Author Archives: simmywillemann
Olympic National Park – Hoh Rainforest
As you walk through evergreens shrouded in club moss and witness elk munching on the low-lying branches of century-old trees, the Hoh Rainforest may feel otherworldly. Avatar or Tolkien’s Middle Earth come to mind. Within the diverse patchwork of Olympic … Continue reading
The Old Town – Famous Shanghai Cuisine
The Old City of Shanghai is bordered by street shops selling all sorts of cheap items ranging from silk pajamas to imitation watches and chopsticks made of bone. At the center lies a giant “food court” with popular Shanghainese delicacies. … Continue reading
Yuyuan Gardens – Preview
MVI_4502 The wind managed to die before I could film these red lanterns on the crooked walkway to the Yuyuan Garden Palace.
Shanghai Railway Station
January 3, 2010 Sunday morning, I was excited to take a train to a neighboring water town, Suzhou. Unfortunately, assuming that I understood the woman helping me with the Chinese ticket machines, this weekend the trains were so busy that … Continue reading
The Chinese Take on American Fast Food
Kentucky Fried Chicken, Starbucks, Haagen-Dazs, and McDonalds are among the most popular chains in Shanghai.
Jinling Lu
Jinling Lu, my favorite road, is lined with music shops. Below, a man plays the erhu, a traditional Chinese instrument also known as the Chinese violin. Jackie, the manager of a restaurant on Jinling Lu that I happened to stop … Continue reading
Christmas in Shanghai
The commercial Christmas spirit is very much alive in Shanghai. American Santa stickers adorn almost every building or shop of prominence in the Pudong Financial District. Above, the Christmas tree is brilliantly celebrated in a shopping mall.
Shanghai Metro
As a New Yorker, I have a preference for the NYC Transit Subways. However, as an English-speaker, I find it much easier to navigate the Shanghai subway system. Hardly a soul you encounter on the street may speak English, but … Continue reading
Dim Sum Restaurant
12.31.09 – Mei took me to a Dim Sum Restaurant in the the Lujiazui financial district in Pudong. The specialty was an animal I had never tried before. It was tasty but not at all lean … see below. When … Continue reading
The Company Apartment, Shanghai
12.31.09 – Ying Mei, an HEC employee, picked me up from the airport and gave me keys to the apartment. Aside from the chill – space heaters are the only sources of heat – the apartment is very comfortable. Being … Continue reading
Flight to China
December 30, 2009 The airport had a few artistic comfortable hang-outs like this one. Overall, it was much nicer than American airports.