not that different from the black and white version. i like the fact that, despite it being a color film, the colors turned out so subdued… spring can be like that too. and i haven’t got tired of looking up to the tree tops yet… :)

captain hostel‘s top floor bar: quiet, decent prices and great view of pudong. who says drinks on the bund must be loud and/or expensive?

i always have trouble spelling cappuccino. 2 sequences of 2 p’s and 2 c’s? that’s just asking for trouble. plus, i don’t know of many decent cappuccinos in shanghai (it’s not you, mr. barista, it’s the coffee you use).

now, meet this cappuccino:

a real work of beauty, isn’t it? look, look:

*happy sigh*

also, there are milkshakes, some pastas, paninis and other simple things. and a cat. oh, and pizzas. with carrots in it.

all mingled in a strange bohemian/cozy decoration, that you don’t see too often around here. the ceiling is wallpapered with newspapers that have gone yellow, the cat has scratched all the sofas…

and yet, it feels right. i believe i could spend my days here, marveling at the photography books and magazines they have, working quietly, enjoying the soft brazilian music, patting the cat and sipping cappuccinos.

tired of the sterile cafés in shanghai too? the marienbad is on 55 wukang road (but really, it’s on the beginning of anfu road). enjoy!

we have a engineer friend that works for a big company, making oil drilling platforms, the kind that floats in the sea, slowly digging a little hole until they find oil. he’s in shanghai every other month to supervise the construction work, and today he invited us to visit the steel factory where they make the structure for his projects.

it was really neat, like visiting a rusty steel yard and we got to learn about all the processes that are involved in making these really big things, the different kinds of steel, how they weld them together, sand baths and galvanizers, semi-submersible stuff, etc etc.
at one point, we saw a worker just drawing a sort of wrench on a steel plate and cutting it out! :D they don’t invest the money on proper tools, but at the same time, it gives you a small idea of the potential of the materials and tools they handle. cut, weld, repeat. pretty cool!

note the drawing on that folder!

can you see us there? :)

on monday i return to portugal for the christmas holidays, and i can’t wait to marvel at the blue, unphotoshoped skies of home. :)

this has been on our to-do list for far too long. after yesterday’s rain, today the day seemed quite clear, we could see well into pudong from our balcony, so we decided to take the chance and venture to climb the lupu bridge. besides, the bus number 36 starts right outside our house and stops exactly on the base of the bridge. how’s that for convenience?

the entrance to the bridge will set you back 68 rmb, and you’ll be guided around by the young people who serve as staff here. they send you to an elevator to the bridge platform, and after that… stairs. lots of them, since this is the longest arch bridge in the world, according to wikipedia.

along the way, you’ll notice the construction frenzy on both sides of the river. expo 2010 is coming, and you can already see the china pavilion taking shape!

once you’re up on top… wow! you get a 360 degree view of the city that is just breathtaking. all the buildings in the distance, the sand carrier ships, the cranes, the cars speeding under your feet, and the crazy wind… it’s all worth it.

a cool field trip for a lazy sunday! will definitely climb it again in 2010, when (if) we return to shanghai for the expo, to see how the city has changed in the meantime.

Happy Valley Racecourse: It was first built in 1845 to provide horse racing for the British people in Hong Kong. Before it was built, the area was a swampland, but also the only flat ground suitable for horse racing on Hong Kong Island. To make way for the racecourse, Hong Kong Government prohibited rice growing by villages in the surrounding area. The first race ran in December 1846. Over the years, horse racing became more and more popular among the Chinese residents. (from wikipedia)

one of the highlights of hong kong was the happy valley horse races (how come lonely planet doesn’t mention them?!). tons of dressed up expats in the ground near the track, cheerfully socializing with beers in hand, discussing horses and jockey performances, while the stadium balconies were brimming with chinese people, carefully watching the screens and checking their notebooks and newspapers for guidance. despite the contrast in attitude, everyone seemed really into it – her majesty would be really proud!

for us newbies to the sport, it was great! the atmosphere was really enthusiastic, exploding into cheers during the race itself, and then relaxing again during the betting time, with lots of drinking and smaller events going on. we didn’t place any bets (the system is a bit tricky) but still had fun just immersing ourselves in this environment. in don’t miss it if you get the chance to go there!