Snow in Shanghai

Imagine it snowed in Miami and you can pretty much get the picture of what this week has been like in Shanghai. It's the most snow they have had in the past 17 years. The good part about it is that most of the people here don't seem to mind as snow is a novelty for them. Snowmen have suddenly sprouted up all around the city and snowball fights abound. Everyone is whipping out their cell phones to snap pictures of the winter wonderland. Sev took Grace outside to play and while she making snow angels, several of the workers gathered around to watch- they had never seen a snow angel before! The bad part is that there are no snow plows here and shovels are apparently hard to come by. Most people are using their straw brooms to clear the snow. In our apartment complex they sent out an army of workers to clear the streets (I literally saw a group of 20 people sweeping the snow away). And most people don't have boots so they simply tie old plastic bags around their feet. Also, everyone uses their umbrellas to keep themselves dry which gives all of us Minnesotans here chuckle. Many schools were cancelled although (thankfully) Grace's was not. Now based on my above description you may think that we got over a foot or more. No, we got about an inch. Unfortunately for the good people of Shanghai, it's been enough to shut down highways and as Chinese New Year is next week, half the town is trying to travel to their home provinces. The lines at the train station ticket offices have been stretching around the block for over a week now.


Speaking of Chinese New Year, we have elected to get out of Dodge (as we have been told that the fireworks go off morning, noon, and night for a week straight) so this will be my last post for the next two weeks. We are headed off to sunny Sydney, Australia on Saturday. So best wishes to everyone in the Year of the Rat!




A street cleaner in the traditional blue worker uniform clears the street with a broom.


Twenty workers and guards clear the streets in our apartment complex while a resident looks on (you know he is thinking- "ha, suckers- glad I don't have to do that!")


Smiling faces as the ladies shovel and throw down some salt.