A Shanghai break

Shanghai, China, 01-APR-2018 – It is interesting to take such a break from prepping. Generally, when we are away from Caro Babbo, we are working on some business project.

We took the opportunity to cash in some mileage and join some of our marina friends in Shanghai.

Shanghai is a port city with a centuries-old water front that demonstrates the city’s continuous prosperity.

The city, today, enjoys tremendous wealth. I have never ever seen so many exoticars in one city in my life. We are staying in the french concession, which is variously called the former french concession and the Xuhui District. English speakers are very rare, but google translate has been helpful.

Our Alaska-trip timeline is never too far from our mind, though to be honest, I think I work to keep it there rather than having it continuously assert itself.

With our marina mates, we’ve watched the ships move along the water front. They are mostly self-powered barges, the cross-river ferry and very large sightseeing boats. The river current reminds Jennifer and me of Campbell River: the boats point into the current at a very slight angle and move sideways across the river to their dock.

The ferry driver is, of course, masterful, practicing this many times per day.

We have seen no pleasure boats.

About once a day I check that Caro Babbo is at her mooring in Port Hadlock.

The AIS is broadcasting as it should and being relayed to the internet by a repeater. We did something we haven’t done in years. Before we left we locked up Caro Babbo. I don’t know the people in Port Hadlock. There have been some boats living on very little money. Generally, when we speak to the people living aboard I come away feeling they would look out for us.

But, they have met us. I know that an anonymous opportunity owned by an unknown person can be a great temptation sometimes.

When I lived in New York City, it was a time of much crime. The economy was bad; there was a bear market and the city had run out of money. The murder rate was more than three per day and a new morality took over certain parts of life.

There was also free parking in parts of the city where it would be incomprehensible now.

I left my car parked under the FDR drive. Parking was legal there and a great many cars were parked there. When I returned a man was casing my car. The new morality also dictated a new etiquette. I stood a short distance from car, still, and said nothing. Remember, it was a time of violence. He did not know me, or what I might do, nor I him.

After a few moments, he noticed me and said, ‘‘Is this your car?’’ I didn’t say anything, but it was clear that it was my car.

He continued, ‘‘I didn‘t know it was YOUR car,’’ drawing out the word your. While backing away, he continued, ‘‘If I had known it was YOUR car…’’ I climbed in an drove away with no further interaction between the two of us.

It was part of everyday life at the time, and demonstrated the difference between an anonymous crime and knowing the victim.

Christian has sent a text saying that the outboard has arrived at Brion’s shop. The post office has sent an email telling me they could not deliver the mount for the new tablet – they are holding our mail, so I don’t know what to make of this message.

Gabriel, who owns, Martin Eden, told me to buy an O’Neill 25 wet suit. I’m having trouble finding one on line.

Our friend, Peter Coleman, sent an email about the Shanghai boat show. We’ll unfortunately miss it. It would have been great fun.

[While I have been writing this, beginning at 4.30 am, a van drove the wrong way on the street, parked in front of the shop across from me and unloaded many bags of rice. I hadn’t noticed that the man from the shop placed a sidewalk chalkboard in front of the van blocking its license plate. When the van was getting ready to leave, the same man waited until the engine was running (it is not an electric van) and at the last moment before the van began moving, he whisked away the chalkboard. I assume there is a camera at the end of the block, watching and would send him a ticket.

There are cameras everywhere, which, according to the Economist magazine, have face recognition software. Coming into the country, passport control took pictures of my face with multiple cameras. Perhaps they have been tracking me as well.

The internet connection we have access to, without a VPN, blocks Google, Facebook, the NYT and others. My phone connection, we think because it uses a foreign SIM, is not blocked when I use the cellular network.]

It’s nice to live in an apartment in a new city. A pity that we can not easily speak with everyone.