Morning Walks and Soup

So I am finally feeling like a resident of Shanghai. What have I been up to? I know I am long overdue for an update. I apologize for neglecting the blog, but life is getting into a comfortable rhythm here. The Shanghai that once seemed so mysterious to me, has now become somewhat ordinary. Mat spends much of the week far from Shanghai in Wuxi, so I am on my own. I've been taking Chinese classes, hanging out with the other wives at all the cool restaurants and bars in town (I am a Shanghai socialite-no shocker there), started dancing again (Bellydancing! My instructor is a gay Chinese man named Elvis! I am the best in my class. Granted, Chinese girls lack hips) and even picked up some freelance work at a boutique advertising firm called Thread (still not missing working FT though...). It's been busy but good. When the weather is agreeable (which seems rare--it has been cold and rainy here since mid Feb), I go for a long morning walk. The morning is just delectable in Shanghai. The Chinese savor their morning time and all its preciousness. There are several expressions for morning in Mandarin to delineate early, mid and late morning. Between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. the Fumin Lu wet market is a bustle of activity. Many housewives, affectionately called "tai tai", don't even bother to change out of their pajamas and slippers. They head straight from bed to the market where they skillfully bargain for the freshest vegetables and produce of the day. The pajamas they wear are very puffy and bright colored. They look like giant marshmallows running down the street. It's hilarious. The food sellers are friendly and very resourceful. I buy the freshest, juiciest ginger from a little old man who sells his goods off of baskets attached to his bike. It is very satisfying. Next I head to Xiangyang or Fuxing park, where the community is in full swing with morning exercises. There
are groups practicing Tai chi in unison, ever so graceful and with such peace. On the main pathway couples showoff their ballroom dancing techniques. It's incredible to watch, and reminiscent of the roaring dance scene Shanghai had in the 1930s. Lots of retired folks hang out in the park all day playing cards with their friends, practicing calligraphy and simply enjoying the freedom of just sitting in the park.
Until 1945, Fuxing Park was closed to Chinese citizens and only foreigners could enter the compound. Trust me, the Chinese are making full use of their park now. Xintiandi is my next stop. I like to wander through the lanes and old houses, Shi Ku Men style buildings. These are stone arched houses built closely together in a mixed style of East and West. These century-old buildings used to be the most typical housing for the middle class. Now they are quickly being replaced by brand new skyscrapers. I don't know many Chinese characters, but I do recognize the character for "destroy" which is marked in red on many of these buildings. It's sad to see so many communities being replaced with modern skyscrapers. It's sad but seen as a necessity by many, as the city is bursting at the seams with people. My walks do come with a price though. I have a persistent and annoying "Shanghai cough". It's chronic respiratory distress, unfortunately caused by the severe pollution here. When I look out my window all I see is a soupy white haze, even on a dry day.  It's thick and I shudder at the thought of what it is---- what is it exactly that is preventing me from seeing a blue sky?  I find that if I am out more than a few hours a day, my sleep is severely disrupted with fits of coughing. I've been told this is normal for first year residents in Shanghai and to drink a lot of Chinese soup. Soup for Soup. This place is crazy.