I'll Miss You Bellies

Now that cooler temperatures are finally upon us in Shanghai, I have to bid adieu to one of my favorite summer fashion statements: the male belly shirt. I wish I had more photos to share with you, but alas, it seems we will all have to wait until next summer for more midriff magic.

(photo courtesy of my friend Jen)

Air Quality

Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, I never really thought about air quality. Sure, there were days when the smell of cow manure would permeate the entire neighborhood, but I never had to worry about whether or not it was safe to play outside. I could simply just hold my nose.

This isn't the case in Shanghai. China's air quality is among the worst in the world, thanks to massive coal consumption and car filled streets. According to the latest Environmental Performance Index, China ranked 128th out of 132 countries for air quality. That's not exactly good.

The last few days have been some of the worst, pollution wise, that Shanghai has seen in over six months. Here is the view from our apartment earlier this summer, followed by a shot of our view Monday (which was actually taken after particle levels had dropped significantly).

Admittedly, these photos are not vastly different. Based on a glance out my window, I wasn't overly concerned about the air quality over the weekend. Which is why it's a good thing the US Consulate has started to monitor the air quality in Shanghai, complete with their own Twitter feed, to update US citizens on the current air conditions. This is what I saw when I checked it over the weekend.

Hazardous. That didn't exactly sound good. Especially after I checked this chart the Consulate provides on their website. Hazardous just happens to be the worst rating possible.

Apparently that run I took outside over the weekend was a bad idea. Whoops.

Anyone interested in checking out the current air quality in Shanghai can head over to the US Consulate's Web Site or their Twitter feed for more information.

Street Eats: Xiāngjiāo Xuě Gāo

After our last semi successful attempt at eating Chinese ice cream, we thought we would stick with something a little safer this time around and picked up a package of xiāngjiāo xuě gāo or banana ice cream.

  

Success! Matthew, our official taste tester and lover of all things ice cream, gives xiāngjiāo xuě gāo an enthusiastic thumbs up. Unfortunately, it wasn't until after he ate this that we found out there is a version where you can actually peel the banana. It seems our ice cream quest will just have to continue.

Ummmm

I think she forgot her pants

Xujiahui Park

Running in Shanghai can be a little bit like playing a real life game of Frogger.

photo source

Actually, crossing the street is more like playing Frogger. Running is like a game of Frogger where the grass isn't safe either as you also have to dodge slow moving people on the sidewalks who aren't afraid of throwing elbows. For me, running in Shanghai has become a contact sport.

Thankfully, our apartment is located close to the beautiful Xujiahui park, which has become my favorite running spot. While not huge in size, I can weave through the paths enough to cover two or three miles most mornings.

The park has a huge pond in the center, complete with swans, fish, and a few resident turtles.

And the best part about running in the park? Built in entertainment. Between the tai chi, ballroom dancing, parkour, and water calligraphy, I have plenty to keep me busy while I eke out my miles. Besides trying not to fall that is. Though I can't blame Shanghai for that issue.

Napping Bonanza

You all know I find the ability of Chinese people to nap anywhere a rather enviable skill. So I was beyond thrilled when our friend Tom emailed me these spectacular photos from his recent business trip to Guangdong. Seriously. I wish I had been there to witness this napping in all its glory.

First up, we have some table napping.

Followed by table napping with cardboard pillows.

And don't forget that your hat doubles as an eye mask!

 

You can also nap with the products you are making...

... or ON the products you are making!

Perhaps between them is the way to go.

 But my favorite has to be this guy who decided to nap INSIDE the refrigerator.

 

 Let's go in for a closer look.

 Amazing. Simply amazing.

Streams, Dunes, and Canyons

On our last full day in Mui Ne, we chartered a jeep tour of the surrounding area through one of the local travel agencies. As with most things in Vietnam, the tour was cheap and only set up back $10 each for a five hour excursion. We debated renting motorbikes and venturing out on our own, but since I tend to get lost easily, we thought having someone else drive was probably better for my sanity (as well as our marriage). Our first stop was fairy stream.

Fairy stream winds its way through the surrounding bamboo forests, boulders and dunes. The only way to really view the stream is by walking through it. Once you arrive, local children will offer to accompany you along the way, hoping for a dollar tip in return. For the most part, the stream is about ankle-deep and easy enough to navigate through.

After splashing our way through the stream, we continued our exploration with stops at the local fishing harbor as well as the infamous white sand dunes. We totally got suckered into renting an ATV to ride while we were there. Matt enjoyed it, I did not.

With our ears still ringing from the sound of my screams (seriously, that ATV looked like it was going to topple over at any moment), we drove back towards Mui Ne. Along the way, we paused for photos at Red Canyon as well as the red sand dunes. 

 

 

And with that, our vacation in Mui Ne had come to an end. All that was left to do was eat some more vermicelli!