Home » China » Shanghai, Beijing, Cheng Du, Lhasa

Asia - part IV (1)

Shanghai, Beijing, Cheng Du, Lhasa

Hector Yague
2005-10-08 20:13:52

Displayed times (last time: )

Shanghai

The Whore of Orient. That's how Shanghai has been re-branded over the years. A mid XIX century Western creation rather than an ancient Chinese city, Shanghai has become today China's second trading hub (and catching up quickly with Hong Kong), and economic experts point at Shanghai as the XXII century world's leading city, just as New York has been for the XX century, or London had been in the XIX. Indeed, the first impression I got from Shanghai as I arrived was: "where the hell is China here?" Due to all those manga cartoons and low-budget kung-fu films I had watched in my childhood, I surely had pictured China in a different way.

Shanghai is a capitalism-pumping clockwork machinery where skyscrapers and deluxe shopping malls pact the city's broad avenues. However, I must say that I have been positively impressed as of how China's approaching full development. Despite other Asia's capitalism-embracing cities such as Bangkok or Saigon, Shanghai is doing it in a very organized manner: the streets are clean and wide, traffic and pollution levels are sensibly lower, and overall you don't sense the chaos you'd feel in those other Asian cities. China is certainly doing a good job.

Anyway, I arrived at Shanghai Airport the 13th of July 2004 from Hanoi at midnight, 2 hours delayed behind schedule. Unfortunately, all bus services towards downtown had ceased serviced at 11:00 pm, so I had to spend the night at a 20 euros per night hotel nearby the airport. Not a good start. Actually, I was soon to learn that Shanghai and the rest of China's main cities are not as well catered for budget travelers as other South East Asian countries. It really is impossible to find a decent individual room for less than 15 euros/night, and going out is fairly pricey too, beers costing around the 3 to 4 euros mark easily and entrance fees to a night club up to 8 euros. ...