SUNSHINE COMES to SHANGHAI

On one of the first really sunny Spring days of the year my husband and I decided to take a ferry ride across the river and enjoy a Sunday afternoon wandering around the city. So having spent 40rmb, or a whole 4p on two tickets, and spent less than 5 minutes on the ferry, we were soon at our starting point.

It was immediately obvious that most of Shanghai had the same idea and the roads and streets were packed with people out for a stroll. Spring it seemed had brought people outdoors in much the same way it causes flowers to bloom.

As always there is something to see at every turn. People playing cards in the streets, impromptu food vendors and of course washing strung out on any available space, usually a tree or handy railing, no problem that it is along the side of a busy road. I am not really sure how clean it will be by the end of the day!

  

As we were close to the fabric and bric-a-brac markets it was not long before I spied a lace stand. Then I realised there was not only one but lots of them lining the street. Shoes, sunglasses, cutlery, meat, fish, almost anything you could think of was somewhere out there to be bought.

On turning a corner I realised how in the midst of all that is exciting and different there was a piece of home before me. Yes Tesco in Shanghai. However, I do hope Shanghai doesn't become another city which losses it's identity to big world corporations. I know it is inevitable that they will move in but I do hope when shopping here I am still able to recognise that I am somewhere different, somewhere still full of surprises.

Will these ever change so I know where I am? lol. Maybe this is one case where I'd like to think English translations could be written alongside. 

It was so nice to be out walking. I spend lot of time being driven around and always promise myself I'll walk more but for various reasons this doesn't always happen. In summer it's too hot, and I find I walk even less! So this really is the perfect time of the year to enjoy the city on foot.

When it was time to make our way back across the river we stood on the Bund, Puxi side or west of the river, before heading back to Pudong, or as you've probably guessed, East of the river. From here we were able to take in one of the most amazing views, and probably the most recognisable view of the city. Before us lies what will be the 2nd highest building in the world when it is completed at the end of the year. On completion it will be almost exactly twice the height of The Shard in London. Quite a height!

So before the heat of summer arrives I plan to walk more, to see more of the city on foot instead of always driving past in the car thinking, I'd like to see that. I will endeavour to see more.

SHANGHAI TO DARJEELING

I have just returned from an amazing trip to India, Kolkata, then on to Darjeeling. The Kolkata stage is for another blog, another day.

As we travelled from the airport along narrow crowded streets, which were made even worse by a festival taking place, we thought we would never arrive at our destination. Still it was anything but boring, lots to see and to take our mind off the appalling state of the roads. Four and a half hours later we arrived at our destination, tired but happy. The next morning we were up bright and early for our visit to a tea garden. Darjeeling is the home of some of the best teas in the world, and we were lucky enough to be visiting one of the best gardens. For once this was not a business trip only pleasure.

Once again we found ourselves being driven down appalling roads, although road is not really the word. We were on dirt paths which had been washed away by the monsoons last year. Not much left, and with the mountain falling away beneath us it was a bit hair raising. Then when we were told it's better not to wear seat belts as it's easier to jump out if you have to!!!!!!!

However once we reached our destination at around 5,000ft it was well worth being thrown around in the back of a jeep. There was the tea gardens in all their splendour, and a beautiful colonial bungalow where would be meeting the estate manager. 

Over tea, darjeeling of course, on the veranda with Mr & Mrs Sen we chatted about the gardens, the bungalow and what it was like living in such a rural setting. We were surprised that their daughter undertakes this journey we had just taken twice a day. Going to, and coming home from school. I'm sure you get used to it. They were charming hosts. 

Tea over we were soon being shown the wonderful scenery all around.This is an organic garden and I was surprised to see lots of lemongrass grown all around. This is a natural insect repellent. What a wonderful idea. The tea gardens were silent as it is not picking season, but we were able to enjoy the warm sun and soak up all the surrounding area before heading off to the processing plant, again silent as it is out of season. There was some maintenance going on but no tea production. The factory workers do the maintenance themselves so they are never really not working.

Tour over we headed back to the bungalow. A very welcome G&T was offered, what better place than to enjoy it than on the veranda of this wonderful home. I could imagine this having been done many times in earlier days. Then we moved on to the most delicious lunch which had been prepared when we were doing the tour. It was all laid out in the dining room and each dish looked fantastic. Where to start? No problem, we were encouraged to take some of everything and take it out on to the veranda. Al fresco eating is my idea of heaven, and with the views before me this really was a treat.

Rice with spicy beans

Spinach and paneer

Raita

Chicken tikka

Lentil patties

Cauliflower and peas


Okay hungry yet? Even better is that the vegetable were all grown in the garden, the paneer and yoghurt came from their own cows. Very impressive. As for the taste, delicious. Every mouthful tastier than the next. Well you really did have to go for seconds, it would have been impolite not to, right?

