Wanderlust Wendy

Evening Snapshots of Shanghai

The passing of the 26-year-old photojournalist, Camille Lepage, has been on my mind for the past few days. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her work, and what it must be like uncovering the untold stories in conflict-ridden areas of the world. Her life was unfortunately short-lived, but one well-lived. Camille’s inspiring photographs have led me to open my eyes and observe the lives around me. There are untold stories everywhere, starting from my own neighborhood in Shanghai.

Last night, on my walk home from dinner, I decided to observe my surrounding closely. I love walking in Shanghai. It’s a city that is well-designed for pedestrians. As I walked the same streets that I’ve gone down many a times, I noticed a different side of the city. It was Friday, and the city emits the energy that celebrates the end of a work week. People on the streets were generally happy. Juxtaposing the happy people were the street cleaners scattered around the city, busy at work, keeping Shanghai in its tip-top conditions.

The rain began to fall halfway through my walk, and there is certain charm that comes with a rainy Shanghai evening. The couples are walking a little closer together, and the city lights shine a tad differently.

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