Total Eclipse with Chinese Characteristics

So there was a total eclipse in July. Longest total eclipse for at least a century or more. The path went straight through Shanghai. What are the chances of having clear skies on that morning in Shanghai, you ask?

Well, pretty slim. Actually, I think a snowball lost its battle in Hell that day.

But here it is, our total eclipse experience in all its glory!


Rainy day...


Rainier...


Is it getting darker? Or just rainier?


Wait, yeah, I think it's definitely getting darker...


I'll be darned. I guess there is an eclipse going on.


It's like nighttime! At 9:30 am!


Over so soon.

Rockin' the sun specks, even if only for a photo op.

There you have it! And to perhaps, ahem, eclipse our personal experience, a fun factoid: I heard tell that some cows lined up at their troughs thinking it was supper time when it went dark. Poor, befuddled bovine. I could relate, as I was hungry as well. So, I celebrated the celestial phenomenon with a sausage muffin at McDonald's. Think about it: a round of white English muffin covered by a dark disc of sausage? Yeah, perfect eclipse food, I know. (Okay, okay. I just came up with that. Truth be told, I was just excited to discover McDonald's in China serves breakfast!)

I plan to keep my glasses with me for all those unexpected flashes from welders around town. I'm not ready to go blind just yet.

Don't look at the sun, kids!