Mooncake Festival Weekend

So last weekend was a three day weekend due to the Mid-Autumn aka Mooncake Festival. I didn't buy the other mooncake flavours I mentioned in my last post but I was very happy with sharing the ones I already I have. I don't think any modern flavours as much as durian flavoured mooncakes which sadly I have not seen available here! The festival celebrates the day the moon is at its brightest and is a time to share and eat mooncakes which are pastries with sweet fillings, traditionally egg yolk or azuyki red beans, with family and loved ones by the moonlight and is related to the legend of the goddess Chang E, the mythical moon goddess of immortality.

Sheshan

Aside from attending the party and fashion show which you can read about in a separate post, this past weekend I went out to a suburb of Shanghai called Sheshan. I was surprised how different it is to the main city with so many trees and greenery and it was so quiet and peaceful. I guess because it was a holiday weekend, there were families who had driven out there with little tents set up by a river opposite the sculpture park  having picnics, fishing and kite-flying, with all the little kids playing or riding their bikes and people were just relaxing in the sun. It kind of made me miss my time camping in America.

I haven't mentioned about it much but I have to say that the nightlife here is amazing. You have everything you can want from every type of bar and club to cater to whatever mood or budget you are on. There is so much to choose form but for now, I just wanted to mention a few places in particular for the fantastic views of The Bund/Lujiazui skyline which I went to this weekend. An upscale club called Zeal which is a new kid on the block on The Bund club scene has a great view of Pudong and the Pearl Tower from the terrace and across the other side of the river the Vue bar @ the Hyatt which probably has the best views of the skyline in Shanghai from its rooftop terrace as you can take in both sides of the river from certain vantage points. Vue does really good frozen margharitas too.

Shanghai Skyline

Also I have finally tried some street food. There is a guy close to my apartment who cooks on his stall where basically you pick which meat and vegetables on wooden skewer sticks you want and while he grills the food you can pop in the DVD store next to his stall for a while. I really like the spicy slightly sweet pork and the long mushrooms he makes they are so delicious and very cheap. In other dining experiences, I have returned to old favourites Southern Barbarian and Din Tai Fung but have also had a more upscale yunnan folk dining experience at Lost Heaven on The Bund. The food was really good and the candle lit traditionally themed setting in the restaurant that over looks pudong river was perfect. I think yunnan is fast becoming one of my favourite Chinese cuisines. The food is very varied and includes a mix of ingredients including goats cheese, potatoes and curries and is very hearty and filling. I especially love yunnan style noodles.

As I mentioned visiting outside of the city reminded me of my time in America at the start of my journey and when I think of all the experiences I have had in the last few months collectively it is staggering.  It prompted me to reflect on my time here in Shanghai and how many things I have gotten to do, see and experience. I feel it is almost like a hyper-reality when I think back to how alien I found everything when I first arrived and how in such a short space of time I have come used to things and getting to know different areas and places. I think I have come a long way.
xoxo