Shanghai is the world's most populous city (at least according to some websites) with over 21 million people. It has a slightly bigger population than Beijing however it's on a much smaller footprint which means it's quite dense. Every building reaches for the sky and most people live in hi-rise apartments. Shanghai also seems to have more foreigners than Beijing living in the city. Other comparisons with Beijing are that it also feels clean and safe, and there doesn't seem to be graffiti anywhere (its amazing the threat a firing squad has on hooliganism). I have heard however that theft is still quite common (bag-snatching etc).
Driving a car in this city is a luxury. You can buy a car easily enough but what you can't buy is a number plate. These are sold by auction by the State. Current price is about $,7500 USD. Some people buy plates from out-of-state which is fine up to a point, and that point is that out-of-state plates are not allowed on above-ground freeways or bridges. They can only be driven at ground level or underground. Presumably they photograph plates in areas where they shouldn't be.
Being a pedestrian in this city is just as hazardous as in Beijing. Rule of thunb: NEVER EVER assume they are going to stop for you, even if the signal says "WALK." The same goes for buses - they have the right of way.
And Spitting! If there is one thing that Chinese people aren't bashful about, it's spitting. They LOVE to spit! I don't know if it's the bad air or if it's just not a big deal to them but I see them doing it all the time. They aren't embarrassed about getting it from deep down in their throat either. I have read that the Chinese government asked Chinese tourists when travelling overseas to refrain from spitting due to the negative reactions it was generating from the locals.
Another gross thing I notice is that Chinese people sometimes blow their nose without a tissue in public. Not the kind of thing you want to see right before you have lunch...or shake hands with them.
Another peculiarity of Chinese people is they don't like waiting in lines. If you aren’t paying attention people will zoom right past you even if you are in front of them in the line. In fact, today as soon as the seatbelt sign went off when the plane landed I must have blinked (and I'm certain I heard a slight whooshing sound too) because I looked up and all the Chinese people on the plane had already stood up and were in the aisle. Two seconds I swear! Even the guy next to me was almost in my lap trying to get into the aisle and was slightly miffed that the gaijin in the aisle seat was still sitting down. It is a little bit annoying for foreigners who are used to respecting lines, but I guess that is part of travelling to other countries.
One of the most striking buildings on the skyline is the Shanghai TV Tower (pictured above).
As I'm a tower junkie, one of the first things I did was buy a ticket and ascend. Unfortunately the weather wasn't great today so the view was a little cloudy. The tower has a glass floor so just to freak out those of you who get vertigo, I've included a photo of my feet enjoying the view down below.
Driving a car in this city is a luxury. You can buy a car easily enough but what you can't buy is a number plate. These are sold by auction by the State. Current price is about $,7500 USD. Some people buy plates from out-of-state which is fine up to a point, and that point is that out-of-state plates are not allowed on above-ground freeways or bridges. They can only be driven at ground level or underground. Presumably they photograph plates in areas where they shouldn't be.
Being a pedestrian in this city is just as hazardous as in Beijing. Rule of thunb: NEVER EVER assume they are going to stop for you, even if the signal says "WALK." The same goes for buses - they have the right of way.
And Spitting! If there is one thing that Chinese people aren't bashful about, it's spitting. They LOVE to spit! I don't know if it's the bad air or if it's just not a big deal to them but I see them doing it all the time. They aren't embarrassed about getting it from deep down in their throat either. I have read that the Chinese government asked Chinese tourists when travelling overseas to refrain from spitting due to the negative reactions it was generating from the locals.
Another peculiarity of Chinese people is they don't like waiting in lines. If you aren’t paying attention people will zoom right past you even if you are in front of them in the line. In fact, today as soon as the seatbelt sign went off when the plane landed I must have blinked (and I'm certain I heard a slight whooshing sound too) because I looked up and all the Chinese people on the plane had already stood up and were in the aisle. Two seconds I swear! Even the guy next to me was almost in my lap trying to get into the aisle and was slightly miffed that the gaijin in the aisle seat was still sitting down. It is a little bit annoying for foreigners who are used to respecting lines, but I guess that is part of travelling to other countries.
One of the most striking buildings on the skyline is the Shanghai TV Tower (pictured above).
As I'm a tower junkie, one of the first things I did was buy a ticket and ascend. Unfortunately the weather wasn't great today so the view was a little cloudy. The tower has a glass floor so just to freak out those of you who get vertigo, I've included a photo of my feet enjoying the view down below.Shanghai sits at the mouth of the Yangtze River and the riverfront, known as The Bund is a popular tourist walk. At night, the buildings on each side of the river light up like Vegas or Manhattan and its very pretty. A lot of brightly coloured, neon-lit dinner boats cruise up and down the river.
Except for Hong Kong, Shanghai is the most expensive city to live in China. Prices seem to be about 5-10% higher than in Australia.
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