Friday, November 15, 2013
Lighthouse with Hair of Ice
This lighthouse has been licking up the water from the lake. Cool ice formations. It's not China, but I'd like to see it here nonetheless.
Tree covered in Ice.
It may not be Shanghai, or China, but it's still cool to look at. This tree has a hose attached to it at its crown, leaking water that made this very interesting ice-berg-like shape at a park in Detroit, Michigan, USA. If you look closely you can see Windsor, Canada in the distance.
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Shanghai Feelin'
Shanghai streets are a cacophony of activity that just doesn’t stop. It’s a relentless, even aggressive energy. In each section of the city, a distinct atmosphere emerges. Traditional, modern, concrete jungle, dirty, unhealthy, fashionable, drab, commercial – all of these words mesh together with each street, district, plaza or lane. Each block of this Super City slaps you in the face as you walk thought it. Those walks range from leisurely, stressful, overcrowded, claustrophobic, beautiful or creative. The two negative variables that can turn your experience of a walking adventure in Shanghai upside down are Smell and Noise.
There is one part of this city that straddles all
of these thoughts and variables. The southern-most section of HongKou and a
selection of streets behind The Bund, buffed up with enormous German Art Deco
buildings. These imposing buildings stretch down narrow lanes that are packed
and ready to pop with ceaseless motorized bikes, people, small businesses, and
every now and then, a tree. It doesn’t sound relaxing, leisurely, beautiful or
creative, but this part of the City emits history, money, fashion, old Shanghai
and modern Shanghai. It is a melting pot often undetected by passer-by’s, whose
touristic radars send them straight for the famed Bund or shopper’s paradise,
Nanjing Road. That’s the best bit. Walking down these streets, you get a real
feel for life here. History stands permanently in the Art Deco buildings. That
mesh of European culture and Chinese energy give you a new picture of this part
of the world, and City.
As the buzz of Shanghai streets engulfs any pedestrian, so
does the city’s nature. There are not many trees, the streets are nearly always
dark - buildings block that out and the businesses are not stylish. They are
businesses of necessity. Plumbing stores, housing appliance stores, little bits
and pieces stores spill out onto the narrow sidewalks. On these roads you don’t
walk straight, there’s always a metal pipe, puddle from a leaking AC, bike,
Shanghai Grandma (they are the aggressive one’s) or truck pulling off crates.
It’s all about business but the atmosphere is unbeatable. You get original
Chinese enterprise with an injection of European culture. After all, Shanghai
was originally a small fishing port built up over the past 150 years because of
foreign trade.
You can set off in many directions, just following a maze of alleyways. You’ll find your neck craning, taking in the detail of the building designs, and imagining what it’s like to live inside. What does the apartment look like? Probably stylish. An ironic twist. Mostly, the exterior of these old apartment buildings are in desperate need of a paint job or brick replacement. It adds to the fun of a walk through this part of the City. People have to get creative to make a comfy home here. And Chinese are very skilled at doing that. Chances are you won’t get invited in as a bystander on the street. Instead you get to take in the energy of this part of Shanghai, it’s people, business and gardens. It’s a mix anyone is sure to enjoy.
You can set off in many directions, just following a maze of alleyways. You’ll find your neck craning, taking in the detail of the building designs, and imagining what it’s like to live inside. What does the apartment look like? Probably stylish. An ironic twist. Mostly, the exterior of these old apartment buildings are in desperate need of a paint job or brick replacement. It adds to the fun of a walk through this part of the City. People have to get creative to make a comfy home here. And Chinese are very skilled at doing that. Chances are you won’t get invited in as a bystander on the street. Instead you get to take in the energy of this part of Shanghai, it’s people, business and gardens. It’s a mix anyone is sure to enjoy.
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