Shanghai, September 09~

It has been a few years back ever since the last time I visited Shanghai. Pudong international airport is still the same, modern, simple and filled with rushing passengers. But this time when I stepped out of the airport, the air is chokingly dusty. *cough cough*

*Construction under the flyover to widen the road*

The first sight of Shanghai city, the sky is full of dust and the air is much more polluted than the last time I came. Construction is almost everywhere in Shanghai, building bridges, flyovers and roads. Some are digging the roads to build underground piping systems. Almost every road is congested. All buildings beside the expressways were repainted, FOR FREE. My aunt said this is because China is preparing for the upcoming International Expo, which will be held next year May, an event that shouldn't be missed.

*Example of apartment that cost 3million RMB per 100 square meter*

In Shanghai, unless you are a billionaire, otherwise the most economic choice for accommodation will be apartment or condominium. However, they can still go by MILLIONs, especially those that located near to the city center. According to my aunt, 100 square meter apartments can easily go up to 3 millions RMB per unit. This is seriously ridiculous. That is why the lifestyle here is very fast paced. In the subway station for instance, you can see everyone rushing from one destination to another. Time is gold, every minute is an earning opportunity.

No doubt China's economic has skyrocketed since they opened up for international trading, but they are still relatively conservative when comes to politics. The government practically blocks all social networking and video sharing sites, to prevent extremities from spreading rebellious activities and influences. Well, this is a PAIN for me thou, because that means I wouldn't be able to blog and access to Facebook for a week. Thats a PAIN, especially when I thought of the possibility of losing contact with him for a week. Luckily msn is working. =P

*All sites blocked!*

With the help of Brian, I spent the whole night trying out different proxy settings with an attempt to crack into Facebook and blogspot. Nonetheless, all attempts failed. I think China people are damn ass smart, they even block the websites that teach us how to unlock Facebook. Duh~ @@"

*North and south directions of LouShanGuan Road*

Next, I found something very interesting about their road signs and direction. Unlike Malaysia, for one single road name, they are split into 4 directions, north, south, east and west. So if you are calling a taxi, better be sure that you know which direction of the road you are heading to. Otherwise there is a high possibility that you will be stranded in some unfamiliar places. And the worst part is, it may take another hour (by car) to go from one direction to another of the same road, thanks to the 24/ 7 jam in Shanghai.

*This showed how much I have shopped... LoLx...*

Next, my recommendation for all shopaholics, the end of summer and the beginning of autumn is the best time to shop for summer clothing in Shanghai, provided you know where to shop of course. They have plenty of most-up-to-date choices with ultra cheap prices. As China is one of the main producers for many branded stuffs around the world, often times you will find branded clothing at a unbelievably cheap price. So, spending is one of the things I did the most during this trip. Kekeke...

According to my aunt, "You will never go hungry in Shanghai." That's pretty true thou, everywhere on the streets, you will see hawker stalls selling local foods, you will see medium to big restaurants offering different cuisines, you will see big hotels offering steak and fine dining. No matter how much money you have in your pocket, there will be a place for you to satisfy your stomach and taste buds.

*China people are generally carnivores. China Carrefour is selling pig's digestive system in
a 4 degree Celsius freezer*

As for me, the food is nice, but it will be better for those who are a meat eater. This is because almost every meal they will have a proportion of 80% for meat, especially fried and grilled. So whats the consequences? I got a bigger tummy and a few days of constipation.

As a whole, Shanghai has given me a brand new experience, a rapidly modernizing city, but it is not a place that I will stay for long term. The pace is too fast and the people are generally more self-defensive and unfriendly. Plus the jam is too terrible and the air condition is too bad. I do like a city which is modern enough but with a moderate pace, friendly people and a lower cost of living.

Till then. Such a long post. @@"