10 things you HATE in Shanghai

Updated: Added 2 more items that you hate in Shanghai on no.11 and no.12! Gawd! Unbelievable!

Ok ok. Enough with all the bloggers and everyone writes about what to do in Shanghai, although not that i complained though as i learned a lot from their experiences, thus wisdom for me. I am going to write DE TOP TEN THINGS i hate in Shanghai, inclusive of cities around, such as Wuxi, Suzhou, Zhangjiagang and Nanjing.

The reason is simple. You cannot and will never will understand why they do that. It is pure unbelievably stupid and no-brain symptom? Sometimes you get so fed-up, that you wish to go and take a piece of wood and knock the shit out of their head. No explaination needed. Just pure stupidity!

We start at here:

1. Stopping at the end of an escalator

This syndrome is called planning for the day. Imagine this. You are simply walking around in the mega shopping malls in Shanghai. Its packed like sardines with everyone is rushing to dunno do what shit thing. Perhaps rushing to get that toilet roll or rushing to finish before you. Then you are packed and pushed into a walkway down the escalator going up or going down. Its packed and its a lot of people. Then, out of no where, the FAMILY in front of you simply stop when the escalator reaches the end. THEY STOP and have a discussion in front of the escalator! WTF?!?!?!?!?!? YES! They stop and discuss which way to go while scratching their butt and their head.

Simply unbelievable!

2. They spits!

They act is called clearing the throat kung fu. It takes your chi and your breath, all in 1 act. Ptuiiiiiiii ................................. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then the fucker turns his head and make the furthest spit, and if you are walking around these "spitting kungfu master", you need both of your ears and all your senses to avoid that lump of spit! YuckS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! Sometimes you need to jump away if necessary!

3. Bad Breath!

I do not understand why. They dislike drinking a lot of water. It makes them fat! Sometimes, when they talk to you, you can feel it. Smelling that foul smell from the mouth 1 foot away from you that you have to hold on to your breath and look away to catch a breather!

They do not believe in the thing call mouth spray nor sweets. Its sweet and its fattening. Never mind the breath! *faint*

4. Food and service staff attitude

You feel like choking them alive. Just imagine 4 counters during lunch time. Pack of people going to buy McDonalds right? They open only 1 counter. >_<

Have you ever tried to ask for 1 more slice of lemon for your ice lemon tea or requests for 1 more slice of cheest for your burger? I tell you. You will VOMIT blood! They will tell you its not for sell nor they will give it to you. Its not company policy! FUCK!

5. NOT lining UP!

This is ONE OF THE FUCKING thing that i hate the most! No body lines UP in China. I think everyone who visits to China, will somehow be amuse at the crowd when they buy tickets in bus station, McDonalds ordering food, hospital lining up for payment and etc. You feel like popping their head in that instant. I mean, its a common understanding that everyone waits for their turn.

Well, its China!

6. Cars making u-turn in the highway trunk road

Imagine this. 6 lane trunk road. Its huge, but without dividers. That fucking car simply making that u-turn without looking at the side mirrors or give a damn glancing to the back. Those cars behind simply have to be more aware and step on the emergency brake and horn no fucking stop while screwing that car in front.

Buses, taxis and bicycles are the most dangerous automobiles in China. You cannot imagine how dangerous it is until you have been to China.

7. Food wastage

In China, a dinner is considered as a treat. It is all about face value you are talking about at the end. Thus, everyone orders or serve with food they will never ever able to finish. Imagine a typical Chinese wedding dinner, where an average of 20 dishes will be served to a table of 10. Simultaneously and served together. Therefore, your table WILL be STACKED of food! Drinks, cigarette and etc will be served as well. Its customary.

Its unbelievable. Once you are here in China, you will understand why the word of food wastage does not applies in China. It is simply inpolite to finish your dishes when your hosts pay for your food!

8. Food prices

OMFG! Food prices in Shanghai are like one of the highest. Its like simply outrageous. Of course, it also depends on which area or restaurant that you go to. If you are to go to that small little stall by the road side, then of course, a few renminbi will suffice. But, just imagine a little higher such as famous BiFengTang, the cantonese food franchise. An average meal costs you RMB40 for one? And its like RMB40, one plate of fried noodle and a glass of ice nai cha?

