If you’ve been following my blogs for a while, you’ll know that October is one of my favourite times of the year - especially in Shanghai! Why? Well, not only does the incredible heat go away but the mosquitoes start to die off (DIE DEMON BUGS!), making me a much more comfortable Nicole.
However, I have to admit that one of my favourite bits of this month is celebrating Halloween! I usually pass on the chocolate and candy collecting because it’s not my thing but totally delve deep into the costume making. I love dressing up my kids especially when it’s something hard to find so I have to make it (I spent a part of my first year here scouring the Cao’An fabric market for it’s single scrap of black fun fur for one costume). This year though, since last year’s rain made it a bit of a bust, I haven’t crafted at all because last year’s giant LEGO man costume has still yet to be worn.
So I’ve been forced to focus my Halloween cheer somewhere else: adult scary things to do around Shanghai! So far I’ve only indulged in two on my list, but that is because my husband, despite his confident exterior, is a bit of a pansy and won’t even watch the new scary Keanu Reeve’s movie with me. What a wuss.
My first stop was the Mr. X puzzle house. Some of you are familiar with this already because who wouldn't want to spend an awesome evening stuck in a cage with no foreseeable way out and everyone going: “No, the clues are wrong! We’re not wrong!” And though it’s definitely not Halloween themed per-say, there are some creepy elements to it. Like the room you stumble into with the skeleton, or the demon symbol on the wall room. I was once left in the demon room by myself once, and normally I’m not scared of anything, but I was getting some weird Evil Dead book of the dead vibe going on and very quickly replaced myself with another friend for that task. Whatever. I’ve seen the movie. I’m not taking any chances.
Second stop was a ghost tour with Newman Tours. I won a voucher at my son’s school for being awesome enough to legibly write my name and phone number down on a piece of paper which was then pulled for this prize! My husband and I went last Saturday on a walk around Jing’An with our guide David who told us about all of the spooky and scary things apparently lurking around every day Shanghai corners. I actually learned a lot: like did you know Jing’An Park was once a cemetery? Well now we both do! I have to admit though the scariest thing on this tour was by far the dark alley he took us down that you weren't quite so sure was puddled with thrown out water or giant pools of spit. It’s easier not to think about it. *shudder*
Next on my list this weekend is the PuluPulu theme park which I’m most excited for. This place is located down by the Shanghai Power Station and is like a permanently Halloween themed Mr. X. They do have puzzle rooms with scary twists but what I’m most interested in is the Haunted Hospital! My experience with haunted houses and Ben has not been very good in the past. Mostly he holds me out front at arms length insisting that it’s for MY benefit so that I get scared, and not at all to protect his jelly like interior from wetting his pants. This is exactly how I imagine going through the Haunted Hospital will be like with him too, only with more syringes and bloody nurses!
Lastly, I plan on visiting Times Grocery where I can take a look at the insane prices of carve-able pumpkins to give myself the biggest fright of all! Seriously - 125RMB!? Is the pumpkin lined with gold inside?!? Will it carve itself? Why is it so expensive!? GAAAAAH.
Hope you get outside and have a Happy Halloween too!
xoNiki
