Adventure wild European in Shanghai.

This is my third theme. Perhaps it is the most difficult, because it is based on personal impressions already, so copy-paste (and gugleniya), as the main filler text will not pass.
Almost all my life I spent in Kiev. It is an ancient city with a very rich history and culture. Undoubtedly one of the most interesting places in Ukraine and maybe in Europe. I always want something new but due to many factors, including the innate laziness, it is not possible to go abroad and compare the "rіdnu Nenko" with other countries firsthand.
And then lo and behold, the opportunity to see a completely different culture, urgent business trip to Shanghai. This opportunity should not be missed! I became, for the first time to issue a passport, without the benefit I just could not physically do. Therefore, patient enough, though not without nerves "watched" my war with OVIR.
The reward for my efforts - was the opportunity to enjoy all the charm of an unusual climate for us, to feel other people's psychology. The chance to travel for 21 days on the steps of a powerful locomotive pushing a huge industrial monster in the future.
The volume of impressions after the trip rolls! We'll have to share his story into several parts, so as not to bore readers unnecessarily long text. Do not post information to score a decent separate topic.
So: Part 1, "The Adventures of wild European in Shanghai».
It will be a bunch of 41 photos and text.
The photo below shows the Shanghai itself (or rather Pudong Airport) filmed from aboard.





By the way, as far as I could see China from a plane, it's all about so built up as the Pudong. I have the impression that, from Beijing to Shanghai, one big settlement - looming rice fields and some industrial zones. Truth be told, so that only the densely populated coastal part of the country, and most of the land is covered by mountains and desert. In any case, I was flying above the center of this horde, over an area that shape the face of this state.
In the photo below the endless expanses of Mongolia. Do not hold back, the contrast of just striking.



The airport is huge yet reached the customs office, it took about 10 minutes then we were met by an interpreter and began to conduct intricate turns and transitions to a place where a car was waiting. In this 2 times and stop arguing with another escort, where to go. I personally after a second stop was completely disoriented, so we wandered minutes 10. Although it is possible if you look at the signs and get out to somewhere so choose.
In the pictures one of the transitions in Pudong. Somewhere out there in the street, and we waited for the car cool shade of the building hiding from the hot sun of Shanghai.



But figushki. In the shadow of the street is not cool! There is hot and stuffy, and everything 33. The shirt gets wet for 5 minutes, soars enormously. If the rainy season (June, July, August) and suddenly the sun came out it evaporates all of the many pools and creates an incredible feeling comprehensive steam everywhere! None of the shadow will not save. As cores lived in Shanghai during the absence of air conditioning I have no idea. Probably just bathed. In a few days we felt 39, and then abruptly turned cold to +29. You can submit 29 and the rain - showers. I can already.
We drove to the hotel 1, 5 hours Here is one of the many junctions Shanghai.



As long as get to the hotel - it started to rain. He did not bring coolness, it was just a little easier to breathe. Warm rain "mushroom." All cyclists in the area somewhere got hold umbrellas. In principle, then I was not up to the weather, wild sleepy. I plunged into the sweet slumber.
In the photo a view of the street from the hotel window, the window is of course not very clear and may spoil a photo, but it has a:



I woke up 15 hours on Kiev time. The difference with Shanghai 5 hours and in spite of the long June day - dusk. Pretty hot night wandering on the streets of the city, I saw a lot of beautiful illuminated signboards with some characters. Fires were everywhere, I liked it, create a special color and beauty. Even Khrushchev zanyuhanny local flood looked ornate and shining like a Christmas tree. By the way, we do not live in the center of Shanghai, and in a simple working-class neighborhood built in the 70's.
I heard about the many slums of the city, I wanted to catch the true life of the Chinese people oppressed. But nothing no slums in the nearby quarter. All malomalski small buildings of 2 floors were demolished. In their place were built huge buildings 25 floors covered with cobwebs of bamboo forests.



Went to the local supermarket, household appliances is not different from Kiev. Is it more expensive by 10% (if the Chinese) or 30% (if foreign) do Shanghai quite expensive city with high living standards. Perhaps you can buy cheaply in factories producing, but I'm not a fan of the new electronics and vyzvanivat all in broken English, or go to the middle of nowhere in the other end of town, there was no desire.
But food prices have surprised me. I saw a lot of new and unknown products. Pile some dried and salted. Around the bright packaging, with unclear how tofu or semi-finished goods, candy, or toothpaste, even rice was one of 15 types of pour. Vodka they had from 25 to 52% of the fortress, with a completely terrible gap in prices ranging from 6 and ending 900 s in yuan (6 yuan - $ 1). Tu 6 vodka that I took poison, by the way, it was sold in large plastic bottles 3, 5 liters with the price of 18 yuan. Here Fota colorful colorful local products:



