It’s not really a museum, but Yuz on the West Bund is a contemporary art gallery, a huge space. Today I went to see the rain room which I’d read about online. Luckily the place was quiet and there were only handful of selfie taking Chinese youngsters. The exhibit was impressive, you walked into the… Read More »
There have been some problems in XinJiang with separatists and the central government have cracked down on the trouble-makers. The first thing you notice when you arrive in the province is the amount of uniformed personnel, police cars and armoured vehicles and the constant scanning, having your photo taken and passport checked. Seven years ago… Read More »
It was the Lifeline fundraising quiz and I had managed to get some colleagues and friends together and support Ans with a quiz team to help pay for the phone lines. Lifeline is a very worthy cause because it provides free support for foreigners in Shanghai when they need emotional support. I was so successful… Read More »
There is no shortage of fantastic street food on Nanchang Lu near XiangYang lu. Street food stalls sell pancakes, flat bread with meat in, fried dumplings, noodles and even the best bagels in town. However, some people who work in the offices on that junction still order their lunch on their phones and have delivery… Read More »
The warm weather brought everyone out onto the streets this weekend. Even my neighbours have started taking their early morning tea sitting in our lane. I had a disgusting cold but forced myself out of the house and down to Laoximen to explore the lanes in the old town. I had to put a marker… Read More »
Some foreigners here buy everything imported, fruit, veg, meat, the whole lot. All I can say is that they must have more money than sense. There are plenty of scare stories about chemicals on fruit and veg and MSG in everything but I think if you are the sort of person who is fussy about… Read More »
Another year, another St David’s Day bash but this time at the Kemplinski, a step up from the rather tired Peace Hotel. There were companies from all over Wales who had just arrived on the first leg of a trade mission accompanied by a Welsh government minister, Ken Skates, the Welsh poet laureate and other… Read More »
Now I have an upgraded electricity fuse box and a wider water pipe, I no longer dread the snow. A few years ago (or was it last year) I was without water for 4 days because my pipes froze solid. In the end it worked out quite well because I got myself a new water… Read More »
I had paid for an internet upgrade some months ago but was waiting for a bit of spare cash to buy an upgraded superfast router and a big pay day came and so I got Sean, my forever willing helper, to get me one off the internet for about £50. This is a hell of… Read More »
Sometimes I get a burning desire to do something artistic and recently I have discovered calligraphy. I went to Fuzhou Lu where I bought a mass of paper and brushes and ink and water colours for almost no money. The trouble is I don’t really know how to do it and have had no lessons.… Read More »