[	Current Location	|	office, shanghai	]
[	Moooooood.	|	bored	]

So, to continue from the last entry, because I’ve had time to use the computer in my office, which is way more efficient for editing and uploading photos- here’s some more =) This is actually the last photo my camera took, and may be the last one it ever does- it spoiled right after I left the pagoda. =\

The earlier entry had a photo of the square pagoda which I had climbed as high as I could, while BM chose take photos from the ground. It’s famous because it's the only structure that survived bombing for miles around, during some war with the Japanese. The rooms were pervasively claustrophic, growing progressively smaller as I climbed, and I was constantly amazed by the miniature doorways and low roofs, which I tried to capture in the above photo. Were their monks really short or something? Anyway, I reached a surprising height in no time, leaping up the wooden ladders impatiently, although they were perilously steep and barely wide enough for an adult. The walls were painted a uniform red, and it would have been surreal if not for the Chinese vandalism crudely etched into the walls everywhere. Still, the lack of safety barriers (the wooden balistier on the pagoda’s exterior only came up to your knees on the higher floors) combined with the dizzying height was an exhilarating experience.

Anyway, here's a barrage of photos that I like because they exhibit some genuine antiquity, different from the strained pride of most modern setups.

I had a good time, leisurely exploring these relics of Shanghai… most of the above photos were of buildings that existed about half a century ago. During the French colonial rule, I think.

Trams similar to this one actually still runs around Shanghai, although they resemble buses a lot more now, they’re still attached to cables overhead.

More photos at the link below. Those are from the brief time I spent with Cedric, who was my supervisor while I was on internship about 2 years ago. I hadn't met him since I left the company, so it's cool to finally catch up, in China of all places, lolz. We ran around the design exhibitions that were held last week, and I got a few nice photos and souvenirs from that place. Overall, the exhibitions couldn’t hold a candle to what I’ve seen in Singapore and Europe, but it made me feel at home to be wandering around museums and design exhibits again, something I did so often as a student.

I’ve met a friend from home for what may be the last time this year… We had a wonderful time traipsing around Shanghai’s lesser-known tourist spots and better-known restaurants, and it really is amazing to reflect on how I would never have had these opportunities if I hadn’t made the strange and unexpected move to Shanghai. God has been most kind!

Still, now it’s up to me to keep myself busy in a productive manner, despite the lack of close Christian company. Work has been relaxed, to say the least… It’s like being on internship again, which isn’t too far from the truth I suppose, since I’m in the training year still. Letter-writing, video calls, and blog posts are all rather time-consuming, but I hope I manage to sustain it anyway. To update and to be updated, seems somehow important, although not evidently vital…

I feel like a tourist everytime I go out, and so one can sometimes imagine that I’m on a very long holiday. I have no inclination to settle permanently- China has its perks, but nothing to love. (For me, anyway. I think it’s because of the language barrier.)

I’ve also drunk more tea these past few months then I have in my whole life, I do believe. Tea is a staple drink, more common than water in convenience stores, and provided free at every decent cafe. 

The same goes for Karoake, also known as KTV… I’ve been at least thrice now, when I never even went once in Singapore! From those experiences, I’ve concluded that (1) Never to go when there’d be a smoker present, or I’d be making a lot of ‘toilet trips’ (2) My colleagues are actually pretty tolerant. Either that or simply fascinated by me- how many people sing nearly entirely Christmas or cartoon songs? The only ‘pop’ songs I was familiar with was those by M2M, and I’m guessing those are nearly classics, now. Still, they seem to be pleased with the choirist style, and I never feel too out-of-place when with my Dragon Gate’s colleagues. I think I might rejoin choir when I get back to my home church… I miss good meaningful singing now, lolz.

I also think I’m accumulating a massive lot of digital photos… I try to select photos that have good scenery as well as myself within to post, because I figure if you just want pretty landscapes/architecture, just google. Good scenery is of course much more plentiful than in Singapore, so much so that any attempts of mine to capture and represent it on this quiet blog would hardly do it any justice.

So now, I’m overall relatively content… Especially now that I have reliable proxy tools; they are slow, but the freedom to access any website is a comfort. It strikes me often now, how many things there are, that can only be well-accomplished through time. The establishing of familiarity and friendships, the understanding of a place and a people… There is much to wait for, and so little patience.