I’m dreaming of a white … New Year’s Eve?
Decades ago, I’ve been told, snow actually wasn’t that uncommon a sight in Shanghai. But years of pollution have the city’s climate out of whack, so now the white stuff is a rarity. But yesterday afternoon and evening it came — the most snow I’ve seen in two years here. It was four days too late — and, to be fair, was only what would be considered a dusting back home — but it is the closest I’ll coming to walking in a winter wonderland in a city whose winters are often bitterly cold and maddeningly gray.
I snapped some photos of the wintry scene last night as I walked to my gym. I saw a city unprepared for snow: unshoveled sidewalks, a kid playing in a pile of snow with slippers on his feet, and someone else, in short sleeves, making a snowman with his bare hands. According to Shanghai Daily, yesterday’s snowfall was the first time Shanghai’s downtown neighborhoods had been “blanketed with the white stuff” in six years. I guess it depends on what your definitions of blanketed and downtown are. I took this photo last January in Zhabei District. Regardless, there is still snow visible from my window today — it really brightens the city up — and for the first time, it feels like the holidays for me here in Shanghai.
And with the holidays in mind, I must go. I’m being told I need to shave and shower — now — before heading out for the night. Gotta look my best for all those drunken photos. Speaking of which, watch your step tonight if you’ll be boozing it up in Shanghai. I have yet to see a snow shovel in this city — and all that snow has turned to ice.
Happy New Year!
Click here for photos.
Also … Speaking of white stuff, I reprised my recurring role of “White Man No. 1” earlier this week in a television commercial for a new NEC mobile phone that gets TV reception. I took some photos of the shoot. Sadly, there are no photos of “White Man” — too busy “working” — but I’m working on getting some.
12.31.2004, 6:37 PM · Photos
4 Comments
A friend of mine has just got back from Shanghai. She got a fever,and a high one too. Unlucky me, I’m stuck in Texas where snow never falls for years.
Wow. Pretty damn cold last night. I took some New Year’s photos … but all of them were taken inside, where it was usually relatively warm.
More on the snow, this comes from a Reuters story:
“A snow storm in Shanghai on Thursday closed the city’s two airports, several bridges and highways and injured dozens of people in car accidents, witnesses and newspapers said.
It was the first major snowfall in the city for a decade, but the mercury is forecast to rise slightly from Sunday, the Shanghai Morning Post said.”
Evidently it also snowed way down south in Guangdong.
Here’s another story: Snowfalls impact transportation in east, south China
Stay warm, everybody.
On a personal note, I was just informed that the hot water isn’t working in my apartment. Fun.
Hey Dan, how’d you get the role of White Man number 1? I’m looking into getting into this kind of thing myself.
Keep yourself warm
mom said to me: “it’s Dan on the cover.”
“yea, He’s Dan.” and that hat is from Phoenix. o.
parents and sister let me say hi to you, Dan. and Happy New Year!
Have you received my mail about the address of my website? I’m making the new one, the old one was blocked, it cannot open and edit in China anymore.