From Korea, we sailed to Shanghai and docked right in the middle of town.  I have mixed feelings about this city.  When the weather is nice, it is beautiful.  Clean, spectacular architecture, flowers always in bloom, great food, great vibe.  But it is that way because the government takes “eminent domain” acquisitions to the extreme. 

Just 6 cameras?

They push out residents and build what/when they want.  The same happened in Paris in 1860 (that’s why it’s so beautiful).  When I first came in the mid 1990’s, the east side of the river was a field of farms.  Now it looks like Manhattan (see video below).So part of me loves this city, but I try to remember – it IS China, where personal freedoms are limited.  Just note the cameras on this typical street corner.

While there we rode the world’s first and only magnetic levitation train.  Instead of rails and wheels, it uses magnetic repulsion to lift and propel the train.  I did a science project on this concept when I was a kid – had to try it.  From downtown to the airport, we reached 268 MPH!  The concept turned out to be impractical and may be the one and only forever, glad I didn’t invest.  Then we went to the Shanghai tower, the second tallest building in the world (after Dubai) for an elevator ride to the observation deck before it officially opened.  The specially designed elevator goes up at 46 MPH!  It was a bit hazy, but the view gives you a look at Shanghai, the most populous city proper in the world with 24 million people.

Sixth tallest building looking down from Shanghai Tower

The World from Shanghai Tower

We mostly enjoy food, touring and music when we travel to new cities.  Others go to museums of all kinds.  Every once in a while, we do a museum, just to be culturally sensitive.  So I sought out a Shanghai museum that had modern art and dragged Debra.  Below are two exhibits we saw there.  No lie.  Now I know what I can do in my garage when I get home!

Fine Art – Plastic

Fine art – wood left overs

OK, now for your “little known facts” lesson.  Bet you can’t get all three right.

1. Why are the flowers always in bloom in Shanghai?
2. What are the people doing with umbrellas in the park on a sunny day?
3. Why does this little boy have a slit in his pants?

Flowers in bloom

Umbrellas in park

Split pants

Ready?

1. To keep the city beautiful, Shanghai hires cheap, country labor and re-plants annuals when they’re in bloom, changing them multiple times throughout the summer.
2. At the weekly “marriage market,” parents advertise their adult kids (men and women) in the hopes of marrying them off. Age, education, talents – this in a country with a history of internet innovation!
3. Slit pants on kids? Not as common as it used to be.  But, rather than diapers, the split allows kids to relieve themselves on the street!  Hope you’re not eating.  Despite may years of travel in China, this was a new one to me.

As always, a few video clips (4 mins) including time lapse of Shanghai nightfall, the mag-lev train, the marriage market, and the amazing evolution of the city.