The next day was Sunday. Let's go with the employee on the subway in an interesting market. He was not the first time in Shanghai got so without incident.
The metro was curious. In total there are 12 subway lines (plus 5 new built). Slowness lines 437 km (2nd in the world after Beijing indicator) Around there are machines to buy billets. You only on the electronic scoreboard to indicate the destination station and sketch money on the highlighted price. Print the card, which flows into the underground, and the output from the destination station will automatically "eat" the turnstile. Stations do not look as pompous as ours, but it neatly and practical. Still surprised that the entrance things shine through the scanner in the airport. And the people at the station were not enough though wagon train was loaded properly.
The photo below is not so hot, but other metro something is sfotal. This is one of the entrances to the station Gui Lin:



Around the shop is a small market, which sells all that, and in the room only much cheaper. Trade there should be specific, I shared the name of the price of 10 and went. 90% of traders caught up after this, pulled by the hand and asked to pick up, defiantly throwing originally named sum times 2. No one does not understand English. The numbers written on the calculator. Some annoying like flies, one shopkeeper ran me minutes 10.
Jade eventually I bought in the official store, stremayutsya take expensive vesche at such bazaars. Price in the store for a jade bracelet on hand ranged from 4,000 to 188,000 yuan. Traders offered from the start of 1500. I went into the rush of trading nearly 300 not bargained later interpreters have learned that it is a jade bead on hand for 4000 and it has bought more cheaply. Pushed often pressed jade dust. In general, buying goods then you need to know it well. Nazhuchit may, Mama Do not Cry.
Shanghai city road, it has everything, but cheap is only found in the province. But to get to China not to buy there jade, pearls, tea and silk - a shame.
In the photo the very disintegrated trade souvenirs:



The waste is only the wrapper. Shop itself is a 6-storey building. Each floor is dedicated to a certain topic. 6th floor- old coins and banknotes. 5-d is the brand. 4th - all sorts of products from bone and netsuke. The first 3 floors - various products made of stone, jade and jewelry all mixed up. The shop windows look like a museum. Trading is hardly appropriate. Maximum take off 10%, and after a long debate.



And then the work began. Fotkat there was no time. Only in the morning after breakfast and in the evening, after tough negotiations with the yellow-skinned friends. That less while in the Chinese media began poduchivat some characters and elements of the language. Carefully I looked closely at the home of our friends.
All the engineers, with whom we worked, was a personal car (not Chinese). In the apartment, these comrades have time to earn for a period of 1 to 3 years. I do not know, probably not so throughout Shanghai. Probably, because only in research institutes, one of which we have worked. But when I compare it with the capabilities of ordinary engineer in the Ukrainian Research Institute - I start to press toad becomes sad, and then the government still swears that "Proton" fall (in Russian science is developing as well as in the Ukraine).
In the photo one of the few traces of communism found all tomzhe gift shop. Banned employees, probably.



During the next trudovyebudnya, I ran in the morning to the market. On the market a lot of familiar vegetables, but there are beautiful plants. And full of every tofu, fish and some dried salinity.



Running out from the market he heard music and singing. On closer inspection, I noticed first the poor. Personality, it should be noted quite colorful. A man lying on the pavement, and barely moving his trunk - crawling, dragging a cart. I came the sound of music from the cart and pulled the microphone, which he assiduously howled his Chinese song. The song was pitiful, poor, standing in front of a bowl with a small change. To photograph the man's face - I thought it immoral and quietly ran past. Most vagrants located in the city center. Where a lot of tourists. How can this be brought to our RANS not Know.
Our staff in the previous trip was in trouble alms beggar. In addition beggar in his hand was an iron 1 yuan, thus it shows that the minimum size is the most handouts yuan. Employee threw him yuanё (sort of 10 cents), he was furious, jumped and climbed to sort things out. Then our delegation even went to the guard in civilian clothes and tramp growth under two meters very quickly calmed.



We are working without a break for 6 days. Do not care that the Ukrainian Constitution Day and Trinity. Chinese and spend their holidays celebrated it, we later learned that at the time of our arrival, they worked seven days a week, in principle.
Sfotat street intersection Tian Lin and Guy Lin. Traffic in China they cool. That one who has "the advantage of the movement", ie pedestrians must miss a cyclist, biker should miss a motorcycle, etc. Zebra Zebra is not on the drum. The car you will miss only if the motion is parallel to your other thread machines (the relationship between equal-adjusts the traffic lights). The most vile creature is cyclists with electric motor, they simply can not be heard. In this case any accident I have not seen! Although all traffic is incredibly intense. Shanghai - a huge anthill.



Most evening pictures - did not happen. Here is one of the most successful. Shanghai power lines. I think worthy of attention.



