All that Glitters

Ultra-girly Asian girls love their sparkly hair bobs, displaying maximum pop-value in thick, dark hair.   Western women would likely reserve such glitz for evening wear. In China, it's strictly carpe diem. When the smog lends its gray drabness overhead, who can't use a little twinkle? Shine on sisters! 

Magical

MAGICAL
 (She hates this picture)

At lunchtime during "English Corner" older students visit me on benches under a vine covered pergola for an ad hoc half hour of conversational English. The kids are surprisingly clever, especially a whip smart fifth grader named Magical, a tall tomboy with an impish smile and wise eyes. 

A word about Chinese kids' English names. Some are assigned by foreign teachers but most are chosen by the students themselves. There's Cinderella, Barbie, Tiger, Yoyo, Shiney, Happy and Ice Cream. There are a number of Cherries, Apples and Sunnies. There's a heavy set trouble maker named Tank. Every class has a Bingo. One tiny first grade girl with pink glasses calls herself Bob. Then there are Emaily and, my favorite, Oven.

On the first day of English Corner, I ask about a typical Saturday or Sunday. Most say they study, practice musical instruments, play badminton with a parent or grandparent. One or two play computer games. But then I meet Magical, and she very securely announces that on Sundays she works on her book. "I'm writing a book about (what else?) magic," she says. I ask if she's read Harry Potter. She says, yes, she's read all the Harry Potter books but her book is different. I tell her I'm writing a book too and her eyes light up. After the group disbands, I am walking back to my office, Magical appears at my side and gives me a small pink notebook covered in fabric and bound with twine tied in a small bow. "This is for you," she says. Still reeling in bewilderment at China and faking the whole teacher thing, I'm uncertain how to respond. "Are you sure?" I ask.  "Yes, I bought it with my own money," she says. "I like to buy presents for my friends."

Each week, I continue to be amazed by Magical's sophistication. 

She's precociously chatty and describes things being delicious (her mother's blueberry tea) and discusses IMAX theaters in Shanghai.  She bought a "money box" which she describes in detail. I explain it is a bank and she finds that fascinating. "Like the Bank of China!" she says with a triumph of understanding. She plays Cat's Cradle.

On the day after the class picnic Magical describes in great detail a "science" movie she's seen (I'm pretty sure she means science fiction) about grass and trees that eat people. It sounds scary, I say. "No it was very interesting," she corrects.
After Qingming holiday, I nearly fall over. She's gone to New Star Korean Bath House for the saunas. Ironically in this huge metropolis of Shanghai, it's the one spa I've been to - just a week earlier. We proceed to compare notes on the pools, treatments and the restaurant, which I had thought of trying for bibimbap but didn't have time. "It's not very delicious," she warns.

There are a ton of kids here who inspire and amuse.
Then there's Magical.

Gardens, Temples and Gussied Up Girls

Tuesday was Qingming Festival, which is also called Tomb Sweeping Day in China. It's a national holiday to honor the dead when relatives visit the graves of their ancestors with food, flowers and, traditionally, brooms. The April 5 holiday fell on Tuesday, so to justify a three-day weekend, everyone worked on Saturday and then took Monday and Tuesday off.

With three other teachers, Kym, Evan and Jade, I headed for Suzhou, a charming enclave of only 2 million (!)  southwest of Shanghai. The bullet train was sleek and – most importantly – warm,  whisking us there at speeds of 350 km/hour. The ride went too quickly; I barely got to crack my Peter Hessler book. At the station we were met by an epic taxi line worthy of a sci fi movie. Think Disney World on steroids. Or an ant hill. Somehow through a crazy bout of charades with a local policeman we sorted out a bus to take us to our hotel, the Mingtown Hostel on a canal in the historic Pingjian district. Very sweet. Until we were told they had canceled our reservation and given our beds away. As we were about to despair, some kindly Koreans asked if we wanted their rooms, because they needed to switch hotels. Huh? Another blur of confusion and then we made an exchange that kept us off the streets. Ah, China.

Mingtown Youth Hostel

Suzhou Canal

Suzhou is dubbed the Venice of Asia thanks to its pretty canals and stone bridges. About 200 remain of the 6000 that greeted Marco Polo in the 13th century. Spring was in the air, cherry trees and other blossoms popping in the gorgeous Humble Administrator's Garden, one of four top tier classical gardens in the country. Loved the very literal names of spaces within the garden:  the Looking at the Moon Pavilion, the Hall of Distant Fragrances, the With Whom Will I Sit? Pavilion, etc. Unfortunately the crowds soon had us yearning for the Get Me Out of Here Now exit.

Shuang Ta

The rare double pagodas of Shuang Ta (Song Dynasty) were especially exotic and evoked India, where they are more commonly seen.

And the Beisi Ta offered some superb Buddhas.

Beisi Ta 

FORGET THE ANCESTORS!  Many of Suzhou's young beauties seemed to have skipped the tomb sweeping and were out in force, all done up for model-like portraiture with their grooms, fiances and, in one case, Winnie the Pooh. The Chinese love these fantasy photo shoots, spending days at a time on the hair, makeup and elaborate wardrobes. Costs run from $450 to $15,000.

The production process is lavish, with multiple

 clothing changes and photographers, assistants, hair and make-up artists hovering.

With giant mirrors shining in their faces to reflect light

 and crowds of tourists looking on, note the relaxed and natural poses of the bridal couples.

Photography studios pass out leaflets to young women asking, "Do you want to look like the cover of Vogue?" The images from these sessions are blown up into posters, emblazoned on mugs and made into screen savers.

No man? No problem. Winnie will do.