Nanjing Road West

I took a walk up from Nanjing Road East to Nanjing Road West. The two roads are rather different. There is a big pedestrian mall in the East where people can walk around easily. The West does not have a pedestrian mall and the road are much narrower.

However, what I discovered today about Nanjing Road West is that there are many cheap and fake thing selling there. There are more hawkers selling foods there. There were stalls selling barbequed octopus and chicken wings. The aroma coming out from these stalls really make the people hungry. There was a stall selling some fried items which I am not sure what it is but the people lining up to buy it was very long.

There were also stalls selling pirated DVDs and imitation goods like handbags and watches. Here are some photos that I shot during my stroll through Nanjing Road West.

The entrance of the aromatic paradise at Nanjing Road West

Barbequed chicken wings

Barbequed octopus

Imitation handbags, want to buy a Prada or LV bag for only RMY100?

Items made from buffalo horns - combs

Ferrari/Maserrati Showroom

There are many rich people in Shanghai. Why would I say that? By the cars they drive. I have seen many Audi A6, BMW 7 Series, Mercedes S-Class, Honda and Toyota on the street on Shanghai (especially in the financial district of Pudong).

They even have a showroom selling Ferrari and Maserrati which I discovered at Nanjing Road West.

No, this was not from the showroom. I shot this outside a plastic model shop.

Getting around Shanghai

Getting around Shanghai is quite easy. There are three common modes of transport (if you do not have a car) which are by taxi, bus or the Metro.

Taxis
There are so many taxis in Shanghai. However. its very hard to get on one during the peak hours. Once you get on the taxi, the minimum fare is RMBY11.00 (RM5.00) for a distant of about 2 kilometers. Getting on a taxi during peak hours also is another lesson to learn. There is no queue to get on a taxi, who ever get on first will take the taxi. So when a taxi is slowing downing dropping down the passenger, you better get near it during peak hours.

Buses
Buses are many plying along the busy streets of Pudong and Puxi. In Puxi, there are buses that runs on electricity just live a tram. Minimum fare for a bus is RMBY2.00 (RM1.00). The only difficulty that I have getting on a bus is whether I got on the corrent bus. Some of the bus does not display the route number but it displayed the name of the place they plying in Mandarin. I do not read Mandarin!!!

The Metro
I enjoyed the Metro. There are four (4) lines of Metro (subway train) running around Shanghai. Minimum fare is RMBY3.00 (RM1.50) which is cheap. From my hotel, the nearest station is the Pudong Avenue station running on line number 4. If I need to go to Nanjing Road, I would need to switch from Line 4 to Line 2, the cost of the journey is only RMBY to Nanjing Street East.

The stations are clean and well kept. There is also a "station master" who would blow his whistle just like when he is in a train station. The train is very long and most of the time is packed. The would not be strange because there are 13 million people living in Shanghai, that is ten times more than the population of Kuala Lumpur. The ride was comfortable and fast.

Here are some pictures I took at the Metro Station.

The Pudong Avenue Station. Very clean and brightly lilted.

Shiji Avenue tation, the exchange station for Line 4 to Line 2

The Metro Map of Shanghai

Faces of people in Shanghai

Yes, I am still in Shanghai. I will be here for the next three weeks.. I missed home and would like to get back home as soon as possible.

The weekend is here again. The weather forecast that it will rain today but the meteorological department was WRONG. It did not rain. But then sun was not shinning brightly and the sky was foggy. I went on a journey to Puxi and managed to capture some shoots people on the streets of The Bund and Nanjing Road.

The Children

The children in China are the jewel to their parents because each family is only allowed to have one child. It is a rare scene to see a pregnant lady walking on the street in Shanghai. I was informed that the legal age to get married is 24 and once they get married they must register themselves at the family planning board where they will be made known when they can proceed to make a family.

These photos were shoot at The Bund where the parent brought them here for a visit. I cannot tell whether the they are residing in Shanghai or in Shanghai for their holidays. But all of them look really happy.

The Underprivileged

I managed to spot a few beggars on the streets on Shanghai. It is a rare sight as the Government here would take care of those underprivileged ones.


The Pretty

I need not say much about these picture, they speak for themselves.






The Famous one

Guess who is he? Jacky Chan. I caught him in Nanjing Road. Well, its not actually him in person but his "wax" twin. Shanghai has its own version of Madame Tussauds where the "residents" are famous Chinese singers and actors.



The Artistic

A bunch of youngster who were at The Bund sketching the buildings in the area/





The Visitors

There are so many people in Shanghai. 13 million people live in Shanghai not counting those who comes to Shanghai for their holidays and work (like me). Ocean of people at The Bund and Nanjing Road.

Pudong by night

After cursing about the weather for Monday, the weather took a 180 degree turn. The weather today was warm in the afternoon with cooling breeze. When I walk out the office today, the weather was perfect. Perfect for a shooting of the Pudong area at night.

My colleague and I walked back from the office about 8.00 p.m. We walked into a restaurant and using my survival Mandarin, we order two bowls of noodle. I told her that I will come out again to do some shooting since th weather was good today.