The next Sunday we have a day off. The Host consecutive help with the organization of our leisure time. He was taken to the city center on the Promenade des Anglais - the central street of the city. During World War II, Shanghai was almost completely vybomblen Japanese. The only surviving street, which is not dropped any bomb left the Promenade des Anglais. Shanghai was an open international port. When the British colonial authorities established themselves and become stronger in China, its center was chosen Shanghai. Embassies of all the European powers were on the Promenade des Anglais and the British colonial administration. Interestingly, when Japanese bombs rained down on the Shanghai port waterfront peacefully were British, American, German, Italian, and Soviet ships. The sailors of warring powers together quietly sipping a beer in the pub.



The Promenade des Anglais is located along the Huangpu rechki (a tributary of the Yangtze River) on the other side of the river is a new city. This part of town is dotted with skyscrapers, some of which are the highest buildings in the world. It is interesting that 15 years ago there were slums, the rapid growth of the city began after the reduction of taxation and liberalization of the economy of the city in the mid-80s, then ponarostalo ...



5 years ago in Shanghai, began to have serious environmental problems (he says now). The city is choked. Very adopted a policy of greening the city. Around Shanghai lit tree planting. These trees are already quite grown planted and carefully watered, so accustomed. It survives almost everything. So that the tree does not peresyhalo- he wrapped some cloth and props from all sides. For 5 years of Shanghai turned stone gas chamber in the green garden. It is a stone in the direction of Kiev Zelenstroyi.



Interestingly, the sculptures in the city are relatively few compared with Kiev. Basically animal statues, there are statues of dragons and athletes around the stadium, there are monuments of some events. I met only a monument to a particular person is on the waterfront Anliyskoy. Monument to the first mayor of Shanghai. I believe that the majestic party leader is not so interesting on this in the pictures it in the background. Much prettier wall of flowers.



Once again, the Promenade des Anglais from a different angle:



Then we went to the old city. The place for the tourists made of reinforced concrete and disguised as a tree, and the old days. There are a lot of traders. And you can buy a whole slew of souvenir natural bargaining is appropriate.



The old town is a lovely pond with fountains and greenish fish with some water. Next to the museum with a different name "Yu Garden" (garden of joy). Photos garden joy presume to lay out in the next part of my adventure.
Well, here in the photo - pond.



To readers not crept false impression about the fact that it was quiet and not a single Chinese:



On the same day we have to work caused by the Chinese. Something they did not receive and junk. Until late in the evening on Sunday engaged in repair. Well, I caught a moment, like urban sculpture, when standing at the traffic lights:



The following 6 working days have merged in the minds into one. Morning - work - dinner - night - morning. When suddenly learned that an employee dnyuha then rejoiced particularly in the evening and went to a restaurant. All expenses on the receiving side takes this damn nice. Bowl for our brother the divine word!
Vodka wildly in China and sweetish stinking smells something cloying and harsh. Another serious flaw in the morning after a too-drunk vodka smell everything! Sweat, urine, feces, breath brrrrrr, do not drink a lot of vodka Chinese. Although on the morning of her head does not hurt at all. Another Chinese bike told that if you mix the vodka with bile turtle, it turns out very tasteless and zaboristo. Pravda Vodka is black with greenish tint unclear.
But the statue of "dog." By the way the various dogs of similar appearance to the old town as "mud." Such is probably the Chinese, instead of squirrels mereschatsya))) Just kidding. I saw only one Chinese on fun for the entire trip.



After the regular work week, we went to a new city. We visited Shanghai oceanarium - is a separate issue which I intend to highlight the other side. Instead aquarium perched scenic skyscraper:



After the aquarium went to dinner at the Shanghai TV tower (another name - "Pearl of the East"). The height of the tower - 468 meters. The television tower height - 5th in the world (among televyshek). From the TV tower perfectly clear other skyscrapers such as Qing Mao ("The Golden prosperity", together with antenna 421 meters). Fourth skyscraper height in the world Shanhaysky World Financial Center (altitude 492 m), we called him "suitcase" for the characteristic "handle" on the roof. Still under construction Shanghai Tower height, which has passed for 500 meters (assuming that will be the second in the world with a height of 632 m).



At an altitude of 268 meters is the second large sphere tower. It is a restaurant, the floor of the restaurant rotates uniformly in a circle. The ticket price includes access to the Tower restaurant, everything except alcohol can take free buffet. Said the price of 240 yuan of fun for all dresses host
We worked a lot. But they fed us too specific. During the trip I recovered on 2 kg. Vit know that is not the future, and zhru. In general, the restaurant is perfectly dinner and admire the views of Shanghai (the floor is rotated)
Shanghai food is more European than traditional Chinese. Considerably less sharp and peppered though as they are for my taste this little bit overdoing (I like spicy).



still kind



Notice that all the pictures unclear? This could, in the summer in the city of smog and it's hard to fight.



and again views of the Huangpu River:



and:



Let's return to earth.







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