A Continuation....

I started a new blog to write about my travels, life and loves. The blog will display more pictures than words, to satisfy my interest in photography. Thus should you want to see pictures of my trip to Bali, London & France, please visit http://oftravellovelife.blogspot.com/. I welcome all comments & critics. I have a blessed life with a good family to love & feel loved by them every single day. Thank you....

End of my road

Shanghai has taught me many things, & has opened my eyes and heart to things that I thought were not possible. Some joyful and some painful.
When a country has been closed for so long due to its political policies, & is suddenly opened, new ideas & needs surge in. The biggest surge is capitalism - an economic system in which wealth, and the means of producing wealth. A Chinese businessman said to me once, " Tell me which Chinese person will not accept money....they all want money." Thus the very idea promotes entrepreneurship in every local mind & heart. Good and bad results of that are evident to the progression of the cosmopolitan city, the expanding of entertainment outlets and fast increasing numbers of new residential developments, offices and vehicles registered in Shanghai.
Sadly, when money is the general religion, lack of civil consciousness and respect for family units are rampant. Shanghai is not for the faint-hearted...sure, things can be very cheap, but if you don't have good circle of friends and practice positive lifestyle, you may get drown with the vices the city offers. It is a waterhole for business opportunities but at the same time it is a black hole for social dilemmas.

Sights seeing - Burning colours of Autumn

As it gets colder & windy, autumn leaves are being swept off the floor. This is the busiest time for the hired helps - gardeners & cleaners. Love the beautiful yellow, gold & brown visuals. The beauty of Autumn is definitely a fleeting moment.

Getting Fit in Shanghai- Me & My Qigong

The body should be supple like an infant; the movements should be flexible like a snake The feeling should be soft like water; the breathing should be smooth like a cloud. Qigong proverb

As my 1:1 Qigong lessons with Master Kun is nearing to an end, I begin to review its benefits. We had intensified stretching exercises for the past 2 weeks, since we finished the 8 steps, with more work on my legs and arms. 3 things I noticed. 1stly, I am building more muscle as I am losing more fat, so my weight has more or less been quite fixed at 61kg. 2ndly, I sweat at my palms and feet, even in a cold room temperature doing Qigong. I guess this is the Chi I am feeling. And lastly, that I am getting good at switching myself off from the chaos at home, even when the kids are running circles around me. The enlightening moment of staying in the present "Yi" & being unaffected by your surroundings. Of course, doing this entailed some pain too, such that, last week my whole body just crashed with aches & strains, because it has been rusting for years of neglect. A good oil massage helped the recovery from it.
I am certainly glad & grateful to take this leap, in losing some part of the unhealthy me, and gaining a knowledge & skills that I would treasure for the rest of my life. Thank you Master Kun.
For more info on Master Kun, please visit his website : http://kunshaolin.weebly.com/index.html

Sights seeing - Children's Market

Located on 10 Puan Lu, Jinling Lu (普安路10号,金陵路), this is an indoor mall, with the Jinling Lu Park above. Almost everything you need for a kid is being sold here, with more than 200 shops to bargain with. Prices start from RMB30 for tops & pants. Bring cash!

Sights seeing - Shanghai Antique Market

Located on Dongtai Lu/Xizang Lu, you will find relics of post Mao era, cultural memorials, antique home accessories & crockery of all sorts.

Fight Club in Shanghai - The Cricket Club

Cricket fighting was very much a gentlemen game. Played by emperors & lords, cricket fighting was priced as a sport for the rich. Today in Shanghai, Flower, Bird, Fish and Insect Market at Tibet Lu/Fuxing Lu is a great place to watch vendors sell crickets & to gawk at owners comparing their fighting pets. Champion crickets can fetch a price of as much as RMB10,000. Hobbyists keep them in small tin or plastic containers, raising crickets to sing and fight. The game calls for a fight till death or with the cricket legs ruthlessly bitten off. Before the fights, hobbyists can enjoy these clubbers singing their sweet mating songs, competing for female attention. But come winter, the ones who survived the cold will be geared up for the fight of their lives.

Sights seeing: Humility

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. Confucius

Here's my Business card

Standing in the middle of the road, slowing down incoming traffic.
Oblivious to the road danger, just to get us to read your graphic.

There you go & flick,your business cards on our windows.

In the sheltering sun,30 more boxes to go.

The Great Shanghai Pastime - Pool

If you think the most popular sport/game in Shanghai is Ping Pong or the universal Football. Well, it is not. At every street corners of Shanghai suburban is a pool table. You can just park your bicycle & join in the game of outdoor snooker.