gardenyu wrote:
>
> My boss ( a pure US white man) wanted to visit China, he kept asking me:
> do you have enough hospitals?

It's natural to worry about, if you got to another country, especially a
developing one, what happens if you get sick.  I'm sure that the hospitals
in China are generally good, but I know some expat westerners who live in
Shanghai, who will choose to travel back to Europe or the US if they need
major surgery.

> But nowadays, you may still find many ancient
> sightseeings like the Great Wall, but as to Shanghai, it is nothing
> different from other metropolitans all around the world. Given days, you
> may find that human nature is quite similar, maybe a little different in
> habits only.You may find quite some pros and cons about China, but take a
> little forgiveness, it's with a 1.5 billion population.

I live in Sydney, Australia, but I have been to Shanghai about a dozen
times now (for about a week at a time).  I agree that people are people,
although some small differences can be quite noticeable (and annoying). 
For example, Chinese people don't do a lot of queuing.  When I'm at a
ticket window or something, and someone goes right in front of me, just as
I'm about to pay or step into the elevator or whatever, it strikes me as
being very rude.  But I know that it's not meant that way; it's just how
things are done.  A bit like how, when I'm eating and I hold food in my
hand instead of spitting bones onto the plate (or table!), Chinese people
I'm dining with will think me rude.

Partly it's those different "habits", like the fact that cars don't stop
for pedestrians at crossings, or the wild taxi rides from the airport,
that gives Shanghai quite a different feel to any Western city I've been
to, in the US, Europe, or Australia.  It has quite a different feel from
Hong Kong, as well.  So I don't agree with "nothing different from other
metropolitan (areas) around the world".

> As to the sightseeing in Shanghai. I would say you will find many
> architects realizing their dreams in China ( cheap labor!). If you are
> standing on the west coast of The Bund, on your side is what called
> "global exhibition", full of large buildings from different countries who
> invaded Shanghai before, but on the other end called "Pudong" across the
> river, you'll see all those modern miracles, like a huge TV tower, a
> 88-storeys building, etc. Ypu'd better arrive at night, the lights are
> just wonderful.

Yes, the Bund is a must-see.  Nighttime is best, but still worth a visit
during the day.  The only downside for me, in going places like that, is
that because I stand out as a westerner, I can't stand by the river,
looking at the view, for more than a minute or two before someone sticks a
wrist-full of watches in my face, asking "Omega?  Rolex?", or wanting me
to go look at their art exhibition, or asking to practice their english. 
It's much more relaxing to wander about somewhere less touristy, where I
don't feel like a target for scammers.

> If you have time, go have some good meals in Shanghai. We haven't had
> something called electrical engineering for thousands of years, during
> which we developed amazing cuisine styles. It is nothing like" sweet and
> sour chicken" and if you may spend just hundreds of bucks or pounds,
> you'll forget your "white bread" for the rest of life.

I agree that the food is good (and many styles are available in Shanghai,
including Japanese and Western).  I've regularly been taken for expensive
Chinese banquets, where the food never seems to stop coming, as well as
cheap places, touristy ones (think Xintiandi) and in between.  And yet I'm
never as thrilled by the food as the locals are.  My team there will look
to me eagerly for approval when they do something like giving me the
fish's head because it's the best part, and I try to be polite and eat
some - and yes, much food there really is delicious.  And yet I always
look forward to the Western food I'm used to, when I go home.  People
can't help but get a taste for foods as they grow up - even "white bread".

In fact, after the last time I went to China (May), I quite literally
enjoyed eating some plain white bread, fresh from a bakery, when I got
home, because I suspect that something I ate in Hangzhou really didn't
agree with me!  :-)

Overall - China is well worth visiting - if you've only lived in the west,
you'll find it really different - quite an experience.


David Meiklejohn
www.gooligum.com.au

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