I got up early this morning before the boys woke to go out and capture some scenes of the early morning time in Shanghai…
Construction is happening everywhere - bamboo scaffording and cranes are seen across the cityscape. I’ve heard that at any one time there are more cranes in Shanghai than in any other city in the world.
Parks are filled with people walking, riding bicycles & scooters and exercising in unique ways, and with students in uniform on their way to school.
For those that want to know about the real basics, here is a view into a modern and clean but traditional Chinese public bathroom…
While walking through a Shanghai park this afternoon we came across the following proclamation from the Chinese government, which I think speaks for itself:
The Seven Don’ts 1. Don’t Spit On The Ground
2. Don’t Damage Public Property
3. Don’t Destroy Trees, Flowers And Grass
4. Don’t Trash Everywhere
5. Don’t Cross Streets Against Traffic Lights
6. Don’t Use Vulgar Or Obscene Languages
7. Don’t Smoke In Confined Public Space
Each day when I first wake I hear a multi-layered din that seems futuristic and Orwellian. First there is a low foundational rumbling from traffic and general urban activity. This is overlaid by a constant reverberating tone from one or more loudspeakers out on the street – some hawker advertising products or some paternalistic government drone intoning advice on how The People need to learn how to clean up their act (no spitting out on the street or in stores and office buildings, no cutting in line in the subway and in store check out lines) before Shanghai plays host during the World Expo in 2010. I realize that I actually have no idea whether it’s one or the other - or both. Then there’s constant honking from cars and a medley of sirens - police cars or ambulances probably, but certainly a variety of home-grown ones designed to warn and ward off other cars in the bumper-car activity that is Shanghai traffic.
