Laundry and Antiques in Shanghai

On our last morning in Shanghai Wednesday, Tony and I ventured out on our own in search of some local flavor, unique gifts, and a bit of adventure. We took a taxi to a market I wanted to check out and found ourselves amid a common scene in Shanghai - laundry hanging to dry from windows, balconies, and trees - right over a city sidewalk along a busy street. It's quite a scene - very eco-friendly - and rather patient given the cold temperatures here this time time of year.

Back to the primary purpose of the outing...my sister requested a mask from China (we've collected wooden masks from some of our international travels over the years) and I hadn't really seem them in the craft and souvenir shops. However, we saw an impressive display of them in the Shanghai Museum, so I knew such masks had to be out there and figured I just had to get to the "antiques" hot spot. My handy Lonely Planet Shanghai guide book led us to the Dongtai Road Antique Market. I think Tony thought I was on a wild goose chase, but my mother's antiquing genes along with her ability to scan through large masses of items and find what she's looking for kicked into high gear and I spotted a couple right away at the first booth tucked in a corner...

The market is a collection of outdoor stalls spread over several blocks. Each is filled with eclectic items from Chinese porcelain to leather covered boxes to statues of Buddha and Kwan Yin to Mao collectibles and old Communist propaganda posters - and much more. Now the fact is that most of the "antiques" are known to be mass produced reproductions that are "aged" to appeal to people like myself. But, you look for something you like and if you can negotiate a reasonable price, buy and enjoy it for what it is. Carrie, I hope you like the mask (not pictured).

After the antique market, we took a good walk back up through People's Park and caught the metro back to the hotel to finish packing and head to the airport to fly back to Bangkok.

Thursday we celebrated Tony's birthday. The two of us enjoyed an extended session at a wonderful spa. And we enjoyed a delicious dinner with his parents overlooking the river. It was the first time he'd celebrated his birthday with his parents in many years, so that made it extra special for all of us.

We're off to Singapore on Friday and then make the long trip home to DC on Saturday. More to come...