Shanghai: never a dull moment (and an escape to the countryside)

When I came back from Hong Kong two weeks ago I found that one of the corners of Hengshan Lu / Goa’an Lu (that’s exactly where I live) changed into a building place. Ten days and noisy nights (even more noisy than normal) resulted in a new bar (another … in this already so busy street). This made me loose ‘my’ little local fruit store, which makes the closest store now about 8 minutes walk instead on the more comfortable 2 minutes – sad news, but I’ll live. One of my favorite coffee stores was also closed last month, so there is even more pressure in discovering this city than any other metropolitan city – you loose half of what you find along the way.

There are of course also constant changes in my small life here. The most obvious one of this week is the change of my Chinese teacher. I invited my old teacher Yoyo to my concert last Sunday, but Monday I had a ‘test’-lesson with a girl, using the English name Pamela (she’s Chinese of course). This was a real improvement, so on my regular lesson on Tuesday I had to break the news to Yoyo – who toke it without looking sad. Friday I had my first real lesson with Pamela, and we agreed to do two lessons a week, so I can master this Chinese language. So far, she was really impressed by the level I reached in these first three months. If I keep this tempo I’ll be rather fluent in a year, was her view. This sounds like a good plan to me, so I’ll keep on pushing it and enjoying along the road.

My work for the Baak is going well. My break in Hong Kong really helped to get a clear view. I’m quite confident that I’m able to deliver some valuable results in the first half of 2009. Music is also good – jamming with some people last week, learning lots of new jazz songs – I can play around 15 now – and I’m also starting to learn how give a bass-solo. A very good development, because than you can really start to show off. This Friday morning I was interviewed by people for ICS – a local Shanghai television station - on my experiences as a newly arrived musician in town. They where at the Jz School Xmas-party and met me there. So, I’ll be on television here very soon – probably just for a few minutes – but quite nice.

So this week was packed with music, Chinese lessons and work for de Baak, especially because this weekend I went on a hiking trip with a group of Chinese and two guys for Poland, so all my plans had to be squeezed into five days. Yali called me last Tuesday, and said the magic words: “Bas, forget about you drinking plans for this weekend and enjoy nice clean air in the mountains”. Some relaxation and clean air sounded like a good plan, so I said yes. So Friday evening at 7.30pm we left Shanghai for a little weekend of hiking. It was maybe not what I would call a weekend of relaxing, but the air was definitely clean – and the people very nice. Next to that I was able to practice my Chinese heavily, with all these Chinese people (which I did).

We left Shanghai on Friday night for and 8 hour drive to arrive at 3.30am in a place where we could sleep. Of course I didn’t sleep in the buss, so I was wrecked when they woke me at 6.30am to start hiking. Chinese like to start early …. We hiked for about 6 hours before we arrive at a nice little old town, where we had our hostel, which was in the oldest and most beautiful house there. We enjoyed a diner at a local restaurant and had a quiet evening with some games – I was reading for most of the time, but joined in the last game (and won). Today not sleeping in either, but 8am was already a bit better. After another morning of hiking we had a lunch and drove back to Shanghai. I was home at 21pm, toke a shower and started to write this blog. I must admit that my eyes are quite heavy … I will have no problem to find my sleep tonight.

To see more of the country side was also good. It’s so different to the big city life here in Shanghai. They are two different worlds. The county side life seems to be easier going (although they probably work hard there). There is even a difference between the little towns and the real county side people. The last group really lives in a very small world that probably hasn’t changed to must when compared to their lives in the 1960s – at least on the outside. In the little cities the modern elements are slowly entering. Next to house of an old craftsman I found for example a mobile telephone shop in one of these county side towns. The presence of the two guys from Poland and me created a little fuss in town, especially by the kids. Now I can talk a little Chinese makes it possible to communicate with them (which is great fun)!

For now I leave it at this – I’m in need for sleep. One thing is certain, China has many faces and I’m just getting started to gain some understanding of it. It is still fascinating and I am very happy that I joined this little trip. I’m ready for the next working week ….. I don’t really celebrate Christmas this year, although I will have a Christmas lunch on Christmas day, so I won’t be alone – good!

I wish you all a very happy Christmas.