中国 CHINA : bonus gems...

"rulers" for visitors number 2. is good...




some of that real "haute couture".


we're all "gaijin" in china...group pic 1.


pic 2.


pic 3.

中国 CHINA : Shanghai 上海

After taking once again the night train, we were back in Shanghai. Largest city of china. We had only caught a glimpse of the city at night when we first arrived. We were to fly back from here.


The curious but intriguing skyline of the Pudong area in Shanghai.


Shanghai station plaza by day...


Pearl tower. yup, tallest 'tower' in asia.


view from the top...one end of the 'Bund'...




tallest 'building' in asia...3rd in the world...at least soon to be.


tall buildings as well as spatial voids exist in China. This is how the city works...come back in a few days and there will be another olympic stadium somewhere.




'cheap' aloo...cheap products: made in china, sold in china.


side streets...








notice how the crosswalks are literally in the air. chinese intersections are so chaotic sometimes that pedestrians have to cross on a different level...sometimes underground as well.








Chenghuang Miao: a rebuilt traditional chinese style quarter...




Shao-lum-pao??: traditional architecture calls for traditional food...


...with the circular 'rotating' table and everything...a little something for everyone. So good, we came here twice.


Zhouzhuang: the Venice of china...a little closed-off like 'island'; for tourists and more tourists.


however this little city a couple hours away from shanghai had its charm...old rural architecture surrounded by canals.


no cars, no bikes just gondolas...


wen-wen san: notre guide officielle durant notre pti séjour...respect!








la marée rouge: Koi fish...


language barrier: chinese easier than japanese?...don't think so. I guess it helps to learn one if you know the other. However, one thing for sure is that it helps to have someone that speaks chinese in your group...(merci wen!)