So my day began with a rather nice breakfast - for the money paid this is a pretty good hotel I think - which is weird for an Accor - my experiences with them to now have been iffy, but I am cheap when it comes to hotels, I want it all for little money and this one nears that lofty goal... Outside is the Rail Station, and the optical market is next door, ground floor full of camera and lens shops, second floor second hand cameras, third floor make up and lights and those above optical shops. The 25 dollar glasses are bad frames and simple prescriptions, my prescription is complex, so one pair progressives with titanium frame, one pair prescription sunglasses polarized, one pair readers with nikon frames set me back $350. Not a bad price, but not the huge savings I hoped for... oh well, was fun, pick them up later this week. This is a good place to see people just in 'from the sticks' - they come to the big city from the country - you can tell by clothes and baggage, and this is where they stare at white people - yes, I did just land on a space ship... yes, look much harder and I will laser you with my ray gun...
I was a little late getting going today because United Airlines saga still isn't done quite yet, sure they fly me to Calgary Dec 1st, but the ticket onward from there is dated the day before... you have to laugh, they are chaotic! When you speak to them, they never seem surprised... my tranquilizers are now worn off, so I can be more objective in looking at the saga... it's still a waste of time to fix though.
People's Square is a central point, the unique Shanghai Museum is below. Two young girls asked me to take their picture here, said they were from Xian then launched into "we are going to a tea ceremony, want to come with us?" Which is one of the biggest scams in Shanghai. The tea ends up costing lots and thugs appear making you pay apparently so I am thinking best not to go :) They really need cuter girls on this con if they want it to work though - these two look like they had been at the crystal meth for a while. Yes, I am fully aware what I look like in the mirror, but I am not trying to lure people into expensive tea ceremonies thanks very much.
But David is too clever for all these con men and women, there are plenty just as Damiao had warned. Actually on this one single day I was offered everything from fake watches to sex, more than once, one guy wanted to learn English, the girls with their tea con, I guess I have "stupid tourist" written all over me. I did buy a funny small kite from a woman who was very nice and I felt sorry for her, and a man selling funny rubber things you throw on the ground, they go splat then regain their shape... as I said "Stupid Tourist" written all over.
Nanjing East, above, is a pedestrian only shopping mall basically, with trolley cars for tours, so much for pedestrians only. Just off Nanjing though and it looks more normal for Shanghai.
The Apple store is packed with Monday morning shoppers...
This is taken from "The Bund" - a stretch of old Shanghai that in the 1920's was the Havana of the East. Now full of swank bars, banks and tony restaurants. They all have this view, the new Shanghai - Pudong. The building with the carry handle on top is where I am aiming for, but the haze is awful... there's an observation deck on that handled building, 100 floors up, and it may not be worth it if the haze doesn't shift.
This little bend in the Huangpu river is now probably the most iconic image of Shanghai.
On the ferry that goes over to the other side, I noted to two Australians how their is little excrement on the sidewalks from dogs. I only saw one pet pooch. The male half of the Australian couple suggested they have all been eaten, which seems a little harsh, but his other half, well she laughed. On the subway they had cute clips of kittens playing on the video screens... do Shanghainese like pets? I see none downtown, but millions of apartments.
Below is the The Bund. The high today was 15C. That must be cold for here as they are all wearing 'puffy' coats, the in thing. They would be cool, except they are all very shiny. The ones in Uni Qlo, roll up into tiny bags to store... not sure they are up to a central Canada winter, but what the hey. Everyone here thinks they are in the deepest winter weather.
This is the handled building, a financial centre building with expensive mall attached.
J-Life is the Taipei 101 ripoff design and they are building another huge monstrosity right next door. Pudong is all new buildings, which is interesting but sad, where is old Shanghai? When I went to get a ticket for the observation deck, they said it was poor visibility, so maybe I will return another day.
Oriental Pearl Tower is below, a very odd looking tower really - but a landmark in Pudong. An Apple store right next door as well as many McDonald's, Starbucks, KFC-Pizza Huts - there are a lot here. I will confess I ate at McDonald's for very late lunch today, no idea of the time, really wanted the coffee, the chicken filet burger was quite awful - even for McD's.
The sun sets early, and like an idiot, right after sunset I took the subway home - the subway was PACKED, so much so, I thought I wouldn't get out of the car at my station - they all pile in and push, no manners here it seems - it's all me, me, me and anything left over, well you can guess who gets it. That of course clashes with the concept of Asian Grace and Propriety, in modern Shanghai, I think it's dead. I will go out in a bit to eat when the traffic dies - in the mean time I am doing this...
Apart from all the real estate and shops, there is still life in the Huangpu River, and the sunset, tamed by the humidity and smog, made for an interesting contrast with the communist party red star over The Bund.
Huge barges toodle up this river carrying who knows what - no doubt all fuel for the massive manufacturing of this country... look at all this concrete, thank you Wal-Mart!
The lights come on over Pudong:
And The Bund:
Asia wouldn't be Asia without the multi colour LED lamp, and there seems to be no shame in how they are used... Kitch or eye sore? As I get older, I find them more offensive somehow.
I am not sure why the Oriental Pearl Tower wasn't lit up... seems rather dark. But the haze is still there.
And here is Nanjing East at night: Nanjing West reminds me or Orchard Road. Shanghai captures a little bit of Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong in it's reach to re-invent itself...
Back at the Grand Mercure, this is my little room. I like it. The boxes of garbage bags - duly inspected by the US TSA on the way over - are for Damiao and his wife, I am not insane bringing Costco-Kirkland products back to China.
Neat, huh?
Well that is first night and first day in Shanghai. Jade temple tomorrow and some planning to get out of the city for a bit! Have a great day in - 20 or whatever, brrrrr, +15 is sooo cold...
