Same/Different.

I can't figure out if being amused at all of the everyday sights and sounds of Shanghai is me being an ass or if it's me being appreciative of a different culture. I think I'm being appreciative. Or at least I hope so.

Either way, I get to point out some differences and similarities. Here goes- this'll be quick. I head to Chengdu tomorrow at the crack-o-dawn:

Look closely. Those are socks.

soundly Different: This look is all the rage with 30-50 year old ladies about town. Not everyone opts for such a fancy skirt, but the socks are a must with the open-toed sandals or pumps.

Although there are far more outstanding clothing differences to report back on, the women sporting this look seem to be pretty 'with it'...Which has me thinking: am I committing some egregious fashion faux pas without knowing it? I bet I am. And this is the beauty of travel. You get to be an ass with far greater frequency and with much greater naivete.

Speaking of which, when was the last time you felt naive?

Shanghai Rubble.

definitely Different: This is the kind of rubble poetry is written about...If anyone writes poetry about rubble. The sheer volume of it is pretty startling, especially when you realize that a) this isn't a result of a natural disaster and b) this is a relatively commonplace sight.

My local bike shop.

Same/Different, tie: I know, it doesn't look much like your local bike shop. That's the obvious difference. Well, that and I'm not sure who's manning the shop. But here's why it's the same: It's a small business run by local people filling a distinct need and located in a high-traffic area. This is on the way to my office- right off of Zhao Jia Bang Road- which has a steady stream of cyclists (and motor bikes and cars and buses and pedestrians...) passing by with potential tire-problems galore.

It also reminds me of India (for totally different reasons), which has come up a lot during this little exercise. I see something that feels really different from the US, but I know it exists in other parts of the world, because I've seen it and experienced it first hand.

So is this what it means to be a 'global citizen'? (ERC folks, that's going out to you...) I know there's lots of anti-globalization sentiment floating about, and I know that it is not a simple subject, but from an individual perspective, I can't help but think that it's really beneficial to experience other parts of the world. With each trip I feel more well-rounded, less set in my ways, and just generally more empathetic...Even if I do giggle at our differences.

Fancy restaurant ambiance.

Same: I think there is an entire conversation about post-post modernism in here, but I'm tired. Suffice it to say, I could have been in New York, San Francisco, Vegas or Chicago and had a dinner very similar to the one I had last night. Which was nice. And a little bizarre. But mostly just nice.
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I'm on the road for a week, starting tomorrow. I'll be in Beijing Sunday-Tuesday, and I'm hoping we have some time to make it to the Great Wall in between interviews. Seems crazy to be so close and not go, right?