Shanghai is like nowhere in the world. It is one of a very few places that just demands to be written with an exclamation point.

And now I am in it.

I got here about one week ago, to start up a three month fellowship at Fudan University, although I expect to be traveling about half of that time. (If only to prove that point, I will go to Germany the day after tomorrow)

It’s actually strange to be in Fudan, which is a bit out in the suburbs. They’re still Shanghai suburbs, so fairly electric, but without the density of people or culture you get near Nanjing Road, where I usually stay.

It’s even crazier than usual now, since the National Day golden week just started, and everyone is required by the laws of man and nature to come to the Bund and take a picture of the Pudong skyline at night.

I on the other hand, am being a fine boy and spending my day at the think tank, which does not refer to a piece of sentient battlefield armor. Not yet anyways.