Monthly Archives: June 2012

Last Day in Shanghai with a Dragon and a Frog

I am learning to treasure my alone time, even when traveling. There’s always that desire to say, “Oh wow! Look at that!” when I see something spectacular or quirky. However, there’s a peace in alone, and a serenity in quiet. I have also found that spending time alone in a foreign country builds strength and confidence — or perhaps it’s just makes one slightly wacky, which I don’t mind at all.

Today, I enjoyed myself immensely, wandering around Old Shanghai and the Yuyuan Gardens alone. I had visited the gardens with my friends last summer and was eager to get more pictures this year. At first, I was a bit disappointed because some areas were closed off for repairs and because the place was crowded. The throngs of people made it a bit difficult to find a quiet nook to meditate or a scene to photograph. I decided to take a different approach and took pictures of the people and the details of the elaborate carvings and figures on the roofs and walls rather than on larger vistas.

Last year, I took a picture of this famous dragon slithering his way across the top of a wall and got a few shots of him again today.

Legend has it that when this dragon was on the drawing board more than 400 years ago, he had five claws. However, this was viewed as incredible impertinence because the imperial dragon was depicted with four claws (some sources indicate five). Consequently, to avoid the wrath of the emperor (a wise move, I think) the designer lopped of a claw.

What I did not notice last summer, or today until I saw the images on my computer, is that the dragon has a little friend. Now I’m curious.

Why does the dragon have a pearl in his mouth and why is the frog sitting under him, flicking his tongue(s) upward toward the dragon?

I couldn’t find much information on the Internet about this little guy, but it seems that the frog likes the saliva dripping from the dragon’s open mouth, which contains a pearl. The pearl symbolizes wealth and wisdom; therefore, as the frog laps up the saliva, I suppose he is becoming richer and wiser. The frog, himself, symbolizes wealth and immortality. A symbiotic relationship? If anyone has more information, I’d love to hear it.

Tomorrow, I leave Shanghai to being work in Feicheng, in the Shandong Province.

Respect for Elders

I understand that, based on the teachings of Confucius, respect for elders has been the foundation of Chinese culture and morality for more than a thousand years. 
 
Last summer, when the teachers in my workshop learned my age (only 60) they referred to me as a “senior citizen” and were astounded that I would still be working; they said that their moms (who are my age) live with them, are taken care of, and do very little work other than play with the little one (their words). I must admit that there have been a few times when I’ve longed to retire in China at 60 rather than continue working in the US until 70 or so. My 81-year-old mother, by the way, just recently quit working. 
 
While wandering around the streets of Shanghai this past week, I’ve frequently seen an elderly person on the arm of a younger person — I assume a daughter or son. I compared this sweet relationship to our seemingly barbaric practice of putting our elderly in nursing homes.
I saw these two women sitting on the park bench as I entered the restaurant for dinner; they were still sitting in the same spot an hour later.
They left the courtyard in this familiar pose: the younger gently supporting the elder.
The younger woman is still gently supporting the older woman’s arm as they slowly make their way down the street.
I watched this couple doing an exercise that I’d witnessed before but don’t quite understand; they knock or tap their closed fists, in unison, against their knees.
They continued this exercise as the evening traffic bustled around them, and the nicely dressed people in the expensive cars entered the restaurant across the street.

 
 
But I googled it tonight, initially searching for Confucius’ teachings on the relationship between parent and child and on showing respect to the elderly. My search eventually led me to disturbing information that challenges my previous conception that those over 60 live out their golden years in ease.
 
The traditional social security system in China has been the family. But, according to the  sources I read tonight, that support is dwindling. See  ”ELDERLY PEOPLE, RETIREMENT AND GRAYING OF CHINA.” In addition, it seems that there is a shortage of nursing homes and retirement centers.
 
With China’s one child per family policy, there are fewer children to take care of mom when she can no longer support herself. In many rural areas, with the flight of young people to the cities, dad’s situation is precarious. A Time article dated August 31, 2011, “100 Million Elderly: China’s Demographic Time Bomb,” indicates that many of China’s growing population of old people live alone and many in hardship. 
 

Weekly Photo Challenge: Create

This quote by Billy Crystal says it all:

My granddaughter’s birth has made me want to create things she will love.

I hope that through my teaching, I can help to create a world in which she is safe. I hope that through the pictures I take, I can create memories for her.

I find it interesting that when I’m at home, I might go two weeks without seeing my son, daughter-in-law, and my GRANDDAUGHTER. However, here I am on the other side of the world with an ocean dividing us, and I am missing them horribly after only one week; I ache a bit to realize that I won’t see them for a little more than a month. It must be horribly painful for those in our military to leave their families for a year or so.

I took this shot last Saturday night, just a few hours before leaving the country.

Exploring Shanghai with Flamidwyfe.

When I started blogging in January, I viewed it as an isolated endeavor, a forum in which to practice writing and photography and to record events in my travels and daily life.  It did not occur to me that I would develop friendships online. There are several people whose blogs I follow closely and I have begun to get a sense of the person behind the blog.

Although I do not share intimate aspects of my life on my blog, I do share enough that those who follow it know quite a bit about me. Because I’ve written about my travels and job in China last summer, I’ve “talked with” quite a few English speaking bloggers who live in this vast country.

One such person is Sandi, an American who lives and works in Hangzhou, about an hour from Shanghai. She writes an inspirational blog about her profession as a midwife and about her incredible weight loss journey. Check it out: Flamidwyfe’s Blog.

