There's normally no reason to visit Big Thumb Plaza. It's a tribute to poor architecture, ornamented with a few [sketchy] expat drinking dens and the same bakeries available at any area white people like. However, this weekend offers something first-rate. As part of some promotional scheme, a bunch of French people and Chinese people joined forces to dispense copious amounts of alcohol, mostly wine, for free. It's open all weekend, and although I'm not really allowed back, that's no reason you shouldn't enjoy this rare moment.

Top Five Reasons To Cross the Yangpu For This

1. Fine women wandering around asking "would you care for a cigarette sir?"
2. No one seems to care about self-pouring.
3. Really difficult to get kicked out.
4. Some guy wandering around with a plate of salmon while more fine women play violin in the background.
5. That surreal moment when, as conspicuously-consuming Chinese swarm about with shopping carts full of wine, the thought occurs that "I don't actually have to buy anything, I can just keep drinking for free all day."

Big Thumb Plaza is located at DingXiang Lu and Fangdian Lu in Pudong near the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum subway station. It's happening this afternoon until Chinese people stop buying wine and foreigners get too crunk.

By Ian Louisell