I was a bit late for the book club as I tried a new route to Yulan Villas. I thought I’d try to get the Metro and then the bus. However, the 150 bus went the wrong way and I ended up walking miles.I don’t know how old these buses are but they don’t don’t… Read More »

I answered a call to go to the police cadet college at Andemen to give a talk on the British Legal System. I had spent a considerable amount of time putting together a very interesting and in parts, humorous walk through mainly the criminal system and the police.    I was met at the gate… Read More »

I thought it was a new find, but apparently it has been there for 8 years. It has just got recognition as a museum from the city government. Shanghai’s Propaganda Posters Museum should not be missed. It is in the basement of a residential block at in the French Concession. It’s small but offers a… Read More »

It’s easy to see that Shanghai is a modern global financial city. The shiny scrapers, beautifully clean streets, top brands in huge shopping mall and illuminations aliens can see from outer space. But you only have to wander away from the main tourist streets to see old Shanghai. Sharing the roads with Lamboughinis, Rolls Royces,… Read More »

Summer is well and truly here when people walk down the street in their pyjamas. Winter sees the locals coming out in their “louge wear” which are big padded pyjama-like garments. These summer pyjama-wearers are usually women but it is not unusual to see men (usually old) in bed attire on the street. The wearing… Read More »

How often do you see a Buddhist monk sitting in Starbucks with this mobile phone. I couldn’t resist this shot. I hope it won’t steal his “soul” or whatever they think.

I HATE Hello Kitty.I don’t get what the Chinese see in it. Young people especially wear Hello Kitty clothes, carry Hello Kitty bags, even have Hello Kitty tatooed onto their cars. It doesn’t even have a mouth.So I took Hello Kitty and I killed it in the yard of the office. Firstly I hanged it… Read More »

Pineapples are back on the streets, sold always, from the back of a truck or a cart at road junctions and busy bus stops. The sellers always skin them and get rid of the black bits before wrapping each in a plastic bag ready to eat. They look great and it’s a shame that I… Read More »

I wanted to show Sue the Potato Bistro out at Xianlin and after we’d dined she wanted to buy some bread at one of only two bread shops in the city. We also decided that when we got there we’d have a coffee and a cake for dessert. So we walked the short distance there… Read More »

Jimmy’s lessons have been the subject of much talk between me and my friends. He has managed to make very little progress over the last 6 months I have been giving him 1-2-1 lessons. The subject if our last meeting on Monday was how to pass the visa application interview at the US embassy.The agent… Read More »