Day 3 - April 15 2012
The pounding inside my head is louder than ever as R___ joins us in the room and throws the curtains wide open, exposing the light of noon. Without taking much time or a shower we pack and leave the hotel for our final brunch in Shanghai, in a more distant neighborhood from the city center but close to the train station. The French breakfast is very welcome, we drink a fair bit of water to aid in our recovery. After a stroll through the adjacent neighborhood (which is packed with familiar western sights like gardens and restaurants) we grab two cabs to the Shanghai high-speed railway station, a gigantic structure located directly next to an equally massive airport. We join the teeming masses and push our way onto the sleek white train, finding our table near the front allowing Dodio, L____ and I to slump relaxedly into the seats for a much-needed break. Hitting speeds of more than 200kph, the ride goes quickly. The vast landscapes of suburban Shanghai fly by hundreds of feet beneath the elevated rail system. During one of the few stops while Dodio and I smoke a cigarette, I receive my first genuine stare from a station worker. Dodio (in his own special way) clarifies by pointing at me and yelling “AMERICAN!” for good measure. The worker nods and laughs. Finally, we arrive in Yiwu, The Dream City, and are picked up in a van by their friend named Jessie.
The ride into the city passes slowly and at first I have trouble realizing why the cars never seem to head faster than 30mph. However, the first intersection we hit explains this… there are absolutely no rules at all governing how vehicles operate, drivers racing this way and that across the roads in a manner completely lacking any fucks given. Trucks drive on sidewalks and people meander all over the roads. Speeds are kept to a minimum due to this new form of chaos, but we arrive safely in our area of tall, identical-looking living blocks that resemble gargantuan six-story train cars lined up one after another, row upon row. I notice that Building 40 has a full compliment of bars covering every single balcony and window… subsequently realizing this is the norm for all of the buildings in the neighborhood. After a final 3-story ascent with the heavy bags, Dodio and I relax for a moment before taking a cab closer to the city center for dinner. We stroll around and eat in a predominantly Arab and Muslim area, scarfing down a dinner of bread with hummus, french fries and baked chicken. Dodio then pays a quick visit to his nearby friend at a barber shop before showing me the night market. Passing eviscerated pig torsos, smelly food shops and countless stands pushing cheap goods, the market bustles at 10pm and I notice I’m (weirdly) the tallest person there. Dodio leads us past upscale shopping and countless new neon signs, all pulsing to the local Yiwu beat. I have to turn away when I see the caged animals on the street for sale, Dodio taking more time to look at a beautiful husky puppy desperately hoping to leave it’s current cramped accommodations. I swallow that pill hard as we return to our sanctuary in Dan Xi San Qu to smoke a final cigarette before I begin work in the morning.