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.

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.

Shanghai Maglev!

Finally found an overpass that's close to the maglev rail. It's somewhere in the middle of the track (which takes only seven minutes from Longyang station to the Pudong Airport), so it must have been going at maximum speed (about 40 km/h).

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.

Shanghai Snow

It doesn't happen too often, but this past week we had two solid days of snow. Taken on the way to work (Jinmao Tower).

Wild Kangaroos

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

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.

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...

Yan Village Update

It's gone.
(See Sept 1, 2007 blog)

The End of Yan Village

Yan Village, named after the Yan family that has lived there for centuries, or at least as long the remaining few residents can remember, will soon be completely vanished. Some of the buildings are over a 100 years old. Most of the village was demolished a few years ago, but now the 40 or so homes left standing will soon be a memory only, as the area is making space for new apartment buildings and villas.



Work is well under way now. Some residents are still holding out, hoping to negotiate a better compensation deal with the local authorities. One hold-out told me that he's not happy with the RMB 3000 (about US$400) per m2. Another elderly resident complained about all the different fees from the various government departments. Another person even claimed that she was being threatened by local gangs, and firmly believed that they had been hired by the authorities. A taxi driver friend confirmed that this is very possible.

Going Dutch

Believe it or not, these three pictures were taken in a remote town in the Shanghai area.
With 2 days left in the week-long May holiday, I biked for a total of about 80 km in nice warm weather (27-30 C), including a trip to Waigaoqiao today, which is located in northern Pudong. Together with the Yangshan port (also in Shanghai), it's part of the world's busiest port region.
Amazingly, right downtown there is a massive Holland Village being built (although "New Amsterdam" is more appropriate, I think), with Amsterdam-style housing and offices, a windmill, a church, and modern apartments.

Contrasting Neighbours

The rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.
Proverbs 22:2

Wealthy expats and poor garbage recyclers. In Pudong you see them often side by side. Even tough the gap is very disturbing, I guess you could say that they are both important backbones of Shanghai's amazing development in recent years.
These two pictures were taken yesterday, both across the street (one east, one west) from where I live.



If you are interested in helping the poor in Shanghai, pls check the Shanghai Community Center for some great initiatives (look under charities)