2008 In Pictures: Part 1

十二月快乐！！


As my time here draws to a close, I will entertain you all (and myself) by posting pictures from my time in China. I'll attempt to go in chronological order and pick one or two pictures from each set I've got. Given that I have over 72 (!!) sets, I won't get to everything, but I'll at least get partway through this trip down memory lane.

Okay? Let's go!




Date Taken: November 3, 2007

What were you doing on November 3, 2007? I was being shown around Shanghai by a co-worker. This first picture is James (yet another co-worker who flew over here with me on my first trip) and myself on The Bund. Near the northern end is this statue of a Chinese figure, who we at first assumed was Mao Ze Dong. Of course, we should have been tipped off by the fact that there are only two Chinese characters on the statue (and not 3 as there would be for China's most notorious leader). And of course we, like many Westerners, associate Mao Ze Dong so strongly with China that we naturally any large statue, especially one that's displayed in such a prominent place as this, must be of him!

Alack, we were incorrect. The statue is of Chen Yi , the first Communist mayor of Shanghai.

Note that I am unsuccessfully attempting to pose like Mr. Chen.



Date Taken: November 4, 2007

The Bund adorns the western/Puxi bank of the Huangpu river, whereas the Promenade (I think it's called) is on the eastern/Pudong side. This is a picture taken from the Promenade at sunset. See how the building on the right flares out at the top? It's designed to be in the shape of a lotus flower; however, Andrea mentioned she called it the Pineapple Building, and ever since then, I haven't been able to think of it in any other way :-) Anyway, the photograph turned out really lovely. And it proves there is beauty in this overwhelming megalopolis of a city, even if it's influenced by a man-made skyline and an extremely-polluted river.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's pictures!!