As a halfpat in Shanghai, of course I’m excited about the upcoming World Expo in May. Since I arrived here in 2005, the city has been striving to shine for the world to see, and the curtains will be lifted just 100 days later. “Better City, Better Life”, so it says on the hoardings of every construction site, while the mascot Haibao prances around on mobile television on buses and trains; the little interactive screens on taxis; laid on the ground for sale, and smiles at you at every major cross junction or residential area…

If you’ve got a free couple of hours on a Friday, head to Shanghai Muslim Market for an entirely different China food and smell experience. (And discover that Xinjiang food is not just mutton shaokao! It’s mutton everything!) Other than Muslim food, you’ll find DVDs in what looks like Arabic, [...]

Do you miss Internet freedom?

Living in Shanghai, or anywhere in Mainland China, means access is denied for Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Blogspot, and all the other sites blocked by Great Firewall of China (GFW)…

Heard your Chinese colleagues/friends boasting about their Taobao purchases, and how cheaply they got them? It’s no exaggeration when they say you can get ANYTHING on taobao.com. Other than the usual clothes, accessories, shoes and electronics, you can purchase books and software (both pirated and original), snacks (even 7D dried mangoes from The Philippines), top up your prepaid SIM card, or even develop your digital photos at about a third of what any neighbourhood photo printing shop charges! …

In recent years, it has been debated whether Chinese cities like Shanghai and Beijing should even exhibit anything related to Christmas, since communism is in direct conflict with religion, and Christmas is, afterall, a religious holiday. Advocates see Chinese celebrating Christmas as idolization of the West, thereby eroding its own culture and traditions, and greatly disapprove. Nevertheless, Christmas sales, dinners, and parties are great for retailers and restauranteurs alike, so it seems that Christmas has come to stay. …