Shanghai - Surprise.
Trip Start
Mar 03, 2005
1
18
235
Trip End
Ongoing
Shanghai,
China
Friday, April 29, 2005
The Bund is Shanghai's most famous street - their own version of Wall Street from the pre-Revolution era. Hence most of the buildings are either old hotels or banks with marble floors, high ceilings and roman columns. The Bund is also sinking, as many of the buildings have an obvious lean towards their neighbours that you can easily see.
Nanjing Road is Shanghai's second most famous street, however it is hardly old. Its predominantly row after row of new department store all selling the same items. They stock some western brands, but its predominantly chinese brands such as 'Playboy', 'Youngor' and 'Li-Ning' sportswear which features a blatant ripoff of the Nike swoosh, with a slight square edge.
One of the more memorable stores was the chinese version of the Adult Shop. It drew me in like a magnet, as I knew that there would be something in there that would appeal to my SENSE OF HUMOUR. It didn't let me down. There were various chinese lotions and potions, plus some dwarf size love dolls that looked remarkably un-human, and were only the bottom half of the female body anyway. It would be like doing it with female Tattoo from 'Fantasy Island' who'd had its head and torso removed. I had to tell FSQ to put his wallet away. Actually that's a lie - I think he was disturbed that I took him there.
FSQ and I returned to the Bund at night to take photos across the river to the newer section of Shangai, called Pudong. Its a Hong Kong like scene of towering buildings, including the Oriental Pearl Tower which was lit up like a giant sex toy, with a spike on top. I think that the architect's were inspired by the shop down the road. The Shanghai skyline is an inspiring site.
Shanghai seems to be a haven for beggars, who hang around the tourist areas. Most of them are pretty quick too for old people as they'll chase you. The saddest part is the late at night mother's who bring down their children to beg you for cash. The disturbing bit is that many of the mother's look quite well dressed, but seem to dirty up the faces of their kids so you'll feel sorry for them. Very professional. I do feel sorry for the kids as its a shocking thing for their parents to do. Kind of like a version of the scary stage mother pushing their child to be a performer, except instead of heavy make-up and "eyes and teeth darling, eyes and teeth", its 11pm and they've got grubby faces.
Wandering down Nanjing Road at night invites two kind of touts....
The first one is the "you want Rolex watch, DVDs, CDs, shoes, Adidas, Nike, Lady Massage, Man Massage....". Its amazing as they offer you fake Rolex watches (5 for 100 Yuan, about $16) right outside the genuine Rolex watch stores. I wanted to buy a fake, then take it into the real store and say "look I bought this yesterday, now I don't want a refund, but I'd like to swap it for a different model, is that ok?".
The second one is the pairing of two chinese university age girls who asked you "where you are going, where you are from". At first you think they are just students wanting to practice English, so you have a chat. But soon enough, the question arises as to "do you want to come and have some tea with us", and you soon work out that they want you to try out their small cakes as well. That's an afternoon tea gag I hope you know. Its a bit like being offered sex while walking down the Bourke Street Mall at home.
FSQ and I wandered down to Chinatown for the day. I find it unusual for there to be a 'Chinatown' in a Chinese city. The whole country is Chinatown really, they don't need to be that specific. The streets are older style than the remainder of the city, except for one section around the Yu Gardens area, which is older style chinese temple looking buildings, built earlier this century rather than the last one.
Our hotel is remarkably unhelpful. The air-conditioning hasn't worked since we arrived. They sent us on a wild goose chase for internet one night down some streets behind the hotel. It has become apparent that we sit on the border of a street of hairdressing shops that double as brothels at night. When we asked the hotel as to whether the air-con was working, they told us to open the windows. Open the windows? Sixth floor, Shanghai air pollution and noise pollution wafting in? Yeah, in your dreams buddy.
On FSQ's final morning here in China I gave the hotel manager a taste of some old style Western anger. Actually first I gave another staff member a blast who initially said he was the hotel manager but wasn't - he soon realised he didn't want to be the manager when I got started.
The taxi dropped FSQ off at another hotel so he could catch their airport bus. His, and mine, four star jaunt around China was officially over. I think he's happy to be going home now - I did say he was over the travel part of life but happy with the holiday part of life, and I think 2 weeks holidaying in China was enough for him.
The taxi headed off to my new hotel. Two star here we come. At least the air-conditioning worked....
There is nothing actually much to do in Shanghai. There are no huge ancient attractions, like a Great Wall or Warrior, nor natural wonders like Pandas or Karst Mountains. Its pretty much down to shopping, coffee, and cheap Rolex watches. So I did a little of each (sans the Rolex) by heading to the Xiangyang Lu Market (where everything was as cheap as chips), and by heading to Frenchtown (which seemed remarkably un-Parisian. It was about as French as McDonald's Fries really) for a Latte. I decided that my last day or two here in China was to involve as least contact with Chinese or their illogical activities as possible.
As I was ready to fly out of Shanghai, China provided one final act of defiant stupid logic. I had a handful of Chinese Yuan in my pocket, and went to cash them in for some Thai Baht for my one night transit through Bangkok to Cambodia. The bank told me that I needed to supply them with a copy of my ATM withdrawal slip to prove that I had obtained the cash in China, and not brought it into the country. As I'd checked my internet banking and thus thrown out the slips, I couldn't make the exchange. Hence the banker told me to "go shopping". Or I could take it out of the country. This was too much for me. I promptly told her that I would go shopping, buy her a present and she could stick it where the sun don't shine. I think she was confused, as she looked out the window and it was a cloudy day.
Sub note from FSQ in an email to me:
"Well l made it home. After you left me, l finally found the airport bus, which was parked around the corner with driver asleep, once managed to ask what time bus arrived at airport, was told 2-2.15pm, which made it a 1.5 hour journey. So I said bugger that and went back and got a taxi - negotiated 130 yuan and he used the meter which came to 147 yuan, tried to charge me but l refused and gave him 130, you would have been proud. Bloody Chinese."
