Days 6 & 7: Surviving Shanghai

Unfortunately, that is all I find myself doing in Shanghai .

I must have ready my guide book the wrong way round for having thought I’d prefer Shanghai . I am highly disappointed and on the verge of saying I hate shanghai. Ho well, here you go, I said it. While the rain would have not stopped me from stepping out in Beijing , I am struggling to even get out of my room.

While everyone is envious of our 13^th floor Riverview room, I am very content to keep my curtain closed. In Beijing , I could not wait to open them in the morning, and was reluctant to close them at night. Yes, I must admit I was very impressed with the view once we stepped in the room and admired the night sights. After 10 minutes though, I had enough.

Enough of the flashing adverts on every other buildings, enough of the floating adverts polluting the Huangpu River .

Enough of the Starbucks, Haggen Dazs and other western insipid chains littering the river banks.

I feel violated.

So much for dreaming of relaxing for hours in a traditional Chinese tea house, it will be easier to find one of those in London . Imagine that, I studied marketing and advertising for 4 years and I am writing this. This trip to Shanghai may have stripped me of all desire to hear about marketing or above/below the line marketing communications. I’d rather be deaf and blind.

I could not care less that it has been raining ever since we reached. I am actually glad, as it gives me an excuse to stay in and not feel guilty.

I can’t take it anymore, yet I can’t leave, I am trapped with the group here. Struggling to breath yesterday, I grabbed on to my guide book, like it was my last chance of being rescued. Where can I find a peaceful place in Shanghai ! Why does it seem so hard? Isn’t it here that Zen originated?

With trembling hands, I start flicking through the pages. Jing’an Temple ( Temple of Tranquillity ). This might well by my last chance, or so I thought. It felt to me as though the journey lasted forever. At last, we find the temple, at last, I might find some Tranquillity, after all, it is the Temple of tranquillity. Unfortunately, I am not able to ignore the buzz of the city. I tell myself I have to make an effort, and concentrate on taking pictures, which helps me to ignore the rest by focusing on what is contained within the frame. I at last find some respite, and am able to take deep breath. Never have I been so glad to smell incense. When I at last manage to calm myself, I look up to admire the temple’s roofs.

That was the last straw. I am assaulted by 2 gigantic posters for L’Oreal and Burberry.

That’s it. I will never come back to Shanghai .

Tomorrow, I will get on the train go far from this place.