Happy Valentine's Day

I enjoy the Art of Travel more when I read more. I especially love the chapter IX On Habit and chapter VIII On Pocessing of Beauty. It suggested people to draw pictures of the world as a great way to help observe the beauty in the details and look at daily life as a stranger or visitor does. I read the chapters twice in Starbucks in the Super Brand Mall in Lujiazui. I also spent 3 hours to draw the Valentine’s Card for Wendy - it is almost a project as big as the Balloons Reach the Roof. Just kidding. :D

This year’s valentine’s day falls into the Spring Festival long holiday, while the previous several V-Days are many days after Spring Festival. For example, the Valentine’s day is the 24th day of second month in Lunar calendar in 2004, and in 2003, it is the 14th day of the first month in Lunar calendar. That means, some people will have the opportunity to stay together the whole day this year, while more may be apart due to the long vacation. That affected the red rose price. This year’s rose is only at the half price of the last year, which is about 6 RMB per piece [1] [2]. I guess it is due to many people do not go to office so the senario of dating at night with rose in hand decreases. Meanwhile, the production of rose was raised this year.

Valentine’s Day is a holiday adopted from the western tradition. Just like Christmas, young people like to celebrate these western holidays instead of the traditional Chinese holidays. I am returning to the traditional value of old China, and appreciate the traditional Chinese new years.

The Rose House on the first floor of the Super Brand Mall is another great place to enjoy afternoon tea after I found Ambrosia. Unlike other days, today, all the seats were occupied and there were no more tables. The servers said: “It is because of the V-Day”.

It is the same in Starbucks. Waiters have to ask the youngh couples to find a seat inside the store before ordering coffee. Every details in the store - from the special menu, the hand-drawing on the black board in the store, to roses on girls hands or decorated in the store, imply it is a special day - a day of love.