We finally did it! After 9 months of living in China we are truly submersing ourselves into the modern Shanghainese lifestyle by buying bikes (and risking our necks while we do it)! We finally got the courage and confidence to brave the streets of Shanghai. For about $60 USD we got our Chinese bikes with all the fixins’ at our local grocery store and are now officially in the mix of the populous.
Shanghai is completely flat so everything is accessible via bicycle, the big concern is more about what kind of risk you are willing to take. The two biggest ones being: getting lost and not being able to find your way back home because the city streets were designed to replicate a bowl of spaghetti or getting hit by a taxi, scooter, motorbike, pedestrian or even someone’s spit. It’s chaotic and dangerous out there…but it’s also very liberating to be out on the streets. They even have these cool raincoats for both you and your bike so you can ride in the rain.
Not only did Christina and I buy bikes but so did our neighbors and some of Christina’s co-workers. We’ve replicated our “bike gang” in good ol’ Pasadena! We call ourselves “The Pajama Patrol”. The name is derived from this unusual but funny fashion quirk that the Shanghainese have which is to wear your pajamas out in public like a suit. I mean they wear their pajamas everywhere like grocery shopping, window shopping, university and even going out to dinner. From what I was told, pajamas are a status symbol because not everyone can afford them. We decided that one Sunday we would all wear our PJs hop on our bikes and go to brunch, hence the name “The Pajama Patrol”.
Now the adventure truly begins….
2 comments:
wish you guys would be back here for the 4th...remember the rides to the bowl?
well, I ride to work for 3 days a week now. My bit for the environment, exercise, and saving money (gas is now $5 per gallon).
good to see these.
A series on biking! Can't wait for the next one.
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