Searching for the God of Thunder..

The condo we live in offers pretty good views; and the builder has been smart enough to install glass panes that are robust to withstand typhoons - something that nature has been hurling with ferocity at Shanghai over years. The typhoon withstanding ability of the glass is also complemented with a pretty good insulation which keeps out the horrific wind screams, occasional shipping air horns from the Huangpu river as well as the revving of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Mclarens (my personal favorites) by enthusiastic drivers around.

I like it this way - the peaceful way. The way life should be : A man/ woman ought to be at peace, ready to pursue his/ her area of interest. Of course, the household chaos may drive you nuts; but as an option - I love the idea of living in a home which insulates external cacophony. 

Li'l Soshu: Rain rain go away

The glass does a good job - I see big ships bleating their air horns; I have witnessed relentless winds outside. However none of that is allowed to seep in and peace within our home is upheld.

However, there was one thrum that managed to wiggle through the insulation and creep into the home every morning. The thrum was powerful enough to cause minor vibrations in the glass as well!

Could it be Thor? Nah.. Avengers always spar aliens in US or western countries (barring that one off Wakanda battle). For some reason, none of the bigger issues like alien invasion, lost nuclear arsenal, demigods attack, etc. seem to affect Asia . 

Day after day, I tried to track the source by applying the science of logical deduction. 

Here are my findings:

• Ships: I see a 200k + tonnage ship bearing a Dutch flag - maybe it was bleating its air horn. Or its motor could have been too powerful. The next day there was no big ship or even li'l boats. The thrum was still there. So ships are not to blame.. 

• 
• Screeching winds? I have cycled back in screeching winds to enter our home with absolute peace. Windy day or not - that thrum comes in at 7:50 am. Nope, weather was even worse in the Fall & Winter evenings.

• Ghosts: Nope - I have heard that the way HK & Shanghai's real estate prices have moved; most of ghosts have migrated west to more affordable places in New York and Paris (Numbers courtesy: Statistica). 
  

The question plagued me for months - pushing me further towards insanity. More so because I somehow loved that modulated thrum and how it rose. The fact that I did not know what I loved sounded bizarre.

The answer struck me when I saw this green outrageous machine and loved the sound of it - The Mercedes Gullwing- AMG. If you are a motorhead - you would understand the art of correlation - about cornering with the same family of chassis, listening to the same family of engines revving, etc.. In my case, the latter was a sudden connect.

Sure enough, I darted the next morning - right at 7:50am. 

The thrum yes, an AMG engine - maybe, visuals - no.

Failure to identify.. However, I'll live for tomorrow.

The next day, clouds and winds played havoc. Though could not hear them inside. Then that thrum livened. I looked frantically.

Yes there it was!

Don’t see it?

Look again… Does that red square help?

Yet again.. Let me zoom it a bit for you..

And some more (the max my phone can zoom)

You see that pale golden dot - the one dwarfed by a Lexus van? That's the culprit: The Mercedes AMG G 63. a.k.a. the 'G-wagen'

Look at the pictures above again to get an idea of the distance. Bear in mind the insulation job of the apartment as well. And now think about it - how Mercedes and AMG manage to beat the ships, distance, winds and insulation to greet me!

So forget Thor. Yield to the thunder of that 4 L V8  spooling those Borg Warner twin-turbos.
The real God of Thunder is the AMG M-176 V8 engine on that 2 ton Mercedes beast.