I went up to my room, changed and quickly walked towards Pudong area where my office is located for the photo shoot. Luckily, I managed to get the last shot at the junction at my office building where I shot my last shoots of the Oriental Pearl Tower with the Bank of China building before the battery of my camera exhausted.

So here are some of the photos shot during the short expedition. More photos are available at my Picasa Web Album.

A distant view of Pudong area while I make my way from the hotel

The bright neon lights of a restaurant just outside my hotel

The Shanghai Stock Exchange Building, a unique design

The Jin Moa Building by night

The Oriental Pearl Tower with the Bank of China building (remember the scene in Mission Impossible 3)

Nice lights at the Eaton hotel

Happy Birthday to my wife and daughter

For the first time, I was unable to celebrate the birthdays of my wife and daughter which fall on 27 and 21 March respectively. Even though I am not with them on their birthdays, my heart is.

Happy Birthday to my loving wife, Adeline and Happy Birthday Carrie

Good news for overseas bank in China

Here is good news for overseas bank in China:

Four overseas banks will be able to offer unlimited yuan services on Chinese mainland next month (April 2007) after they incorporate locally.

They include Hongkong And Shanghai Banking Corp., Citigroup Inc., Standard Chartered Bank and Bank of East Asia. The China Banking Regulatory Commission approved the first wave of overseas banks to open up the market as part of the country's commitment to join the World Trade Organization.

Some local people can't wait to try their services from overseas banks after having to line in queues for hours at domestic bank counters.

Before the incorporation, overseas banks could only take term deposits of more than one million yuan which restricted their clients.

What does local incorporation mean for the overseas banks?
A full array of retail yuan business to Chinese including mortgage, credit card and personal lending; if not only term deposit of more than one million yuan is allowed - more income channels.

What does local incorporation mean for retail consumers?
More products and services options from overseas banks.

Credit cards, mortgages and private banking are seen as lucrative sectors with China's emerging number of middle class and super rich clients.

Entering the market
Overseas banks to open as locally incorporated entities in April:

• Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp
• Citigroup Inc
• Bank of East Asia
• Standard Chartered Bank

Overseas banks preparing for local incorporation:

• Hang Seng Bank
• Mizuho Corporate Bank
• Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
• DBS Bank
• ABM Amro Bank NV
• Wing Hang Bank
• Overseas-Chinese Banking Corp
• JP Morgan Chase & Co

Overseas banks applied for local incorporation:

• United Overseas Bank
• CITIC Ka Wah Bank
• Nanyang Commercial Bank

Rainy days and Mondays

The weather in Shanghai did not improve over the weekend. Saturday morning was raining and the whole city was foggy. Sunday, the fog still lingers on in the city.

As usual, when I wake up, the first thing I will do is peep out of the windows to see how the weather is. Well, this morning, there was light fog but it feels more warmer.

However, it rained just when I decide to leave the office after work. I decided to wait for a while to see whether the rainy condition would change. Outside the office building, there was a guy selling umbrellas . His sale was brisk. Everyone who stepped out without an umbrella would go to him. Each umbrella cost RMBY10-00. Looking the situation, I have but no choice to buy myself an umbrella too.

Walking back to the hotel is another challenge. The wind was blowing and the condition was wet and cold. Luckily, I managed to reach back to my hotel with dry.

Just another rainy Monday in Shanghai. The weather forecasts for tomorrow is overcast with temperature ranges from 13-18 degrees Celcius. Let's hope it would not rain but I will bring the umbrella to work... just in case!!!

An evening at Nanjing Road

Nanjing Road is the famous Shanghai shopping district. It a long stretch of pedestrian malls with many shops selling cloths, watches, foodstuff and everything you want. The road is lined up with many boutiques on both side of the road. The road is so long that there is a commuting trolley cars moving up and down the road .

I was here last year during the day time. I have heard that at night, the road is lighted up with colourful neon lights. I decided to take a journey there to see it for myself. The journey there was easy. I just need to hop on to the local metro line which is very comfortable and efficient.

When I reached Nanjing Road, the whole road was lighted up beautifully with ocean of people moving up and down the road. There were sales everywhere especially for the winter cloths which they need to clear off because spring is coming.

I began my journey from the east side to the west side of the road, shooting the scenes with my camera. I reached the end of the road, I decided to join in the fun...l shopping!!!

I managed to buy some t-shirts and some shirts for myself which I need to keep me warm during my stay here. I did not anticipate the weather here will be so cold and I did not take enough warm cloths.

Anywhere where are the some of the photos taken during my journey there. There are more posted in my Picasa Web Album. Click here to see more photos.

No, this building is not at Nanjing Road. I was told it's a men's spa... no woman is allowed into the building. During the day, it looks like a Government Building. At night, the lights of the building make it look like a Grand Palace.

The tallest Pizza Hut store I have seen

I was dazzled by the colourful lights

The biggest Coca Cola bottle I have ever seen. Other than the giant Coke can that is at Genting Highlands

At the end of Nanjing Road. See the ocean of people

Wow, the stores were like reaching for the sky!!!