Hongbao

The weather warmed up a bit today so I took a taxi downtown and wandered up and down Nanjing Street. I handed the taxi driver a card with the address of a vegetarian restaurant on it but he took me to a Pizza Hut instead. I guess he thought all Americans must eat at Pizza Hut. Not wanting to mess with his mind (it appeared it had already been messed with) I went in and ordered a small cheese pizza and Pepsi for about US$6.50 The healthy food would have to wait for another day.

My next stop was a 9-story department store full of imported and domestically-produced gadgets, clothing, and foods. Interesting but overpriced. From my experience last Saturday I knew that getting a cab in downtown Shanghai on Saturday night would be difficult so at 5 pm I took a taxi back to the multi-story Carrefour megastore in Gubei (in my vicinity) where I shopped for food, extension cords, music CDs, and Snickers. The Chinese New Year is coming up in late January so much of the store was given over to special festival products. I didn't buy any but when I opened my extension cord at home I found a packet of hongbao (red envelope) inside the package - gratis. Hongbaos are used by adults to put money inside and give to children.