Photos: Ordinary summer days for ordinary Chinese

Shanghai -- As the Chinese summer hits its heat peak, with temperatures well above 35 degrees C and humidity well beyond 60% and the foreign community bids farewell to all those who manage to go back home for at least a couple of weeks, for the ordinary Chinese people life - and business - goes on as usual, with no such concept as "summer break" and coping with the heat as good as they can.

Here on the 22nd floor, window-cleaners pop in and out of the windows of my office building.
© Silvia Sartori.

 

Right after his lunch, a taxi driver takes a nap, resting his feet on his car door.

© Silvia Sartori.

Meanwhile, cleaning ladies from a nearby compound line up on the road to dump the morning's trash. You can imagine how "fun" a job that is, with the sun at its highest and the accompanying trash smell.
© Silvia Sartori.

 

5pm: a local shop owner falls asleep while guarding his merchandise on the side-walk.
© Silvia Sartori.

6.30pm: the sun sets on us all, 

ordinary and "differently ordinary" people who spend their summer in Shanghai.

© Silvia Sartori.