All black and shiny

It's been a while since I logged anything. It's been a busy last week at work and a couple of days not feeling 100%. Much better now and officially on holidays (yeah). So hopefully, a few more logs to come before I return to Australia.

Well, this little (long story) has been in development for some time. It has required a fair bit of walking, talking and even a little risky research through personal experience. What's it all about then, you ask?

Hair. Not the play - but the stuff on most people's head.

After being here a while, you notice that almost everyone (99.9 out of 100) has black shiny hair (and mostly straight too). - accept at the Glamour Bar and Bar Rouge (where the Russian Prostitutes have discovered peroxide!).

Being an attentive and understanding bloke, I have heard more than one women say; "I hate my hair, its too this, or too that...." If it's straight they want curls, if it's curly they straighten it, if it's dark they lighten it. You all know the story. Well imagine having the same colour and hair type as your mum, dad, neighbour, friend, cousin, school teacher, colleagues, boyfriend, the person on the street and the other 20M people in town, or the other Billion or so people in China.

Then, when you look close you realise, there are lots of things that the hairdressers manage to do with straight black hair. So I, 'take my hat off' (bad pun intended) to the efforts of the guys and girls of the hair profession. They do a great job of creating lots of good looks and different looks. Because after a bit of serious people studying , you notice there is a great diversity of things they achieve with black shiny hair.

I guess the competition of quality has also sporned the huge industry that it is. There's a salon on every street. They are everywhere. And, they use the traditional lolly pop signs as designators. (see pic), so you can spot them easily. And where these signs were once used for barbers, all hair places use them here.

Now at this point, I want to move to the whole concept of getting your hair cut in a foreign country where you don't speak the language. Unlike the restaurants, they don't have a menu with pictures that you can point at, smile and nod to. You have to communicate with the person that is going to take sharp implements to your head. A slightly daunting if not hilarious prospect.

As most people know, after 3-4 weeks, my fringe gets way too long, it annoys me, I have trouble seeing etc. Not to mention the split ends I have to deal with. So I am a regular hair cut sort of guy. (and quite proud of getting a hair cut for $12 in 12 minutes at the local shop in Brisbane).

So, I have been here for 4 weeks, making it 5 weeks since my last 'do'. So, it was time. I just had to build my courage and hope that I could pick the right salon (important point as you read on)and not stress if they destroyed my precious locks. A task I thought about for a week.

Now before I share that experience, let me share a "China Hair" story from Friday in the office.

On Friday, our CEO Jen, who is Singaporean (Asian) and a great personality, went out to get her hair cut. Jen speaks pretty good Mandarin (Chinese) as she's been here for 4 years. So Jen is confident enough to communicate. Well, she tells us in the afternoon, that she went to get her hair done. The hair dresser sat her down, and she explained in Chinese, that she wanted her hair straight not curly (it has a slight natural curl). The guy stormed off in a huff and another came back. He introduced himself as "Curly". Yep, 'Curly' was his name and the other guy thought Jen wanted Curly to cut her hair, so stormed off. Well, she explained what she wanted again and he proceeded to put the best looking curls in her hair you have ever seen for a petite Singaporean girl. Curly, gave her curls, all the while Jen was asking to have her hair straightened.

So the moral here is, 'even good Chinese can put you in a curly situation.'

This did not help my trepidations about getting my hair cut. Imagine trying to give me curls?

Anyway, I have returned with my hair cut. Not one word of English or Chinese was spoken between the hairdresser and I, but he did a good cut (I think). It's amazing what a few vocal noises (buzzing sound like a cipper) and actions can do for international relations and communications. I also had to show him which clipper I wanted as he was actually going to just shave it all off. (don't laugh!). Then after a diligent cut, a great 'hair (scalp) wash' and 'head massage', and a quick blow dry. Not bad really. I left happy, especially as it only cost $7.50AUD. (see pic of my local hair salon)

There's lots of different types of salons, (see pic below). This one you can get boozed at (saloon) and go right next door for your face lift. A quick trim and tuck anyone?

Now, there's another more exotic side to the humble salon in Shanghai. They are salons, you can tell because they have the same traditional "barber lolly pop" signs

I had heard from friends about these salons that have frosted glass on the front, or small windows. They are 'salons' of a slightly different nature. Some are also 'foot massage' shops, which are also common here. (see pics)











How are they different?

To start. At night when a good looking bloke walks past on his own, the girls jump up run to the door and beckon me in. I am not sure what they are saying, but they seem more keen than most girls I know, so that creates some suspicion.

Secondly, the girls are often wearing lingerie (see pics). You can see them sitting around knitting or eating noodles.

Wide shot (note the lolly pop sign on the left)

Close up

And, the advice from friends for these slightly odd places is that, you get a different form of 'head massage' with you hair wash. Or, a foot massage, for all three legs. A hair cut with a happy ending? Get it?

I know years ago, a guy set up the topless hair salon in Melbourne, which flopped (gravity works) but this is quite unique really (I think).

So, the hairy learning is; be careful where you go and what you ask for as you never quite know what you are going to get - curly hair, or a curly experience!

It's all part of getting your hair cut in a world where everyone has black and shiny hair. (Accept me, as I now just have short fine fluff left)

You're plucked

Eating is a big thing in China. It's part of the social and cultural fabric. So where do 20 Million people get their food from? It aint the farm down the road, I can tell you that.

They go to "Wet Markets." I guess they are called wet markets because, the floor and everything is tiled. It''s probably like the George Hotel in St Kilda. A place when at closing, they hose your feet so you leave. Thus it's a wet market (I guess)

Anyway, this is where you can get all kinds of delicacies. The fruit and veg looks OK, but some of the meat and seafood, mmm, I'm not sure.

One thing is for sure, in these wonderful little den's of Asian gastronomic desire, your nasal hairs curl. I am not sure what smells most the fish, the meat, or the chook shit. I just try not to smell anything.

There was an interesting article in the paper the other day about how these very local stalls even have prices for the 'Lu Au' (white man) and prices for the locals. You expect it in the tourist spots, but basically, if they can squeeze a few extra Yuan out of a white man, they will. I just expect to get ripped off everywhere as my Chinese is non existent, so that's the price I pay.

Although, I can get home in a taxi speaking entirely in Chinese now. (I am impressed with myself, especially given that my drunk Chinese is as good (as bad) as my sober Chinese.)

Back to the food. These markets, are pretty good if you know what you are doing, and they certainly show of some interesting food we don't normally see. And, it's always good to see someone killing and plucking a fresh chook on the side of the road.

You're plucked

Next?