Fields of Gold

Biked 41 km through the Pudong countryside and encountered work shift change at a technology company, with hundreds and hundreds of young people buying food on the street. All are out-of-province. But what really captivated me today was the beauty of the wheat fields, which looked ready for the harvest.

Again, I wish I had something better than my iPhone at my disposal...

Spring Ride to Puxi

Missed two weekends of riding because of my Vancouver trip (where I biked once), but today the weather was fantastic (25C)! I took the ferry by the Yangpu bridge, ventured NE into Puxi a bit, and then back again by ferry. All in all about 43 km.

Old Chuangsha Home

Despite the rain, I am glad I made it out there since it's back to work tomorrow after the Chinese New Year break. The weather did not stop boys in several villages from lighting firecrackers, but for the rest most places were quiet since the majority of migrant workers are still in their home provinces. Demolition to make room for new developments have all been put on hold for now, and most shops were still closed.
South of Chuangsha I came upon this old home with an inner courtyard that had been restored. The young couple that lived there was hospitable enough to show me the inside of what probably dates back to the 1930s.

January Rides

Despite the winter temperatures this January, I've been out in the Pudong countryside on my mountain bike three times now, which feels fantastic. Yesterday I ventured NE, and covered some new territory. And as always, if I come across kids, I stop and chat with them. Special moments; for them, because it's probably the first time they've ever spoken to a foreigner; for me, because I can never get enough of a child's heart. Played some soccer with the boys in their yard.

Across the Huangpu

Had a great ride today; a good start to the year and my commitment to bike at least once a week. Did about 44 km; took the ferry under the Yangpu Bridge, then along the Bund, back across the Huangpu River by ferry again, and then along Gaoke rd home.

Magic Moment

I immediately pulled over with my car, got out, jumped a fence and snapped away when the sky turned yellow and a dark cloud hid the sun but not its rays. Unfortunately all I had at my disposal was my iPhone...
The towers you see (in Lujiazui, see previous post) are about 12 km away.

Pudong's Children

One of my favourite things while biking through the countryside is stopping in the villages and chatting with the kids. Most of them moved here with their families from either Henan or Anhui province, to seek a better life.

Preserving the Old

Biked about 34 km through southern Pudong yesterday and came across this Catholic church in the middle of a huge area which had been completely flattened. The building was completely empty, with only the walls still standing. I checked on Google Earth; only a year ago that area still had villages and canals.
On the map you see Shanghai's maglev track curving on the left. To the right of that and below the outer ring road (S20), everything is gone...except the church. To be confirmed, but I imagine this church was related to the Tangzhen Church, which was built in 1898.
(See http://vansteenblogen.blogspot.com/2007/01/winter-ride.html)

Wild Kangaroos

No, not something I saw on one of my bike trips in Pudong, but on a recent trip to Australia...

Blog Unblocked!

I am staying in a hotel in Guangzhou and to my surprise Blogger is not blocked here, so here a blog entry, the first one in four months...On my home computer I've got tons of good pictures, but I'll have to do with some that I have on my work laptop.
The Pudong landscape continues to develop at an astronomical pace, especially with the World Expo less than a year away and as the Shanghai Disney Park rumours just won't go away. Villages are being demolished, elevated highways and skyscrapers are being built frantically, and real estate prices continue to rise despite the global economic downturn. I still bike every weekend, and witness Pudong change in front of my eyes; never a dull moment. And yet, on my way I most enjoy speaking to the local villagers and watching the harvest or a simple lotus, as on last week's ride.

Biking through a Village in Tangzhen

At last; my first video! Perhaps only of interest to those who have biked this short route, it's located in the town where I live (Tangzhen, or Tangtown). The large church near the end was built by a French Jesuit in 1898, closed during the Cultural Revolution (served as a warehouse for agricultural machinery), and completely restored about three years ago. Services are still being held and the church has become a popular backdrop for wedding pictures.
Unlike the church, the village i biked through probably won't be around in a few years. Tangtown is undergoing major development; old homes are being demolished everywhere, making space for new apartment buildings, shops, and a subway station.

Shanghai Spring

Beijing

A few pics of my 2-day trip to Beijing:

Zhongnanhai; China's White House, Kremlin, Buckingham Palace

Terminal 3, which just opened last month; world's largest airport terminal (3x the size of Heathrow)

Shanghai's Pudong from the air; despite the clear sky quite hazy, probably because of the pollution and the fact it was taken through the plane's window

Mickey in Chuansha?

