Shanghai Fantasy/
Shanghai Nightmare
From Get Rich to Shikumen Living
Shanghai to LA

Two Nights in an Old Shanghai Fantasy

Much to my glee, I moved off the get rich route to a little hovel just two skips from People's Square (and a short walk to my office). To put it another way, I left a two-bedroom unit with two gay Chinese roommates (and our very cute dog) to a one bedroom apartment with three gay Chinese roommates. We wash and cook in shared rooms down the hall. We take turns doing chores. I wake at 6. One of them is just getting home about that time.

I stepped out my front door this morning to the Shanghai Art Museum and women dancing with drums and batons in front of Haagen-dazs. Our world never fails to surprise me.

Then I went to the Shanghai Antique Market. Three floors. 90% fake. A good place to "get your face sharpened" (get ripped off).


Two Weeks in an old Shanghai Nightmare

Then I went to the doctor (about the 8th time this week) to look at my eye, which is affected by stromal keratitis. (If you're brave, click here to see a graphic pic of what my eye looked on day two of the pink eye infection in Anhui). This has kept me from tasks like updating the blog, working, and having too detailed a social life.

I look fine now to the naked eye, but conflicting doctor reports, treatment methods, and general feeling of ill ease mean I'm coming back home. Thanks to JAL, I was able to move my August 17th flight up to tomorrow morning, complete with vegetarian meals.

I don't like leaving this. But I also don't want to go blind. And I can't stare at this screen any longer.

But you can. Take a look at these pretty pictures.