Hello, Kitty! Slurp noodle in hotel on Thames when plane lands. Cigarette?

Here are some random observations, in no particular order, about life in one of China's Megalopoli
*Disclaimer: I live in hotels, not with families. And, while these observations occurred directly in the downtown and surrounding areas of Shanghai, China, they likely apply to some aspects of Chinese culture in general.

• The Chinese have a penchant for inventing new cartoon characters (remember the Olympics?). These bright, blimpy personages dominate the public sphere particularly before and during major events, like the Shanghai 2010 Expo and quickly become favorites for all ages. Nonetheless, old goodies like Hello Kitty are not forgotten.

• A long snort, a deep, throaty hocking sound followed by a weighty splat: This sound will always remind me of China. When the sound originates near somewhere your ear or is accompanied by a visual head cock, all you can do is hope that the immanentloogie doesn't land on you or your shoe. According to my friend, during the SARS event, Hong Kong banned spitting (if you can call it that) and now the only folks still doing the nasty deed are cabbies (who discretely spit into personal cups for fear of fine). Personally, I think China should take this Swine Flu epidemic as an opportunity...

• One large, elegant, sweeping arm gesture, originating at the shoulder joint, will indicate to a lost person or a guest where they should go. No awkward finger pointing. No flapping hands. No vague directionals "that way" or "left." No skeezy Latin body contact. Just a great, wide gesticulation of the arm.

• Yesterday I saw the Chinese "Village People" or maybe they were "New Kids on the Block" walking down the street in matching mesh camo tanks with a yellow dog.

• Evidence to Shanghai's outward-looking nature, outlets in hotels and office buildings can manage American, European or Asian plugs. And in case they can't, street vendors everywhere sell adapters. What's Chinese for "Vive La Chine?"
  

• Lately, I find myself identifying a lot with Bill Murray in "Lost in Translation." Not that I'm an old, balding, married man missing my family, or that I'm even in Japan. But I am in an Eastern culture, it's new to me, the language is perplexing and I'm living out of very nice hotels where the clientele is mostly business types and old dudes.

• The Chinese are very good and efficient umbrella walkers. Most people carry them when it rains and many when its sunny. I haven't been stuck yet.
  

• The kids here are damn cute. And they do the sweeping are gesture thing. Which just makes them cuter. I need to get one to say "NiHao" back without giggling and covering his mouth.

• The nouveau riche are the same everywhere, it seems. But they get the best neighborhoods here in Shanghai! One is called Thames River and has plastic dear poised outside the gate.
  

• No matter what district I go to in Shanghai at night... it glows. It vibrates. It shines. It's like New York City at New Years on steroids. It's fabulous. Was someone talking about carbon footprints?
  

• Has anyone mentioned how friendly the Chinese are?
  

• Everywhere has a smell. And I haven't figured out China's (or at least Shanghai's yet). Sometimes, though, you don't figure it out until after you leave a place and identify the smell. The smell of slightly dirty rivers and damp, underground waterways congers memories of Granada, Spain. Smells of burning trash and tropical vegetation reminds me of Haiti. Smells of cooking dough and spices, gypsies, dogs and damp old buildings makes me think of Bologna. But China, I don't know yet...
  

• Welcome back to the old school... and to smoking offices. At least in office hallways. I keep waiting for Darren Stevens and Larry Tate to walk by. Or their Asian equivalents. Wished I'd brought Febreeeeeze for the clothes.
  

• Mainland Chinese, my dear friend pointed out, isn't so bad sound-wise when it comes to learning the language. It has a lot in common with the southwest English accent: lots of "arrr" and "yrrr" sounds. But sounds aside, language learning here presents a different barrier... cultural. The gap is wider than with Arabic (odd, right?). Even telling stories back and forth in English can be tough. And if one party already has a notion of what they think you want to say in their head, well, forget trying to make yourself understood. "I would like wine." "Ok, you try it sometime."
  

• The farther East I get the more painful my yoga classes become. Ouch.
  

• Beware noodle restaurants: So good... so slurpy. When eating noodles, go with friends and make up your mind to slurp and suck your noodles along with them. No judging. Do not go with a weak stomach, especially because there might an old man sitting near you with his shirt open, sweat pouring down his face face, broth flying off his noodles and bouncing off his belly as he sucks away. Wear black.

• Soup (papaya and unnamed sea creature) to make you pretty.
  

• The number of stereotypical-looking straw hats increases the farther you get from a city center. I have high hopes for my trip to a traditional water village today.
  

• A few quotes regarding boys and girls: "Hot girls always get smart men. Lot's of people here. You should go out here tonight." "I will find you two hot bellboys to help carry your stuff down." "I think girl babies always prefer boys and boy babies always prefer girls"

• Thank God bamboo is strong (I think, I remember from 7th grade science).

Lesson of the week: China's on track to build about 4-5 airports per province over the next 3-5 years. Maybe I will go into the the airplane engineering business...

(to look forward to: post on Water Village... and post on Manufacturing and Business in China!! Which is what I am here to be learning, really.)