It was his first day in China. Steve's body clock had not adjusted to China time so he found himself awake far too early for holiday mode. It was before seven in the morning and a quick peek out the window revealed China was already up and about.
This was too tempting, so Steve embarked on his own excursion into the Shanghai bustle.
Out of the hotel and along the road and into his first adventure - crossing the road. His first glance at the intersection made Steve realize this did not look like home. It all looked so random and so busy. None of the rules he had grown up with applied here, so clearly he needed a strategy. So he carefully negotiated his way into the center of the group of locals who were obviously intending to go where he wanted to go. He maintained this strategic position as the group traversed the four lane road that seemed to function as if it had eight lanes. As he reached the footpath on the opposite side of the road he felt almost invincible. He had managed to cross the road.
The footpaths were nothing like the ones Steve was used to at home. Life is lived in the streets. It is vibrant and very alive. The small shops are open for business, washing is hanging on clothes hangers, a game of Mah Jong is in progress. This game has attracted a crowd of onlookers with each of them nodding or shaking their heads as they assess the relative merits of each move. They were tolerant of this foreigner as he stopped momentarily to watch progress.
Steve followed the pathway as changed from being a congested footpath into a relatively peaceful canal side path. Meandering down by the canal, enjoying the respite from the traffic, Steve was gaining an appreciation for China that can not come from sitting inside hotels, classy restaurants or motor vehicles. Majestic willows graced the canal as boats, intent on their business, chugged past.
The canal path opened up into a beautiful, elegant park. Complete with walkways, statues, trees and open spaces, this garden was alive with activity. Steve found a place to sit and take in the kaleidoscope of colour and movement. His gaze was particularly drawn to a group of elderly women who were practicing Tai Chi. Their grace and dexterity impressed him. As he watched he became aware that one of the women was beckoning to him, inviting him to join them.
The sight of twelve elderly Chinese women and one bearded European man who was nearly twice their height, all performing Tai Chi was magical. The inability of each nationality to understand the other's language did not matter. In fact the language difficulty was totally insignificant. Steve and the women communicated very effectively and all of them were enriched by the experience. This is China.
