Find me (in the creak of an old stairwell)
Readers have noted how quiet the blog has been. I confess to its woeful neglect but would point them towards the blog’s Facebook page which continues to brim with photographs and factoids of Old…
Street Stories
Frozen in time on Moganshan Lu
Before I began photographing lilongs, I, like any newly arrived transplant in Shanghai, methodically made my way through the must-sees around the city. The area around Moganshan Lu…
Leaving a family history of poverty behind in Siwen Lane (斯文里)
His name was Wang. A bespectacled man in his late 30s, he wore a short-sleeved shirt and carried a sling bag. When I met him, he was studiously examining blueprints…
Old industry, new migrants along Suzhou Creek (苏州河)
Entering the short stretch of Xiamen Lu (厦门路) just a block away from the Suzhou Creek, the strong smell of soldered steel filled the air. The repetitive screeching…
“Chairman Mao Goes to Anyuan (安源)”: A Mural in Siwen Lane (斯文里)
Traces of China’s Cultural Revolution fervor can still be found in Shanghai’s old lilong neighborhoods if you look hard enough – fading slogans of “Long Live Chairman Mao!”…
A domestic dispute in the lane
An aging woman was staring down an alley, her eyes hooded and preoccupied. I stood next to her, wondering what had caught her unwavering attention. Seated on the concrete floor…
Seeking amusement in spring
Shanghai’s beautiful spring weather came and went too quickly. The pinkish hues of cherry blossoms had contrasted beautifully against blue skies while the cool breeze made long strolls ever…
Celebrating Dragonboat Festival with strangers
The glutinous rice was cool and moist, exhibiting a delicate balance of chewiness and sweetness. I bit into the centre of the dumpling or zongzi (粽子) where a…
Fresh seafood on Tongchuan Lu
A few months ago, I joined a few friends for lunch at Tongchuan Lu Seafood market (海鲜美食街) located on Tongchuan Lu (铜川路) near Lanxi Lu (兰溪路) in Putuo…
Wet and windy
They had called for snow and rain, and by they, I mean the local weathermen with their annoying warnings of a cold front. By the time the sun…