc., sometimes they understand me but sometimes they look at me with confusion.  They see my Asian face and think I should be able to speak Mandarin.

learning accents and tones 
Rainy today, the river by our house
Oriental Pearl Tower on a cloudy day

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