Shanghai

I finally get to witness, first-hand, the crazy boom happening all over China via visiting Shanghai. This city is one intense place: floods of people everywhere, in combination with unbelievably congested traffic and a severe pollution problem. Rickshaws and carts are side-to-side with autos and there is no sense of order no matter where you look. The contrast between the rich and poor seems extra noticeable as well. High-end luxury shops are all over, but so are beggars (who are extremely aggressive). You really have to watch your purses and pockets because often times it’s a whole family of beggars. Mom and dad will verbalize the requests for money and have their kids tug at your sleeves and pants legs (which = opportunity to snag unguarded valuables).

I took plenty of pictures in Shanghai to help bring my observations to life, but the memory card with Shanghai pics got miraculously erased. Sad. Now I have to wait till my mom uploads her pics online (which may take weeks, if not months!)

In the meantime, here’s an intersting YouTube clip showcasing the famous stretch of land near the water, called the Bund. Highly historic with spectacular architecture (and notice all the branded buildings! And boats with digital billboards!)