Illuminations in Yu Yuan

(and please don't you look at me like that!)

I found China!

After two weeks in Shanghai.. hidden behind yet another bunch of tall glass towers, and past two blocks of tourist shops, i found China!

I was starting to think they didn't have any left!

Random pics...

Allright, let's be honest, there isn't much happening here these days! So here's a little selection of some random pics i shot here and there..

Bund underpass to Nanjing road

City Plaza mall

City Plaza mall

On my way to work

Cool ad!

"What's-its-name" temple surrounded by glass towers

Ginseng tea

Yet another huge mall

Reflection of the government house on People Square

Reflection of an ad in Sintian Di

Reflection of the Urban Planning museum

Reflection of my hotel
..that's quite a lot of reflections!.. they're just funny i guess!

Fog on the bund

Shitty weather tonight!





The cool thing about these digital cameras is that you can shoot in complete darkness without a tripod! (and since they make blurred pictures even in day light, you seldom notice the difference!)

The land of the rising sun...

Trying to be a photographer in the land of the rising sun gives you two good reasons at once to wake up at dawn! And it's pretty tough for a late sleeper like me!

Here some "Shanghaines" performing their early Thai Ji session.

What shall i eat tonight?

One thing you get to learn quickly when you travel is "don't ask questions and eat!"... it even happens to be good sometimes!

Aside from the inconvienience of this type of menu, the hardest part about ordering food in chinese restaurants is that, chinese usually eat 4 or 5 bowls of different things together, so you're supposed to pick not one item from the menu but a bunch.. but then when you're alone you end up with way too much to eat!... this is all very confusing for a stranger like me!

Another thing to note is that when you ask for a glass of water (and you have to ask because apparently chinese never drink with their meals, except for soup or tea), they bring you a glass of hot water! Surprising at first but that's how it is.. in France it's room temperature, in the US it's crazy cold half frozen, and here it's hot! just got to know it!

The Great Firewall of China

In the midst of all this crazy high tech and unleashed economy environment I was almost forgetting the past -and present- realities of China!
Aside from being a very funny pun for computer geeks like me, this "great firewall" a reality which, amongst other things, prevents me from accessing my -or any other- blogspot page.. (this is also the reason why I don't answer any comments, for those of you who asked!)

... I was about to add a pretty sarcastic comment, but let's face it.. i don't have the balls! What do i know about this country? I may disapear myself, just like my website did!

"Light paintings" on Nanjing road

These neon signs are just never-ending fun!





And to end the evening.. "knocking on heaven's door" by a chinese band at the ARK's!

Zhouzhuang

I woke up at dawn this sunday..


To go visit the village of Zhouzhuang (pronounce.. er.. forget it!)

A very pretty -and very touristic- village 2 hours away from the city.. kind of like a smaller chinese version of amsterdam!!




Oh.. and for lunch I had a full Wansanti all by myself, along with "grandma's tea"!

I had to do it!

Well.. OK, now I look like shit! But that's what's cool with hair.. it grows back!

Shanghai by night..

...is all i get to see since i'm stuck in this stupid open space office all day! can't wait for my first week end here!

So here's People Square..








And Nanjing Road...

The biggest "china town" I've ever seen!

You would have guessed it, everything is in chinese! Everything but the brand names that is! It's all the more striking that they're the only words you recognise in latin alphabet..

As soon as you're out of the airport, the number of giant posters advertising for Budweiser beer, Buick cars and Hooters restaurants, give you a fair idea why Mr Bush is so friendly with his good old commies pals!
Then when you reach the new city of Pudong, you really feel at the heart of the "world company"! Every major western brand owns a tower here.. Opium has been replaced with electronics and fashion products but it seems to me that Shanghai has always kept its role of dedicated entrance port for foreign investment in China!

Flight AF114 Paris-Shanghai

It hasn't been 2006 for 72 hours and I've just reached China! Happy travelling year everyone! Having said this, it's been raining cats and dogs since i got here and i'm jetlagged to the core.. so i'll get back to you when i'm awake! Below some quick snaps of my first impressions!

my first chinese meal at the office