A Taxi Riders' World

L--, S-- and I hopped a taxi to Thumb Plaza this morning to meet a group of moms. Thumb Plaza fits into the new American wave of malls, shops stacked two stories high and circling a large outdoor courtyard. We lunched at Moon River Diner, where the back of the t-shirts proudly exclaim "no chopsticks necessary," and the high chairs just keep on coming. Also located at Thumb Plaza were lovely coffee shops, restaurants and bakeries as well as household, grocery and many other useful stores. A short walk away we found a small book shop stocked with both American and Chinese language children's books and a large supply of Crayola crayons and paints. Each book was priced so low, I felt the urge to leave quickly before they realized how vastly I underpaid. We bought 2 board books and 4 picture books - Curious George, Kevin Henkes and the like - for 95 RMB, or about USD$12.

Neither of these are within walking or Metro distance.

The more I explore, the larger my walkable world becomes. But still, with the choice of playgrounds and green grass within easy walking distance it becomes inevitable that the stores and restaurants are a bit of a hike. I don't feel that we need a car full-time, and hiring on a daily basis is hit-or-miss by availability. Plus, hiring a car for the day costs around $50 while two taxi rides costs under $6. Economics ought not drive decisions regarding my children's safety, but maybe they can place a close second?

This is not something I want to give in on. But my world feels so small right now, which seems a shame in such a large and vibrant city.