Ah Shanghai

Funny how you never really experience the city you are living in until guests come... This weekend was one of those. When your Friday night ends at 5am, it's a sort of an indicator for the rest of the weekend. Nick, Dom and Echo were in town, and we did the Shanghai experience on the high end. Nick questioned a lot about himself, Echo learned what men say when they speak to girls, and Dom... well he provided the pictures which were shoplifted below, and also hung out with me for a long time in the bathroom. Triin hosted a house warming party at her amazing new pad... I forsee many good times there. We basically ate our way through the entire weekend with two excellent brunches, dumplings, high tea, and more. :)

Shanghai never ceases to amazes me. It was also interesting to learn more about the history and the civil war between the Communists and the Nationalists from someone who knows both sides of the story, having had a family separated in the process. Ironic how the Site of the First Congress of the Communist Party of China, where it all started and currently a museum, now has Xintiandi, built around it... perhaps one of the most capitalist spots in Shanghai. Red like a radish. It is exciting to be here and experience it's growth, kinda like going back to Manhattan at the turn of the century. The city still has a long way to go to catch up to places like Hong Kong, but it most certainly is emerging as New York's most legit rival, and the city of the future.

Also read Dom's account: yuppies in Shanghai.