Favourite Photos: China!

Beijing is a great Chinese city.
Shanghai is a great city, which happens to be in China.

~Anonymous

Pudong, Shanghai, China. Any of you who know this skyline will know this is an old picture- with the amount of construction going on in Shanghai this skyline is completely different every six months.

Since I am away from my makeshift studio, I thought I would take the opportunity to post some of my favourite pictures from various places I've lived in my life. In honour of Expo 2010, I'll start with Shanghai and Beijing!

Sadly, My hard drive crashed and I lost a great deal of pictures of the three years I lived there. I still carry that hard drive with me, hoping I will one day find the right person to get that information out. (Here's hoping!) If I do, I'll have to repost my favourites!

I have a love hate relationship with China, particularly because the first three years of my living in Asia was spent living and working in Taipei, Taiwan. I remember one hot un-sleepable night where the power went out all over the island of Formosa. The reality was, that with a recent typhoon and an earthquake, a landslide had hit the main power station for the whole Island. We and everyone else in Taiwan worried that Mainland China was finally invading.

What's the difference between Shanghai and Taipei? Taipei looks traditionally Chinese, but is filled with Western-minded people; Shanghai looks Western with Chinese-minded people. I have been lucky enough to have lived in both places and won't choose a favourite here. I will say I did rather enjoy getting cheeky with my Shanghainese coworkers about living in the Republic of Taiwan though!

So in no particular order, or any particular reason, here are the photos I chose from Beijing and Shanghai. HangZhou and Suzhou to follow if I ever crack that hard drive.

Beijing Beggar, Houhai district.

Monks, Llama temple, Beijing. I was too shy to be seen taking a photo, so this one was off the hip.

Sleeping Girl and Father, Llama temple, Beijing. I love the Chinese. They can sleep anywhere. In Taiwan, people even slept on their parked scooters, and it wasn't unusual for a whole family to take up a couch at Starbuck's.

Shuhei in the playground, my favourite Japanese Student, Shanghai. We used to Sumo Wrestle on his mother's Iranian carpet, using the design as the game lines. I miss this little bugger. Who wouldn't?

Alex, My favourite Chinese/German Student at the Zoo, Shanghai. Alex and I both share a deep love for the Mini Cooper.

Ice Skater, Shanghai Ice Festival, a perk on a day where we took the kids on an ice festival field trip. I asked my coworker before, "Where are we going?" and all she replied was, "to show the children ice!" So here is some ice for you.

Chinese tourist, Fatty McButterpants, Forbidden City, Beijing

Pork Dumpling Makers (For Chinese New year, Year of the Pig) Yuyuan Gardens, Shanghai I am not a fan of pork, but I was a fan of these dumplings with a little soy sauce and ginger. Yum!

Dongtai Lu Junk Market Buddha, Shanghai. This was my shanti little screen saver for ages. Namaste.

Shanghai Bicycles and Old Men. And this is pretty much the look I got from old men all over the city, all the time. Loved them!

Back stage on Chinese New Year's, Longhua temple, Shanghai, one of my favourite photos, except I cut off his bottom foot. Bugs me to this day!

Chinese New Year's, Longhua temple, Shanghai, waiting to get on stage.

I admit somedays I really miss Shanghai, and I would really love a third crack at visiting Beijing and the Western Uighur Region.

Someday!

xxMelanie