Freaking expensive. Dun even bother to ask me the price of a glass of German wheat beer in Paulaner. You will stop and wonder. How the hell are the common Shanghainese going to survive with few thousand salary a month?

9. Pollution

The pollution are seriously serious! No joke. And Malaysians are complaining that haze cause by our neighbours in Indonesia. Come to China and experience what we called as common. Its like so freaking hazy that the air you breath in is smokey in smell. Not mentioning that during the summer, the heat is like 38 centigrads + the humid + the haze smell!

OMG! You feel like staying in the home and shut all your windows. Even my fart smells nicer!

10. Got conned

Everyone thinks that you are easily con-able. Its like you are not speaking Shanghainese dialect and from your appearance shows that you are a "lao wai", therefore, you should be easy to scammed. I admittedly tell you, i did. I was conned before when i was like new in China. After that, and QiPu shopping + buying silk in Suzhou GuanQian Jie. I was like OK. Now i know.

Everyone bargains in China. Or you simply walks away. Simple. No need to hassle of that item for 10 minutes. Just name your price and wait for acceptance. Never answer and tell them your price. Just keep your mouth shut and let the seller do the work. Normally it works wonder.

For example, you wish to buy that t-shirt at that bazaar. You approach the seller and ask "dou shao qian?" (how much?). Normally they will see your appearance 1st. If you are indeed a laowai, they will tell you RMB100 instead of RMB25 if you are Shanghainese.

Therefore, you have to keep in your mind that the item should be selling at RMB30 at the most. You say, "tai gui le" (too expensive), continued by "20 kuai" (20 bucks). You leave 10 bucks for negotiation purpose. The seller will automatically tells you, no way! then what you need to do is wait! The seller will normally says 50 kuai! (50 bucks) and you say, "ni yi pan wo yi pan" (you half i half), and continued by saying 30 kuai! (30 bucks).

From there, either you walk away if the seller refuse or smiling walking happily after purchase that t-shirt for RMB30!

11. Smoking everywhere

Its true and i don't want to even lie to you about this. Everyone smokes in everywhere even i have seen it in gym changing room, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC, hospital, everywhere and anywhere imaginable.

Smoking in Shanghai or anywhere else in China is sort of a mentality and ego kinda cultural thingy for them. Just imagine you are being judge on your status by the type of cigarette that you puff into your lungs.

There are varieties of brands here, from every province, ranging from prices and quality and brand. The most common famous expensive brand in China would be Zhonghua, that costs around RMB40 to RMB80 per pack. Again, depending on the quality of the tobacco. The more expensive it is, the better your ego will be. Seriously.

12. Beggars, little beggars and kids beggars

This is also another rampant issue and problem that China is facing right now. Coastal cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen, Beijing, Suzhou and anywhere else on the east side of China next to the sea and river will have a bigger chance out of proverty. Its true.

Foreigners, expats and everything just pour everything to these places. This started a chain reaction and affects everything. These cities produces more millionaires due to opportunities, employments and growing economies.

There comes another problem. Those Chinese citizens from the west, such as Xinjiang province, that is a desert and no economic growth becomes isolated. They are poor and they are not educated. In short, they are at least 50 years behind in mentality.

There is a saying in China. If you see a child beggar begging for your money in Shanghai, most probably you will say that they are from Xinjiang. It might be true you know. These beggars will flock on the street more especially during pre-chinese new year. They will beg for money under cold winter conditions. They are child merely 5 years of age. They are poor and extremely poor.

What i hate more, is when the parents, grandparents and the elders would even scold the kids for not able to get money from us! The kids beggar will cry and cry. Such a humiliation. These child beggars are sometimes also pickpockets. Beware!


What do you think? The top 10 things you hate in Shanghai? Fits the picture?

Hahahahaha.

ps: I still like to go and hit the clubs in Shanghai! Not forgotten, the Xinwang Roasted Pork Rice! :)

God! I am hungry now!

Ciao~