Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Shanghai, Then Home
Now we are at the Pudong Airport in Shanghai, and are picked up by our driver.
Architecture of Shanghai: European style architecture, old British architecture, modern new highrise office buildings, highrise apartments for the lower and middle class as well as for the rich.
Huge malls for high-end shopping, small shops with loads of color, arranged neatly and aesthetically, and chatty store owners.
When walking on the street, you could be in Vancouver, Toronto, except that the populace is Chinese.
Fast, quiet, smooooth ride: We did get to ride on the Bullitt train to and from Suzhou. It reached speeds of 300 km per hour.
Architecture of Shanghai: European style architecture, old British architecture, modern new highrise office buildings, highrise apartments for the lower and middle class as well as for the rich.
Huge malls for high-end shopping, small shops with loads of color, arranged neatly and aesthetically, and chatty store owners.
When walking on the street, you could be in Vancouver, Toronto, except that the populace is Chinese.
Fast, quiet, smooooth ride: We did get to ride on the Bullitt train to and from Suzhou. It reached speeds of 300 km per hour.
Suzhou: This is the Venice of China. Toured through a beautiful park, and stopped for tea. Went for a sampan ride on the Grand Canal. Our oarsman even sang songs for us. Walked through the old town.
In China, it is who you know, not what you know, that gets you jobs and promotions. It also pays to know people who can help your children get a good education. This is known as Wen Chu and is very important.
Being unable to view CBC News or work on our blog was somewhat frustrating, however, China does censor web activities.
All in all, we enjoyed our visit to China, and now it is time to go home. Fortunately, our plane was late leaving Shanghai, and so we missed our connecting flight to Regina. Air Canada put us up in the Delta Hotel near the airport, gave us vouchers for lunch, supper, and breakfast. We went for a walk along the bay in the warm sun enjoying the green grass, the flowers, and the trees full of snowy white blossoms. We are so glad to be back in Canada.
The trip to Regina meant a change of planes in Calgary. During our walk to the gate that we flew out of, David is staring intently at someone in the airport--someone he recognizes. He says conspiratorially, "Isn't that the guy from "North of Sixty", the guy who flies the plane?" Anyway, David met Adam Beach from "Arctic Air". Meeting him made David's day.
We hope you enjoyed our blog, and wish to welcome you to our home if you are out in our area.
In China, it is who you know, not what you know, that gets you jobs and promotions. It also pays to know people who can help your children get a good education. This is known as Wen Chu and is very important.
Being unable to view CBC News or work on our blog was somewhat frustrating, however, China does censor web activities.
All in all, we enjoyed our visit to China, and now it is time to go home. Fortunately, our plane was late leaving Shanghai, and so we missed our connecting flight to Regina. Air Canada put us up in the Delta Hotel near the airport, gave us vouchers for lunch, supper, and breakfast. We went for a walk along the bay in the warm sun enjoying the green grass, the flowers, and the trees full of snowy white blossoms. We are so glad to be back in Canada.
The trip to Regina meant a change of planes in Calgary. During our walk to the gate that we flew out of, David is staring intently at someone in the airport--someone he recognizes. He says conspiratorially, "Isn't that the guy from "North of Sixty", the guy who flies the plane?" Anyway, David met Adam Beach from "Arctic Air". Meeting him made David's day.
We hope you enjoyed our blog, and wish to welcome you to our home if you are out in our area.
Shanghai and Suzhou
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| The architecture in Shanghai is impressive with thousands of buildings over 16 floors |
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| The first day we arrived we walked to this spot during the day and came back at night for this shot |
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| This is a cruise ship dock along the Huangpu river |
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| The Shanghai World Financial Center |
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| Three of the worlds highest buildings with the the one on the right unfinished but set to complete this year and the one in the middle having a hotel in it with the highest rotunda |
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| A view from one of the three tall buildings looking across to the cruise ship dock |
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| There are many tunnels under the river but this one offers you a light show as it snakes over to the financial district |
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| Smog in the distance |
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| This bull was bought from the New York stock exchange kind of a metaphor for the changing fortunes of China |
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| The old looking buildings on the left are a popular shopping area while the new buildings in the back ground show the change taking place in China |
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| A couple more night shots for good measure |
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| A lit bridge |
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| A futuristic building showing the daring design happening in Shanghai |
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| Eels offered in a restaurant and one fish in the fish tank was floating upside down |
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| We went back to school to learn how to write Chinese. Dale third from the right received highest marks and was awarded a small gift |
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| More views with the buildings in sight considered large in Canada |
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| We are standing on a large circular walkway allowing people to move around above the traffic below |
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| An acrobatic Chinese act we took in while we were in Shanghai |
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| That is a lot of wine glasses to balance |
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| The cast from the show |
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| Our ride on a Bullitt train to Suzhou would take us 20 minutes or two hours by car |
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| Karen my much older wife, Kim, our guide Esther,and Mette |
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| Proof we traveled 300 km / hr. The speed of the train is shown in each car |
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| Suzhou the Venice of China |
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| Friends enjoying their time together on a bright warm day |
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| Having our picture taken with the bride and groom |
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| Sanpans ( I tried paddling one but it is harder then it looks) |
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| Our capain who sang for us in Chinese ( reminded Karen and I when we were in Venice we hired a gondola and a singer and brought glasses and a bottle of wine ) |
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| We sure got lucky with the weather and season |
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| Kim and Mette |
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| Small but beautiful garden |
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| What a good looking couple of old fogeys |
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| Dragons on the wall |
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| Sitting here and drinking tea seems like the right thing to do |
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| Friends spending time together and enjoying the fine day |
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| A Banff kind of place |
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| A round picture of reflection |
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| Still waters |
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| A couple of old fogeys |
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| Eating sunflowers in the cafeteria and drinking tea |
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| Letting light and fresh air in |
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| Tea garden and Bonsai |
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| The old Fogey's birthday cake delivered by the Olof Salven's |
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