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?

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!

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. :)

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!

a year and some months ago, this was the view from our tiny 1 bedroom apartment – the first we rented in shanghai. :)

digital watch has a very entertaining piece filled with advice to foreign journalists coming to china. what puns to avoid and all the things that have already been reported to exhaustion. a snippet:

You’re not really surprised to see how many Starbucks, KFCs, and McDonalds there are here, are you? Your readers won’t be either. If you have any sense, you’ll take full advantage of your time in Beijing and try out lots of the city’s excellent restaurants. There will be plenty to write about your culinary adventures without resort to “those exotic Chinese – they’ll eat anything” clichés. Yes, there are restaurants here that specialize in donkey meat and in pig faces, and even – gasp! – dog. Whoop-de-do.

you can read the rest here.

perhaps the portuguese folks at jornal de notícias could learn something from it?

(photo by sonyasonya on flickr)

but regardless of the place where it is celebrated, a wedding is a wedding. big smiles abound and there’s always an immense sense of pride and happiness for the two people tying the knot. it’s something i don’t imagine myself doing anytime soon, but which never fails to make my eyes a little teary.

more so perhaps, when one of the people standing there has been a dear friend for over 10 years, and that we have kept in touch no matter which continent we seemed to have ended up in. and if proof was needed that the world is indeed very small, this would probably be it: an indian friend, that studied in america and now lives in australia, fell in love with a chinese woman and married in shanghai. what are the odds? :)

congratulations debashis and yiyang!