More exploring today and gettting to know the city. It was fun to start our day in this residentail area by eating street food with the locals. I had the best breakfast wrap ever, all made on the street in a propane heated wok. I did, however, have to put aside my Canadian manners and fight for my place in line. One difference here is that we washed down breakfast with a Starbucks coffee - the first real coffee we have had in seven weeks!
While exploring the city we were constantly approached by touts wanting us to come and look at their bags, shoes, watches etc. We finally decided to go and see what it was all about. We were taken down several small alleyways to a plain green steel door where the person rang a buzzer. The door then opened and we were taken down a hallway to back rooms filled with knock-off merchandise of all sorts. It was all very clandestine and interesting to see. Last time we were here the knock-offs were all over on the streets. We guess that this is the way the government pretends that this underground economy doesn't exist.
While we were out and about we also noticed that there seems to be far more little boys around than little girls. By our count, it was about three to one, but we hope that we were mistaken.
Shanghai is the first place that we have been reminded that Christmas is coming. It hasn't been a big item in the other Buddhist countries we have been to. The decorations here are large and colourful and sometimes amusing.
Shanghai is a great city in many ways, but has been somewhat jarring to us after the other places we have been with friendly, gentle people. People here are much more aggressive and loud, and there is no respect for taking your turn or personal space. You just have to sharpen your elbows and enter the fray!