What’s That Smell?
It’s official. The osmanthus blossoms are out and you can smell them just by walking down the street in Shanghai. One of China’s favorite garden shrubs, they bloomed late this year but are expected to be in full flower this week. So lucky you, if you happen to be in China this coming week, you’ll be able to enjoy their fragrance.
I personally love the smell. Some people can’t abide it, saying it reminds them of bathroom cleaner. It’s pungent and fruity but in a city where smells usually range from traffic exhaust to open sewer, I’m all in favor of a little “pungent and fruity”. I’ve got one outside our gate and sadly, I haven’t taken very good care of it. Still, it manages to bloom every October and every once in a while, surprises me with a December bloom.
Osmanthus is rare outside Asia, but you can try infused tea to get the flavor. But just in case you’re in the neighborhood, I thought you’d like to know what that smell is. Breathe it in! The exhaust fumes will be back soon…
Tiny osmanthus flowers perfume the Shanghai air in October. © 2008, Sara Naumann, licensed to About.com.
To whom it may concern,I have been in Peoples Square several times and also on Nan Jing shopping walkway. I was approached by a Chinese girl who said she was a student like me and asked where I was from(America)She said she was an art student and they were having a Art festival because of the National holiday. She asked me to come and see her artwork, Brought me acouple of blocks away to the 7th floor of a hotel to a room where a man was sitting and showed me several paintings which she said was for sale and would help pay for her school.I said I had no money and left immediately.Since then, I have seen others approaching people(especially tourist and foreigners) and I believe they are doing the same thing.I heard one man say he did not have time to go. I feel people should be warned about these people trying to scam people into buying stuff.They start a friendly conversation and pretend they are interested in why you are in China and lure people to someplace to get them to buy stuff.I hope this helps some one if this happens to them, they will know what they are up to