I spent the past few of days exploring some museums and neighborhoods. I first visited the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, at the recommendation of one of my professors. The (Chinese) ticket-taker asked if I was Jewish, and when I said yes, he replied "Shalom!" Strange, strange introduction to the country.
Next came the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall - a museum dedicated entirely to urban planning. Amazing scale models, odd reminders that I'm in a communist country, and a general feeling of elevated worth of the planning profession. Interesting comparison to the American field.
Next day: Qibao. Canal town in the west of Shanghai, which has turned into a tourist destination for both foreigners and Chinese tourists. Full of the delicacy known as "stinky tofu" which smells like diapers, quail eggs steamed in a salt cave, and assorted fried things on sticks. There's a Catholic church near town, which has some neat stained glass. Coming out of the church, some Chinese tourists asked my friend and I (both foreigners) if he could take a photo with us. Just for being foreign/white/?? Almost as awkward as the English-language interviews by school aged kids in Japan. Actually no - this was more awkward.
Following my few days as a tourist, I attended the annual conference of the International Association for China Planning. It served as a fantastic primer for the upcoming weeks as an intern - crash course in China planning and how it differs from the US. I'll save my thoughts on that for a separate post, one which is more thoughtful and less photo-based. Meanwhile, I'll leave you with this giant Buddha:
Until next time,
CR.
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