The View, to the Left

I’m glad there won’t be any issue about arriving late.  We got a DiDi fast enough. The plane wasn’t delayed.  But the 9:20PM traffic down into Shanghai is jammed. I recall my first night in this town, many years ago before there were any such elevated highways.  I had beaucoup luggage and the two gentleman I was with, took one cab and I went by myself in another VW Santana.  The cabbie told me he’d take a shortcut through backstreets.  He bragged to me that the route the other cab was taking would take my colleagues a dreadfully long time and he was right. 

I call the restaurant we’re heading to and confirm that we’ll be “a little late.”  The lady takes it in stride.  “No problem Mr. Fang.”  We loop around off the highway and circle back towards the Bund and, unsurprisingly we come to a complete stop, three blocks away in the traffic of evening revelry, heading east on Guangdong Lv.  I suggest to my colleagues we walk the last two hundred yards and leave the concretized traffic behind.

Walking, once again out on to the porch, at ‘M on the Bund.’  How long has this place been here?  It wasn’t here in 1993.  I don’t think it was in 1996, either.  Likely it was 99’ or that vintage.  (Indeed, 1999.)  The view, to the left which hasn’t changed much since the Japanese invasion and the one to the right which is a living canvas of phallic extremism.  It has the desired effect on the two people I’m with who are considering it or the first time. I take a seat viewing back towards restaurant to allow them outward views to enjoy.

One group, and then another leaves.  Before eleven they tell us the kitchen has closed.  Not long after when we’ve changed our minds and want more, they confirm they had meant what they’d said.  Everyone wants to go home, besides the three of us and eventually we capitulate.  Traffic isn’t a problem by this hour and the hotel isn’t far.  But these Shanghai neophytes have apparently chosen a hotel with a similar name to this one, way across town and there’s no room here at the inn.  I head up to the top floor bar with my old friend who met me here for a night cap and while the view is grand, I haven’t really got any energy left to talk for very long at all. 

Wednesday 09/25/19