What was unofficially official for months, or even years, is now official: Disney plans to build a them park near the town of Chuangsha, in Pudong. All that remains is approval from the central government. Located only several kms from where I live, I decided to explore this city further. (See here for some previous pictures.)
The 200,000+ inhabitants are mostly blue collar, and I was told that until not too long ago, local gangs ruled the streets. Fortunately, that's improved significantly. Nevertheless, there's still some cultural places; on my journey today, I came across a handful of buildings that reflect the city's many ideologies of the past century.
I first biked to Chuansha's public park, with its large pagoda. Then on to a revolutionary war memorial (I was the only visitor), followed by a visit to the former home of one of Chuansha's famous political figures, Huang Yanpei. I then stumbles upon an old Catholic church (built by French Jesuits in 1874) and a small Protestant church, built by American missionaries in 1935), both hidden in obscure small alleys. The Protestant congregation had grown to over a thousand worshipers, so they now rent a large warehouse nearby, hoping and praying to find a piece of land for their own building in the future. They also told me proudly that Song Meiling was born nearby the church building in Chuansha. One of China's three famous sisters (all educated in Shanghai and the USA), she later married Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Nationalist Party, and played a influential role in Chinese politics and history.

Doing the rounds: eatable grass, scrap metal, and highway poles

Saturday was a beautiful day (about 15 C) and at last I got to bike around Tangtown to re familiarize myself again and see what changes could be detected in the last 2 months. Nothing out of the ordinary; stopped by the usual bike repairman to add some air to my tires; "Long time no see," he said in Mandarin with a strong accent. I then came upon a field where they were harvesting a grass type that goes into certain dumplings, they explained to me. Sells for RMB 1 per jin (500 g) on the market. Soon after I can across an older man with a metal detector on a pile of rubble. The scrap metal also goes for about RMB 1 per jin. But perhaps the most remarkable was the new highway that had been paved, but the electricity poles were still right in the middle of it. While not officially open, I witnessed some confused drivers trying to maneuver through them...And now you know the latest of the Tangtown neighbourhood...

Tao, Croquet, and Steamed Buns

First the flu, then incessant rain, and now add a sprained ankle to that. January has turned out to be a disastrous month for biking, and I probably won't hop into the saddle again until after Chinese New Year (mid-Feb). So here a few more pics of last month's rides:
The Tao Hotel is in the middle of nowhere (an industrial area in Pudong), which according to its website "is the classical architecture Tao with a 100 year history. It covers an area of 1600 square meters. It was elected by the United Nations UNESCO Asia/Pacific Region as an applicant for cultural heritage protection." It's located right next to a modern business hotel, and the receptionist gave me a tour of the ancient and serene place. Well decorated but the old wood made it a bit too musty.

And pictures of a shy lady selling steamed buns (took this while biking past;spot the lady) and some village folks playing croquet...

Tangtown

Tangtown in Pudong is undergoing rapid development; about half of the town is being demolished and new buildings are springing up everywhere. According to the town's website, there are ambitious plans to turn this region into a major transportation hub and one of Shanghai's five designated areas for foreigners. Not that foreigners are limited to where they can live nowadays, but big villas are in an abundance. What is supposed to really transform this town is the new subway station (line #2), which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2009 (give or take a year or two, is my experience).
Apart from that, it's been a frustrating month for biking; I either had a cold or it was pouring rain. Knock on wood for this coming weekend...

Rural Pollution & Kids

Despite the sudden cold front that's blowing in from the NW, two neighbours and I still hopped on our bikes and rode about 23 km in zero degree temperatures. We ventured through as many small villages as possible, to protect ourselves from the fierce wind. As much as I appreciate the natural beauty of many rural landscapes, it's disturbing how some locals pollute the land and rivers right in their own backyard. Perhaps decades of non-ownership has taken away all sense of environmental responsibility, and/or because many people here are migrants from other provinces and they see their surroundings as a temporary abode anyway.



On a more positive note, the rural kids are very friendly, and unlike their parents, seem less fazed about seeing a "Foreign Devil" pass by. We stopped on the way and watched a few kids play a marble & card combo game. "Good morning," said one of them, probably using his English with a foreigner for the first time.

Business Travel

While traveling an average of two times a month to China's major cities, you see so many places and moments where you wish you had your camera handy or could stop the taxi to have a closer look. Below a few pics of recent trips to Beijing and Tianjin.
- At the Beijing airport; taking the bus to the plane
- The Bird's Nest, Beijing's new Olympic stadium
- Over Pudong
- Plenty of comfort inside the new Beijing-Tianjin speed train
- A three-wheeler in Tianjin