Sleepless Shanghai - Part IV

So there's one day, my BFF Eling and I were at Old Town Kopitiam, indulging ourselves with unnecessary caffeine intakes and extra calories as usual. We both reiterated that time flies and life is so beautiful yet so short; we both missed the craziest fun we used to have during high school. But most of all, I think we missed the courage we used to have, the carefree spirits that we both once possessed.

We seem to accomplish a lot, we seem to have everything we want now, yet emptiness strikes from time to time. She doesn't understand why. Neither do I.



Silence.




Dead silence.




"So, what's next?" She broke the ice.

"Let's escape for awhile," I said.

We then booked our flight to Shanghai right away, and I contacted Nelson, a friend of mine who lives & works in SH, for advice and suggestions. Bought a travel guide from Popular bookstore on the next day. Reserved a decent hotel on the third day. D.O.N.E.

We told the world we are ready to take SH on day four, guess what, almost everyone asked me why would I ever want to visit Shanghai, why not travel to some places nicer, cleaner, and... more civilized. Many said to me that they love the city but the crowd makes them impatient (which I have to rationally agree to a certain extent, but it's really not that bad).

Anyway, I insisted to go. Forget my stubbornness, I insisted to explore SH myself instead of seeing it through others' lenses.

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#1 Day four of our SH trip. Brunch at Amokka Cafe.

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#2

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#3 Nice environment, decent western breakfast, and good coffee! Y.A.Y!

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#4 Stopped by at a bakery store next door.

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#5

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#6 Yup, this is Shanghai, a lot of expats, like Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

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#7 Love the antique & boutique shops...

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#8 Another vintage shop Nelson brought us to.

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#9

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#10 The interior of Lulu Vintage

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#11 That's Nelson apartment! So authentic yet so homey! I want to steal the brick wall.

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#12 So much like a cafe, isn't it? Latte please, Nelson :p

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#13 Tian Zi Fang, a must-go for sure! One of SH's most popular tourist attractions.

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#14

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#15

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#16

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#17

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#18 Good place for souvenirs.

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#19 Time is the eraser of memory, or something like that :p That's why everyone should keep a journal, what a good selling point ;)

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#20

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#21 Tian Zi Fang is flooded with a lot of independent labels.

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#22 Getting caffeine fix again, this time we shot for Yunnan coffer at Q's Coffee (邱公館咖啡).

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#23

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#24

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#25 Green Tea Tiramisu.

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#26

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#27 Surprise! Hi 5 if you could read the shop's name! Hari Rabu stands for Wednesday in Malay.

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#28

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#29 Heading to The Bund (外滩).

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#30

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#31

bev
#32

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#33

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#34

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#35 Aww... lovely~~

You know the ending, I've voiced it out loud in all my SH postings. I love SH, I love everything of it, the old shanghai charms, the modern attitude, the rich cultures, the not-so-unbearable messiness, the crazy traffic, the contrasting socioeconomic status and lifestyle, the unexpected surprises around every corner. That's the true Shanghai in my eyes, and my heart.

Although the trip has ended long ago, Eling & I still working our asses off to look for that little "something" that is yet to be determined, this trip marks a very meaningful beginning of our soul-searching journey. Life is still undoubtedly wonderful, despite the ups and downs.

Lurve this spontaneous trip, appreciate our awesome friendship (Eling & Nelson) and grateful for the freedom I have to be M.E.

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#36 上海,给力!!!



I ❤ SH,
Bev
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