What a treat today when Sandi met me in Shanghai! As we explored the city via foot, subway, bus, and taxi, I found that I like this strong, intelligent, and funny woman who grew up just a stone’s throw from where I lived and taught in Florida (we both miss the South Florida beaches).

Meet my friend Sandi

It’s rare for me to be on this side of the camera lens.

Sandi is more outgoing than I am; I like to hide behind the camera or at the edge of the crowd. She asserts her way across the chaotic intersection and with shopkeepers, but she also reaches out and talks to people.

And then, Sandi took me to a hamburger place; I had a big, juicy HAMBURGER! The Blue Frog .. What a treat!

I don’t know if I’ll see Sandi in person again, but I’m sure that we will continue to relate through our blogs and email. (I love the Internet!)

Reason, Season, or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

Traffic Model

I find that a lot of people shy away from my camera; however, as I was waiting to cross the street, this traffic assistant continued to stare at it. Initially, being the paranoid woman that I am, I thought I’d done something wrong, that I should not be taking pictures in public.

Then I asked him (words & pointing) if he wanted me to take his picture. He gave a big grin and nodded yes. As I focused the lens on him, he took on this official pose. Cool guy!

Crossing Guard

Friday Alone in Shanghai

As I find my way around this fabulous city by myself, I wish more and more that I could communicate; I make feeble attempts with my Chinese/English Dictionary. Sometimes I use Google Translate. Both strategies have left me and my victim confused and frustrated. Occasionally, however, I find someone who is willing to laugh with me; today, they were all far too serious.

I needed to exchange a $100 for Chinese currency (RNB). To begin with, it took at least five stops and numerous confused inquires before I found the bank that would perform this service for me. Next, I had to get past the guard who instructed me to fill out a form in triplicate and to sign a paper written exclusively in Chinese. (I had no idea what I was agreeing to.) As I sat in the chairs waiting for my number to come up, I was reminded of the interminable waits at the DMV before it was possible to renew car registration online.

Eventually, my number was called. I had to produce my passport and present my information (filled out in triplicate). But wait! I had crossed off a minor mistake which is not acceptable and once again, I was instructed to write all of my personal information on the form in triplicate.

Then, something about my passport raised some flags (or so it seemed). The young woman behind the glass enclosure typed in my critical data, compared my passport to the information on the computer screen, called two other women over for consultation, fiddled with my passport, bent it, curved it, turned if over and over. I envisioned myself being taken into some back room. Did I have the number of the US state department with me? No, it was back at the hotel. Would my sons know how to find me? What on earth had I done to merit such scrutiny? These and at least 17 other questions and concerns raced through my mind during the seemingly endless wait.

Probably, everything was quite routine, but it unnerved me. When the young woman behind the glass wall finally started counting out the money, and filling out no less than four receipts, and passing to me the copy of my information written in triplicate, and the money, and then my passport, I breathed.

Now, I know why I was told that it’s easier to use the debit card at the ATM.

Functional currency safely stowed away, I was at liberty to do some people watching. This young woman fascinated me. What catches her eye as she speeds down the street, pulling her load? What is she thinking? (Click on any image to see it full size.)

She continues on her way without a moment’s hesitation.
Is she interested in the people on the sidewalk?
Is it one of the dresses in the window?
Something catches her eye.
She appears to be making a delivery.

Dumplings, Blue Sky, and Massage

What a delightful day! My friends took me to Yang’s Fried-Dumplings, the Bund, and …. drum roll please …. the massage place! After my 3-hour meandering yesterday, I was slightly embarrassed when they guided me this afternoon. It seems that I had turned right when I should have turned left. However, the massage was well worth the wait.

In spite of my friend’s instructions about how to eat the dumplings, I managed to squirt the delicious juice all over me, the table, and the floor.
Yang’s Dumplings … Imagine how surprise I was to find the same just across the street from my hotel. It took 3/4 + via foot & subway to get to this one.
Shanghai Street (Nanjing Lu)
Most of my time in Shanghai was spent under grey skies. I was thankful for this beauty.
Incredible 90 massage costing about $30 (USD)
A pet? Or tomorrow’s lunch? This chicken was here…in the same spot, yesterday.

That chicken was still pecking away on the sidewalk along Wuding Lu.

All in all, a wonderful day in Shanghai, Thursday, June 21.

 

A Day Alone in Shanghai

I spent a good part of this afternoon in search of the elusive foot massage … that heavenly foot massage that I experienced on my 1st day in the country last summer. However, after wandering for three hours in the streets north and west of my hotel … I am pretty sure that I covered at least fifteen miles up and down and back and forth (OK, this might be a bit of a hyperbole) … I still did not get my highly anticipated foot massage except what I received from my workout shoes pounding the pavement.

As I finally reached the safety and comfort of my hotel, I saw this woman across the street from me. Bent from years of living, she patiently waited for the light to turn before maneuvering through the steady stream of bicycles, scooters, and pedestrians.

For some reason, my internet connection does not upload images to WordPress; however, I can upload to Picasa.

Hence, for your pleasure, a pictorial essay of a portion of my day alone in Shanghai.

I spent the rest of the day prepping lessons for the workshop and reading Book Two in The Hunger Games … captivating read. I understand that the movie does not do the book justice. (But does any movie truly convey the strength of the book?)

Good night and take care.