¿Dónde está Lauren?: 2013

Chinese Quirks

China has many strange tendencies that are often comical and frustrating at the same time.

Some examples, to be clear;

Complete disillusion of the subtleties to photographing foreigners
Undertaking menial jobs (such as navigating people to free toilet cubicles)

MANUAL RECYCLING

Disregard for harnesses when window cleaning outside the fourth floor
Concept that cars and pedestrians can fit into the same spaces

IN THE HUTONGS

Refusing to provide cold water
Questionable english translations

Predictable wifi passwords
Strange marketing

CHILD SOLDIER WITH MARIJUANA LEAF SCARF

Incapacity to bring out more than one dish at a time
Complete oblivion to all occupational health and safety measures

Reunited in Beijing, Gabi, Jeremy and I have spent the last week exploring the likes of Beijing. Far less commercial than Shanghai, Beijing has a fascinating industrial/ historical undertone: Sadly disappearing, the more traditional laneways and buildings are now being replaced with large developments.

RITAN PARK

HUTONGS

NICE JAPANESE CAFE IN A HUTONG

MAKESHIFT RENOVATION. HUTONG

HOUHAI PARK

GOLDEN TREES

DESIGN / ARCHITECTURE

RIDING TO CCTV BUILDING

CCTV BUILDING

MUSLIM CHINESE DISTRICT

MOSQUE

Shanghai

Where am I now, you ask? Surely somewhere with a latin undertone. Though a fair assumption, i`ve drifted off to a place a little different: China!

First stop, Shanghai. Gabi (who`s been living here for 6 months) and her friend Charlie provided me with a somewhat 'local' experience. In reality this meant an exploration of Shanghai's food, drink and art culture. We visited the awesome art district M50, which is really just a collection of galleries spread across various laneways. A definite highlight was our breakfast dumpling tour with Heart from UN tours, who took us on a 3 hour tour of some amazing hole-in-the-walls.