A New Year has just begun. In China, Chinese people don't really celebrate New Years, but this year it has been a little bit different, cause government announced a 3-day holiday for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd to be a national holiday (actually the 3rd is a Saturday, but China still see this as an extra off day, don't ask me why! )
It is actually very interesting how China government arrange the national holidays. Since the beginning of 2008, the Chinese government decided that people shouldn't have the 3 golden weeks ( Chinese new year in Feb, May day in May, Labor day in Oct) anymore and that more spreading of the holidays would be good for tourism, the Chinese economy and spreading of the migrants who all wants to go home during these weeks. So one day they just decided to change this. They announced that people should also celebrate "forgotten" festivals as moon festival, dragon boat festival and Qing Ming. I guess this is a good step, cause many young people don't know much about these Chinese fest.
In December, when I was trying to book my ticket for Malaysia I was thinking about the national holidays for 2009. Last year only the 1st of January was a national holiday. After searching for more info about the holidays, without any luck, I assumed that the government will just do the same as last year. Mistake! In China, don't just assume! (I try to tell myself that everyday :) ) At the last moment, exactly the 11th of December, the Chinese government announced in the newspapers the holidays plans for 2009! The 2nd is also a day off!! Couldn't they let me know early? No actually they can't. In China things are decided at that moment, very rapidly and without any warning. Always expect the unexpected, even till the last moment. So this time again, China keeps me on my toes!

p.s Chinese New Year start on the 26th of January

Last weekend I spend my time as usual: eating, drinking and shopping! What else can you do in Shanghai, right ;)? We bought some Christmas gifts for the family to bring back to Holland. Actually I am happy that I am not in Holland, because I remember the busy shoppingweekends; too many people in the shops and not able to find anything you want. I am not saying that China doesn't have many shopping people...hehe...but maybe I am just used to it in Shanghai. This year I am staying in Shanghai for Christmas holidays. Even though there is not much of a Christmas spirit in Shanghai, you still sometimes here the "lovely" Christmas songs and see all the nice department stores with Christmas decorations. They try their best and it is working, because many of my foreign friends have decided to stay in Shanghai this year!
Saturday evening we found a very nice Vietnamese restaurant! The 4 years I have been living in Shanghai, I haven't found one restaurant which had the authentic taste. This one is getting there! The Pho was nice and good spiced and they had the 7 flavour Beef fondue!!! Hmmmm....happy me to finally find a good Vietnamees restaurant! After dinner and a drink, we decided to take a look at the new exclusive club M1NT. I am not into clubbing that much anymore, but I heard they had sharks!!! So I had to just have a look! The club was nice; on the 24th floor, nice view of the city and 2 different areas to dance and enjoy yourself. I must say, the aquarium was really nice!! Where can you find sharks in a club right? But will I go back there? Not sure, maybe too snobbish for me..

Merry Christmas!