We left very happy, very full and pleased we had made the journey, however scared we were.

We couldn't have anticipated such a wonderful day, it was way over and above expectations. Our hosts were gracious, and extended wonderful hospitality. I would like to think one day we may go back, but more importantly would love to be able to return kindness extended to us by Mr & Mrs Sen.

I will never forget this trip.

SHANGHAI KITCHEN MASSACRE!

Produce is very seasonal here in Shanghai, but now with my Mandarin improving I am now able to request things I want. My vegetable man is really good at tracking things down that he doesn't normally sell. Only problem is every time I go he is smiling and handing me my never ending supply of what I've asked for. Most recently it has been beetroot. Week after week I am being presented with it, and I don't want to be rude and refuse it. Thankfully I love beetroot, in all forms, pickled, raw, made into chutney or dips.

   

So in an effort to use it up I have been pickling and making chutneys. However this inevitably results in a kitchen that would defy CSI clearing up! No matter how hard I try I end up with a kitchen that looks like a scene from a bloody massacre. The more I chop, whizz and boil the more it splashes, spills and generally finds it way across all the kitchen surfaces, including the floor. Try and wipe it up and it merely spreads out.

 Please do not call on me to cover up a crime scene.

However once its finally constrained in its jar I can look forward to eating it. One of my favourite ways is sliced picked beetroot on a toasted bagel with cream cheese, Mmm! I love it chopped into a spinach and orange salad or whizzed with natural yogurt and a hint of mint to make a delicious dip, and a salad always tastes better with a little on the side.

I now have to learn how to say in Mandarin "Stop with the beetroot" It's always challenging here.

Happy to see my cupboard now filling up with jars of beetroot. However I do end up passing it along as it is pretty expensive to buy here, as are any imports, so ex pat friends always appreciate my efforts, Chinese friends not so much and they are not shy about telling you lol.

PICKLED BEETROOT RECIPE

1kg beets, 200g caster sugar, 300mls white wine vinegar, 200mls cold water.

1 star anise, 3 cloves, 2 bay leaves, 2 tsps balsamic vinegar (optional)

Roast beets in oven at 200c until a knife is easily inserted. Remove skin while hot. It will rub off easily, use rubber gloves! Slice and pack into sterilised jars.

Put sugar, water, vinegar (not balsamic at this stage) and spices into a pan and bring to boil. Turn down and simmer until sugar dissolves. Sieve out spices and add balsamic. 

Pour over sliced beetroot in jars and seal. 

Enjoy the results.

SHANGHAI TRADITIONS

Haven't posted for some time, could blame the holidays, or the fact that I am becoming so used to everyday life here that there is nothing new to write about. However, these are both untrue, I have just become lazy about posting and just needed something to prod me back into sharing life here with you.

There are many wonderful traditions here in China, and my husband arriving home one night last week with a "goodie" bag made me want to share the tradition of giving these bags when a new baby is born.

With the arrival of two babies recently into the" Twinings Family", and one due any minute, we have also discovered that my husband has become the person responsible for giving two of these babies, so far, their English names. Chinese people like to have an English name, makes it easier when the are working with foreigners. I am assured his senior position is the only reason for him naming babies, lol. So if in the future you find yourself meeting a Chinese Isla, or Fiona, then you will know exactly where their name came from. There is also a Mary, but this was a request from one of Robin's colleagues as she did not already have an English name. Yes, it was decided it might be nice to spread some good Scottish names across the globe.

Anyway, back to the gift boxes. They are small and contain a few goodies, and a couple of not so good goodies!

There will always be sweets. this time our luck was in with Ferrer Rocher, although in the past there has been some more traditional Chinese candies which aren't really to our taste. Hershey chocolate is also often included. But there is one item in gift bags which belongs because of tradition, but just seems so well, so weird to us Westerners! What am I talking about? A preserved egg!!!!

These are preserved in a mixture of ash, lime, salt, clay and rice and left for weeks or months. They have quite a sulphurous aroma when broken into. As I'm sure you can imagine. Not really my favourite, although they don't taste quite as bad as they sound. They come in bubble packaging and you could be fooled into thinking something much tastier lies inside. Sometimes a tea soaked egg is substituted, which it had been in our bag. Whew!

The egg I'm sure signifies birth, and is a very traditional offering. I like to think of people hanging on to traditions. So often they get buried under the umbrella of global living, where cultures all seem to meldtogether. Whereas I'm all in favour of globalisation I think it is still important to hang on to our own traditions. Scotland has lost it's "guising" to the American "trick or treat". Why does this have to happen?

I say let's keep our our own traditions whilst embracing the traditions of other cultures. We don't have to adopt them to understand them.