Scenes of early winter that I don't think will be replicated in Shanghai 上海:
Eating pumpkin mini-donuts at a farmers market. Sure, Shanghai will have markets, but I doubt you'll find much in the way of organic or natural foods in them.
The lack of any sense of 热闹, rènao "bustling with noise and excitement" (written in traditional characters as 熱鬧), or of "people mountain, people sea" 人山人海.
Having to decide between the strawberry or pumpkin yogurt smoothies, both "probiotic and live cultures" made from "grass fed cows". In the end, the pumpkin won out, no doubt due to the continuing post-Halloween bounce.
OK, aromatic hand fans will probably be easy to find in Shanghai, but it's unlikely they will be sampled on the second floor of an old farmhouse dating from 1840. Then again, Shanghai does have the Bund, so you never know...
Having lunch with Santa Claus. The other kids with Amber and St. Nick are Towa, aged 7 and Sawa, 6. They are the children of my wife's English class 同学, Asami. We met Asami and her family, including her husband Nori, this morning at the Falls Church Community Center. Nori is in Washington, D.C. on assignment with the Japanese government.
Purchasing a dress for Barbie at the 20th Annual City of Falls Church Craft Show. I'm sure "Barbies" of uncertain origin can be had on the mean streets of Shanghai.
If Taiwan was any indication, Chinese stallholders won't be this laid-back.
And finally, this - our first real Christmas tree. It isn't very high, but it isn't made of plastic, either. Amber was in charge of the decorating.
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