Shanghai Surprise
Posted on: Tue, 2006-05-23 09:44
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Shanghai Surprise
Many places and destinations have described themselves as the "Paris of wherever", or the "Jewel of the somewhere" but it is amazing and refreshing to find a city that can sell itself as the "whore of the Orient".
Many yhears ago, Shanghai was parceled out amon foreign powers as the West was able to discover China. As of today, Shanghai is the world's largest construction site -- one can virtually fling open their hotel curtains to a new skyline every morning. Catch the ever famous and historical Shanghai while you can -- it's literally vanishing overnight as the past is bulldozed in order to make way for the future.
I've heard that shocking news about cost of living in Shanghai. I can't recall what rank was that, being a place of one of the highest living cost in the world.
Development is very fast. It's not surprise to see 5 layers highway there. I think the development is too fast than the mentality of people being capable of or prepared for, living in such city.
Even the historical places in Shanghai are all gone, there are still plenty more in other cities. "If you like historical or ancient buildings, go to China". Many of my friends who went there told me that. I really enjoyed their stories about those ancient buildings, their uniques and how they were built. One of them is the wooden arch bridge. No nails, no stone, no steel, just timber. 12th century, and still serving the villagers. Take a look at the engineering challenge.
http://www.pubs.asce.org/ceonline/0500feat.html
being a place of one of the highest living cost in the world.
Yup. Thats what I read too. Somehow the prices are even higher than here in the SF Bay Area, where people make lots more money than over there. I don't understand how someone there can afford this. Yes the salaries are going up, but not to our level.
Other rural places in China, people are so poor. Balancing of wealth is already a serious issue. That's why I said the development is too fast. In China, you can actually start a manufacturer and hire people with just food for salary. They'll eat a lot, and fast too. Some people just send trucks to deliver rice regularly and have own cooks.
I've remember an ex-colleague from mainland. We all shocked to see how he ate noodles. You know, noodles, with soup, we put into our mouth, suck it in, bite it off and start chewing. Guess what. He put into his mouth, bit it off and zoooop... swallowed! Not much chewing action you can witness. Very fast he'd finished one bowl!
being a place of one of the highest living cost in the world.
Yup. Thats what I read too. Somehow the prices are even higher than here in the SF Bay Area, where people make lots more money than over there. I don't understand how someone there can afford this. Yes the salaries are going up, but not to our level.
OMG. How can they survive with such high cost of living.
Didn't they need to pay 50% of their profits or salary to the China government? High salary (lower than SF) with high living cost (higher than SF).
If there is light, there is life and there is hopes. If you were born there and live there, you'll know how to adapt to it and survive. People change according to the surroundings. Even viruses in us change and develop as well. :)
I guess that depends on how fast things are changing. There are a lot of people who hate change and those are the ones left behind. Generally people who embrace change will come out the winners. But overall it all depends on how fast things are changing. If all of a sudden I couldn't afford my apartment anymore that would be pretty bad.
Andre
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