China 2007

View from building under construction (2004)

View from condo
It's amazing how fast they erect buildings in China. New buildings: immediately to the right of the Cosco building, and two left from Oriental Pearl TV Tower. I'm glad to see that the buildings are lined up according to height anymore.

View from Oriental Pearl TV Tower
The condo's to the right of the BM building.

Egg crêpe

Egg crêpe
It would have been more delicious if the woman wrapped it in paper rather than plastic.

Outside Qibao

The entrance to Qibao

Grilled meat vendor
Considering how China is the birthplace of paper, they're sure stingy with it, requiring you to bring your own to the toilet. At least it comes free with every purchase of grilled meat.

Takoyaki in Qibao
I thought takoyaki was Japanese, but what do I know...

Plaque for business ettiquette
Highlighting the rudeness of the Chinese is this plaque that they hang for all to see, showing you how (and how not to) speak to customers.

Buddha busts for sale

Chenghuang Temple
Not really a temple anymore, but a place for people to shop and sample traditional Shanghainese food...

Chenghuang Temple
...for example, KFC and Häagen-Dazs

Loungers

The chicken restaurant

Oriental Pearl TV Tower
This thing is far spacier than the Space Needle.

At the base of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. Word.

Schematic of TV Tower

Stay tuned...
The builders of the tower are nice enough not to keep you in suspense too long. You only need to walk up a few stairs to see the next exciting episode!

Fake Bund at night

Real Bund at night

Fake Bund during day

Real Bund from TV Tower

Yang's Fry-dumpling
Even the sign outside approves!

Yang's Fry-dumpling
There's at least four different people working on each delicious dumpling.

Ark
Shanghai's "best" venue for live music has this cover band on most nights.

Visual menu at fancy restaurant
The menu's somewhat misleading. The food isn't stacked when you get it, and a plate of food turns out to be a soup. Note the maid outfit and ponytail in the reflection.

Zhouzhuang
(One of the many self-proclaimed Venices of the east.)

Zhouzhuang
Lots of people were confused by my shirt which says "Chinese is not my native language", which I don't think needs any explanation. The clouds are a bit confusing, though.

Local fish of Zhouzhuang
Some people like them, some don't. I'd say they're the mackerel of the river; they taste like freshwater fish, but just very much so.

Boat ride in Zhouzhuang

Boat rower

Woodworker sawing furiously

Carved fragrant wood
I was disappointed to hear that the woodworker actually uses a milling machine for production pieces.

A spinner (I don't know how tall she is)
I didn't want to try asking this woman if the shirts were actually the fruit of her loom.

Rock

The twin bridges of Zhouzhuang