Job Discussion Forums

senor boogie woogie · Posted: Mon May 19, 2003 2:26 pm Post subject: GOING to Shanghai this weekend.

Hola!

I am going to go to Shanghai this weekend to see a friend of mine. I would like to know a few things,

1.) Where on the internet can I find the train schedule for Hangzhou-Shanghai-Hangzhou? I cant find it and the train station is a long ways from my house and I have no time this week to go there.

2.) I am someone of large size, is there anywhere in Shanghai that sells large clothes XXL, XXXL or better?

3.) I want to go to a Mexican place called "Badlands". Is it any good? Id sell my wife to the Devil for a burrito and a taco.

4.) Mr. Oz, if you would like to meet me, now is a good time.

5.) Wheres a good talking bar with cheap cold beer, a good crowd and good, yet not screaming loud music?

I've been to Shanghai several times before. My friend has only lived there for about two monthes, so I dont think he knows anymore than I. I "dig" (old 1970s American term) Shanghai and it has been a long time.

SENOR

PS, I'M NOT AFRAID OF SARS. SARS IS AFRAID OF ME. Twisted Evil

struelle · Joined: 16 May 2003 Posts: 2372 Location: Shanghai

[quote="senor boogie woogie"]Hola!

MyTurnNow · Joined: 19 Mar 2003 Posts: 860 Location: Outer Shanghai

I second the endorsement of Taco Popo. Decent.
But the only really great Tex-Mex food in China is an hour out of Shanghai over in Suzhou, at Baca's Tex-Mex Scenic Cafe. They're a little hard to find but can be called at 0512-5119875. If I'm not there sucking down a Chile Verde Chimichanga and the best damn Marguerita in China, tell the owners, Roberto and Helen, that Susan's boyfriend sent you. Well worth the 20 RMB train ride!

MT

Minhang Oz · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 610 Location: Shanghai,ex Guilin

Senor
Look on www.expatsh.com The Hangzhou-Shanghai timetable is on there, with prices. So theoretically is Badlands Restaurant, but many of the links on this site don't work for me.
Big clothes-best place is the Xiang Yang market. Get off the subway at Shanxi Rd South on the No. 1 line. It's just along Huai hai Rd on the left. The touts will probably carry you there. It's a very big open air place. I shop there, so its got BEEG sizes. Bring your wife or your best bargaining skills. Its fun there, and I hate shopping. Directly above the subway station is Parkson's Dept. Store with lots of hard to find goodies in the supermarket.
Bars-Hengshan Rd [walk or short taxi/subway ride from the above market] is the place you need. I'm sure your friend has discovered it. O'Malley's Irish Pub is very popular. Look at the website above, but also www.thatsmagazines.com for more details. Maoming Lu also has a more sleazy bar strip.
EL PROBLEMO numero uno: A colleague who is a regular on this strip told me that last weekend at least half of them were closed. Also bring all your pesos to buy some beers. As always, a Chinese Restaurant with a beer fridge, and Suntory at 3 yuan is a better option.
Numero duo: The Gang of One [Mrs Minhang Oz] has enforced a strict travel ban on yours truly. I'm not afraid of SARS either, but I'm afraid of her. The prospect of a 10 day quarantine period living in the stairwell does not enthrall me, so we must meet in more fortuitous times, as Minhang District, the home of M.Oz is some 90 minutes from downtown.
ps While this post answers Senor BW's specific queries, I didn't pm it, as many readers aspire to travel to The *beep* of the Orient. Please check out the above links.Interesting censorship; I'll try "prostitute", same meaning, both proper English words. Which child writes this censoring software?

ESL Guru · Joined: 18 May 2003 Posts: 462

You may have a big surprise!

You may not get in or out of Shanghai.

The army has been mobilized to set up roadblocks all over China to stop travel. A new directive issued yesterday restricting foreigners to their job sites.

WHO is accusing China of not properly reporting SARS again.

Looks like it may be in the hinterland already and they are reacting or overreacting again.

Freaky Deaky · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 309 Location: In Jen's kitchen

Badlands has some great Mexican food - watch out for the girls outside. And as ESL Guru has said, you'd better check that you won't be thrown into quarantine upon arrival. Loads of bars on the same road as Badlands, but some of these are a bit dodgy to say the least. D Bar is near to Badlands and the girls that work there are very friendly and chatty. Lots of bars on Maoming Lu, but a many of them are closed because of Sars.

wOZfromOZ · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Posts: 272 Location: Shanghai

Senor

I agree with the others mate. and (A good summary of the highspots by the other Oz.)

You'll have to do 2 weeks 'time' when you go back to Hangzhou.

Another time hey.

wOZfromOZ

senor boogie woogie

Not to hijack my own string, but there is no way in h e l l that the Chinese can stop the spread of SARS by keeping their population from moving around. This will crash the economy. We rich Chinese and running dog foreigners need poor worthless "brownnecks" to clean our houses and dig holes. We the "upper class" cannot do without our ay-ee.

I swear the Chinese government is as stupid as the American government. What makes the Chinese worse is that the people can't vote!

CHINESE DEMOCRACY! Cool

With that out of the way, I was thinking about renting a car for the trip. It is only two hours away. I asked my class of 20-21 year old students and none of them had a driver's license. I could of gotten them to pay for the car. NONE of them (40 kids) had an operators license. Screw English teaching, teach these people how to drive. In America, having a license is a God given right. Personally, I quit bicycles in the Carter administration.

I had a girl take me to a new job and she drove very sssssssslllllllllllooooooooowwwwwwwwwwlllllllllllllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyy (slowly). I asked if I could drive. "No, you have no license." I mean I have been driving for 20 years now. This scenerio is like the basketball coach playing Stevie Wonder when he has Michael Jordan warming the bench. I miss driving.

I'm going to Shanghai, come h e l l or high water. If I spend one more weekend in my wife's hometown, I will scream.

SENOR

ESL Guru · Joined: 18 May 2003 Posts: 462

Senor -

Your post brings several things to the forefront:

1. I like a guy who is not afraid to hyjack his own post! Great move bro! More should be so willing to do so little to take such BIG risks!

2. I asked my FAO if I could go with you and he said "SURELY" and when you come back you will do 14 days in the slammer, alone.

3. There is a way for you to get your own license. First you make damn sure that your FAO is convionced that he can NOT get along without you and that if you do not get a license, you will quit. Then the school issues a certificate, with red stamp and all so that it is official, certifying that the school needs you to be a driver. Then the municipal Foreign Affairs Office has to be taken to lunch so they will issue an exemption for you and your school. Then your FAO takes 5 pictures of you to the driver's licensing bureau at what we call police headquarters and takes the right someone to lunch. About two weeks and 3,000 rmb into it and suddenly you have a driver's license that is good in the city and the countryside for a A. Car B. Motorcycle C. Bus D. Truck. What did you want? Oh yes, if you need a refresher course on appropriate brown nosing techniques, just PM me. I have been there, done that, and speek with authority on this very issue. Send me an email address and I will even send you a picture of the Motorcycle I purchased and my school registered as an official school vehicle so it can be driven anywhere in China, city or hinterland.