Three Yankees in China's French Concession

Window shopping

Casey has a few days off for the holiday weekend so we harnessed the extant jet lag to our advantage and took the Metro to the see the French Concession at its sleepiest.  If we were staying in Shanghai longer than a few months, we’d be living in a flat here on the leafy streets of this historic slice of colonial China, with its hidden bistros and rasping motor bikes and bizarre window displays, but the good news is that

Bamboo Scaffolding

it’s only a few subway stops from Pudong. 

It was a relief having the family pack reunited for this early morning jaunt into the old city. With Casey close by it was also liberating to have a stroller-free hand available for

Fuxing Park

impromptu photographs of watermelon vendors, tree trimmers, and the multitude of elderly folks scuffing their backs against cherry trees in Fuxing Park.  E once again propelled us into a social realm for which we’re not ordinarily prepared in this early hour of the day as he larked about near the badminton players and the magnificent beds of summer roses. His senses are ridiculously overloaded, and while it’s clear that he’s always within moments of a meltdown he manages to avert most of them. We made a quick stop for croissants and curry pies at a French bakery before heading home to recharge the toddler with a nap.

Shanghai Museum

Welcome rain arrived in Shanghai this weekend, clearing the air of icky pollution particles and making for clement weather of which flaneurs only dream. We

Museum Security

headed to the Shanghai Museum after lunch and designated the ethnic minority costume and mask room our first stop.  As I was exploring the stone sculpture of one thousand Buddhas I had a strange and random image flash into my head– a gray suited, security guard holding Eli. Sure enough, I glanced over and noted a guard smiling at Casey and leaning in for an embrace (not in this photo).

Peoples Park

The Shanghai museum was designed in the shape of an ancient, bronze, cooking vessel called a ding and admission is free, which makes the place a kind of sightseeing champion. Of course, E’s benchmark for success is calibrated differently, and so for him a trip to nearby Peoples’ Park - with its blasting fountains and grassy patches with white pigeons just itching to be chased-- easily trumps any collection of 1st Century AD jade dragon figurines found in a dusty old museum.  

Well, it's Sunday here now. We're off to take a boat ride and find some m and ms for Momma Bear.