28. Duolen Culture street

Chinese Literature

This year, China was awarded with their first Nobel Peace Prize for Literature. The winner, Mo Yan who resides in quite a small village in the province of Shendong upon getting the award went on to say how this was an individual prize and should not be a reason for a nationwide celebration. 

The Party I think are ready to celebrate their literacy writers. However, the feeling isn't mutual. 

The Duolen Culture street was once home to many of the great Chinese writers in the early twentieth century. There are statues everywhere honoring them. 

It was such a unique street for Shanghai because of the low-rise Shikumen buildings. The Shikumen house was influenced by Western terrace housing and once housed 80% of the population. However it now seems the only way to cope with the amount of people in Shanghai is to build skywards. So it was relaxing to walk through a street where you are not straining your neck.

Xintiandi is also the place to go for these type of buildings. There has been quite a restoration there over  the last few years.

Weather

I would have loved to enjoyed the street a lot more but the weather was truly terrible. My umbrella had been absolutely destroyed by the strong sideways wind and then lashing rain, which later turned to snow. In the end it was quite funny how little effect my umbrella was having as it got turned inside out on a number of occasions.

First bit of snow in Shanghai since arriving.

There is the paradox that kids in school can get driven to school in a nice sports car. But then the schools cannot afford or deem not to heat the schools. 'Thankfully' I'm on my feet for most the day, so warmth is something I don't have to worry about.  No insulation, no heating and the windows often being found open, schools are a cold place. 

The weather in Shanghai is quite variable. October when we arrived was the pinnacle of the year. Clear, blue skies, temperatures in the mid-twenties. We now two months later deal with cold, wet days, where because of the heavily polluted skies that cold air seems to stick in the air. 

I do though have the hairs on my chest from living at Elms House to really not care too much about a little coldness.

And finally.... a graphic showcasing the average Chinese woman

I would say this is fairly true.