Walking Holiday

I walked for six hours Monday as I enjoyed the rainy holiday (MLK) in Shanghai. I walked from one end of Nanjing Rd. to the other and back - looking at the multitude of shops, stopping into the bookstores, and seeing the old Bund that parallels the river. The Bund is where all the old European buildings are but they are now occupied by upscale restaurants and government offices. Back in the late 80s when I first came here these buildings were terribly run-down and neglected. Now the Bund is back.

I stopped into a KFC for a Coke but left when I became irritated at some old guy that butted in line and wouldn't move. I told him he ought to get in line but all he did was repeat what I said. The KFC girl waited on him although I told her she shouldn't. Not wanting to test my diplomatic immunity so soon I snarled at the man and went across the street to McDs. Butting in line is a big problem in mainland China and I know I'm going to have to get used to dealing with it without busting a blood vessel. But at least I know how to tell the line-butter-inners what I think. I'm pretty flexible on cultural issues but I'll never accept that butting in line is OK.

When I got back home I had a bag of "Riffles" potato chips and a Sprite while I watched "Monk" on cable. I had a headache and since the only pain-killers I brought were the Tylenol PM capsules Lynda gave me I took them and konked out about 8 pm.