China

I was prepared for China with excitement. It may be the longing for familiarity that that drives me for this Shanghai visit. Even though it is not Thailand, being on Asian soil makes me close enough to home.

The first thing that hit me was the cold winter of China. It was around 0 degrees and that was certainly not what I am used to. All the clothes in my possession will not last me three days in this freezing weather. But the living expenses in China welcome me gracefully.

Meal times in China are also rewarding moments for me. As Shanghai is one of the biggest cities in China, I have enjoyed choosing food from different provinces. And each of the different backgrounds and preparations has its own reason. Beijing in the north, which suffers more extreme weather results in salty taste that helps you keep the heat in your body. Sichuan province in a humid valley prefers its food full of chilli and spiciness in order to adjust the body temperature through perspiration. Or Shanghai food that uses lots of sugar to create the savory taste when balancing it well with soy sauce. The sophistication is hidden in every dish you eat.

I walked on many back streets of Shanghai downtown and found smoke coming out from the corner of a building. With curiosity, I searched the origin just to find one of my favourite delicacies, street food!! I love tasting street food not just because it is simple and convenient but it also reflects the lifestyle of people in the city. My favourite street food in Shanghai is the grilled lamb on a stick seasoned with herbs and chilli. The irresistible smell draws a group of people together to share great tastes and the warmth from the red-lit charcoal on a cold day.

During the course of this trip, I have enjoyed my eating experience of various food resulting in gaining 7 kilograms of weight. But even I sometime ate too much in China; I lost my weight by 2 Kilograms. The evolution of Chinese diet amazed me and I was surprised with the sensitiveness of the human body. Next stop, Salvador Brazil, I will probably lose myself to the beautiful fresh seafood from the ocean…