18 August 2006
The Middle Kingdom: Part 1
I have been back in Japan for over 72 hours and have had ample time to reflect upon my two week sojourn in China, the cradle of East Asian civilization. China is a massive nation that seems to relish in its contradictions. Many of my preconceptions of what I thought China would be like were grossly off the mark. Japan, this is not, that much is crystal clear. I must confess that I know even less than I thought I knew before I landed in Shanghai's Pudong Airport on August 2nd.
Actually Patrick and I got our first taste on China atKansai Airport while we were waiting in line to check in. Some guy was trying to cut in front of the entire line, and outright refused when a leader of a tour group told him to get in the back of the line. He was relentless, although he did not attempt to cut in front of us, instead he got in right behind us, as the Japanese behind us were not willing to put up much resistance. That was my first taste of being in a country with no queue culture.
Upon arriving in Shanghai, we were greeted by my friend Sally and her niece Leilei. Sally, who lives in San Francisco, was visiting friends in Shanghai while her husband Peter was on business and was kind enough to take care of Patrick and I for the first week of our trip. We took the maglev train, hurtling at over 400 km an hour into downtown Shanghai and really did not have a dull moment for the next two weeks...
A few highlights from Shanghai would have to include the following:
1. North Korean food, complete with waitresses in traditional garb, sporting DPRK insignias, performing numbers straight from Pyonyang's top 40, as well as some Celine Dion thrown in for good measure.
2. Drinking along the Bund, the colonial waterfront of Shanghai, replete with some of finest examples of late 19 century art deco in Asia.
3. Barbarosa, a bar on an island in the middle of People's Square. It is where the who's who of Shanghai go to mingle and Patrick and blended in, disappeared with our knowledge of Mandarin, local customs, as well with some help from our more fluent, better dressed friends.
4. Old Shanghai. Great bargains. Beautiful gardens. A nice break from number...
5. Pudong. The new Shanghai, with the Oriental Pearl, Jin Mao building, a psychadelic tunnel, enormous shopping complexes, etc. Modernity in all its shimmering glory.
I will continue this narrative in a few days...
Actually Patrick and I got our first taste on China atKansai Airport while we were waiting in line to check in. Some guy was trying to cut in front of the entire line, and outright refused when a leader of a tour group told him to get in the back of the line. He was relentless, although he did not attempt to cut in front of us, instead he got in right behind us, as the Japanese behind us were not willing to put up much resistance. That was my first taste of being in a country with no queue culture.
Upon arriving in Shanghai, we were greeted by my friend Sally and her niece Leilei. Sally, who lives in San Francisco, was visiting friends in Shanghai while her husband Peter was on business and was kind enough to take care of Patrick and I for the first week of our trip. We took the maglev train, hurtling at over 400 km an hour into downtown Shanghai and really did not have a dull moment for the next two weeks...
A few highlights from Shanghai would have to include the following:
1. North Korean food, complete with waitresses in traditional garb, sporting DPRK insignias, performing numbers straight from Pyonyang's top 40, as well as some Celine Dion thrown in for good measure.
2. Drinking along the Bund, the colonial waterfront of Shanghai, replete with some of finest examples of late 19 century art deco in Asia.
3. Barbarosa, a bar on an island in the middle of People's Square. It is where the who's who of Shanghai go to mingle and Patrick and blended in, disappeared with our knowledge of Mandarin, local customs, as well with some help from our more fluent, better dressed friends.
4. Old Shanghai. Great bargains. Beautiful gardens. A nice break from number...
5. Pudong. The new Shanghai, with the Oriental Pearl, Jin Mao building, a psychadelic tunnel, enormous shopping complexes, etc. Modernity in all its shimmering glory.
I will continue this narrative in a few days...
