Yes!

The apartment is a dream! I would have posted pics already but we seem to have lost the cord to connect up the computer! :( I think we can get one off the street here though). It is such a trip here, I am really falling in love with it! The French Concession where we live is the largest surving art-deco neighborhood inthe world, about 10 times the size of Miami Beach. It's not all renovated, looks to me like old New Orleans, and Norm says it reminds him of Madrid, or old Paris. The architecture is endlessly beautiful. We just took a walk down a street that crosses our road 2 blocks away: Everything happens out on the street. I think they are very into conserving electricity so they stay in the front of their places all day and the insides of the houses are usually dark. So you walk past store after store of people sitting outside, next to large bins displaying live crabs, eels, frogs! turtles!, cooked ducks, always with the head, beak and everything (the jaw is a speciality here). Cheap clothes, cheaper clothes, and then more live crabs and fish! And you see people in the shops asleep in lawn chairs with the television on. There are still a lot of super small speciality stores here, like the one that is the size of a closet and the guy only sells appliance cords, and make them too! Old men don't bother to get dressed and you see them in full pajamas (the cheesy flannel kind with stars and moons and bears and stuff!) or they just where boxers! The home spills over greatly into the streets. When we set out today we discovered that next door where the tennis courts are (which we are thinking of taking up, it cost less than $3 to play there for an hour during the day), they have what I think of as a playground for adults! Colorful, easily constructed elipticle like things,sit up things, things that work you out using your own body wieght, spinning things, partner things! I have no idea what to call them! It is very obviously centered around chi and your body meridians and energy flow, a lovely contrast to the western attitude of fitness. There were plenty of people there too, from kids to old ladies. It looked like a great friendly, casual, community hang out spot. We got a kick watching this guy fly a big kite that was all lit up and flashing in a circuit. It was such a good feeling to see that! Last night we ate at a restaurant down the street from us and it was the best Chinese food I have ever had! We had a chicken dish, veggie dish, and pork dish, all large portions cooked in sauces I would Love to get the recipes for, and we couldn't stop eating! Thinking about it now makes me want to go back! We also had amazing Indian food down the road the other night! The apartment is so cozy! Though it is so big too! It is alot of brown which gives it a cabin feel, but the intricate wood floors and the shapes of the rooms, and the molding on the ceiling make it feel regal and elegant. We also discovered that we live on Jazz Street!!! Seriously, Norm can hardly believe it! We have "The Cotton Club" down the street, and a few more just in walking distance! Norm bought a 1961 record across the street of "Cuban Specticles" by the Tokyo Cuban Boys! The cover is a classic yellow and red bus with about 20 Japanese guys hanging out of it with their instruments in bow ties and red and black plaid jackets! Now all we need is a record player! So the Chinese are on "National Holiday" for a week. Why? I don't know. They aren't really celebrating any event or anything I don't think. I guess it's so everyone takes their vacation at the same time? It's a little strange. The translated signs to tourists call it "National Shopping Week!" I just know that all the banks are closed down, the cable guy can't come, and it is just uncrowded enough in clubs to be tolerable! It's funny, I've been seeing the Chinese version of people I know, like I saw the Chinese Erin Potts, The Chinese Glen, The Chinese Scrappy! So in shopping a lot for household things we've been going to huge walmart-type places. The sales people, who don't speak english, but were obviously told to look at for rich white people, relentlessly follow you around at uncomfortably close proximities, trying to show you stuff, products you couldn't give a hoot about. It ofter results with me feeling my space so invaded I'd rather give up and walk away then buy the product I was looking for! I'm getting more tough with them now, using a "hard tone of voice." We plan on getting bikes by the end of the week. Norm wants a 3-wheeler motorbike (which our only for handicapped Chinese, but he i convinced he will get one and then paint it pink with flags! I say, as long as there's a backseat for me!)
I know I wrote this once before but the truth is, I'm not sure it was right, and since I have no way of looking at it, I'll just do it once more:

Address: Room3 No.1 Lane 1360
Fuxing Zhong Lu
Shanghai, China 200031

To Call from USA: 011-86-21-6437-0555 (house number)
or 011-86-137-6118-5830 (Cell phone)
If you call the house let me know when you want to call so I can make sure to be sitting next to it!

From UK: 00-86-21-6437-0555
or 00-86-137-6118-5830
It would be lovely to hear from you! xoxo love, Amelia