I think we were in the Hankou area of Shanghai on a walking tour of the former Jewish ghetto, where thousands of Jews took refuge during the holocaust.  Then we moved on to a former slaughterhouse, now called "1933" which is trying to be a fashionable, upscale consumer destination for the rich and is well on its way to doing so.  Personally I felt horrible fengshui in it and I had to force myself to remain with my 8 friends when I felt like getting far away from there.  Ironically it's a hot spot for fashion and photo shoots but no amount of money and glitz is going to erase what that place once was.  
 
Later I went with another group of friends to have 'hot pot' in a restaurant that specializes in fish hot pot.  After we chose our ingredients and flavors, they showed me the fish.  I'd say it was about 8 pounds.  The taste was actually really delicious - only it was served with the bones in, like every Chinese restaurant.  Still I would return there because we also had the yingyang hot pot, with one side spicy and one side plain and it was great.
 
It's feeling a bit like Christmas already with the cheap, seedless Satsumas available everywhere.  We have the fruit sales truck selling in front of my complex until the police show up and it drives off. So last night I managed to get a bag of about 3 pounds for about $1.25. 
 
It's one of the joys of living in Shanghai to have year-round holidays.  Thanksgiving is next week and soon will be the Christmas vacation when I get to go home for the holidays, soon followed by the Chinese New Year, another week off in February.  Throw in multiple international customs and we have lots of fun parties to attend to.  
 




Bonny Buckley
 
 

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