Shanghai’ed, Part I

 

 

 

View from Starbucks in Renmin Square

One side of the street . . .

I’m of course sitting in a Starbucks, this one in Shanghai (上海) on the north side of Renmin Square (人民广场), and I’m sitting outside. This part of the square is quite pleasant large grassy areas, winding paths, and benches along the way. It’s also really quiet. The only sign that you’re sitting in the middle of a city of nearly 17 million people is the large skyscraper punctuating the skyline. And yes, I am back in Shanghai after last being here eight years ago when I was living in Hong Kong. This time, I am visiting my friend Santiago, who is working here on a project with his company for the next six months. I have wanted to come back here for the longest time because this is a city that seems to change every six months, so you can imagine that in eight years it has completely transformed itself into a different place. It’s even more of a contrast coming here from GZ, which is kind of rough around the edges and makes no bones about it. Shanghai, on the other hand, feels like a city that wants to put its best foot forward and will do whatever it needs to do to make a good impression. What’s amazing is that it has done an incredible job of presenting itself. I hardly recognize the city. The sidewalks are clean, the sky is blue, the architecture is amazing, and there are so many interesting alleys and side streets to explore. I’ve only been able to read about Shanghai over the years and all of the articles and pictures gave the impression that this city is one on the go and being here only confirms that feeling. So many of the old buildings are either being torn down to make way for skyscrapers or the old buildings are being gentrified to the point of being nearly unrecognizable or impossibly tacky. I just keep snapping pictures to show the many contrasts that seem to exist in this city. And as I said before, compared to GZ, Shanghai really feels polished around the edges. I tend to judge cities based on the energy they exude and how they handle exogenous cultures. This judgment comes in two parts. First, what energy can be felt on the streets of a particular city? Cities can buzz with creativity, cranes and new construction, confidence, or some combination of these things. Most cities of the world have some type of feeling, but very few exude a sense of purpose and direction as they move forward. The second criterion pertains to how cities react to outside cultural influences. Most cities of the world have their own indigenous cultures, but are usually powerless to stop the onslaught of outside cultural forces. Bangkok, Thailand has many temples and its utter

. . . and the other side of that same street, a contrast between old and new Shanghai

chaos is part of its charm, but it does not have an energy and force that allows it to bend outside cultural influences by giving them a Thai dimension. Of all of the cities that I have been to in my life, there are only a few that seem to have some elements of these two criteria. London, New York, and Tokyo are the three that readily come to mind. Some may argue that there are many other cities like Mexico City, Hong Kong, Paris, and others that should be included, but these cities are unique in their supreme confidence that they will progress. And now I must add Shanghai to that list because this city is one that appears unstoppable. But enough with the superlatives and accolades, at least for now.

 

After arriving late yesterday afternoon and hopping on the 925 bus from Hongqiao, which only cost me four kuai (approximately US$0.70) and dropped me off five minutes from my friend’s hotel, we went for some great Hunan food (湘菜) at Gu Yi  . Then it was off to an opening party for a new bar called Lingo, which is supposed to be a space where Chinese people can come and practice their English and imbibe while they’re at it. I met some of Santiago’s friends there and we enjoyed vodkas with apple juice, something I have never had in the States, but which turned out to be okay, if only a little too sweet for my tastes. Those who have been out drinking with me know that I like my drinks as sugarless as possible. After that, we decided to check out the gay bars of Shanghai. We went to one place called Shanghai Style, which was located at the end of an alley and in the basement of a very non-descript building. Once inside, the bar is actually a series of small rooms with multiple bars and a dance floor. Apparently because of the National Holiday, it was a slow night because a lot of people had to work on Sunday so they could take off Monday or Tuesday of this week. The crowd was a mix of Chinese and Western guys, but what was most interesting was the stratification of the crowd. It was either Chinese guys talking with Chinese guys, Chinese guys talking with Western guys, or the few Western guys talking to each other. This stratification became more pronounced at the next bar we went to, which was located closer to the river in an area of town where they are demolishing and rebuilding everything. This space was much larger, but it was the same mix. It’s odd for me to go into a bar and make distinctions based solely on ethnicity. There were guys there would not speak to me because I was not Chinese, which is something I am definitely not used to experiencing. I guess for a certain group of gay men who come to Asia, this desire is part of their reason for being here. But it definitely shortchanges the idea of taking the whole person into account before deciding whether you are attracted to them or not, at least versus sizing them up solely on their ethnicity. It’s not even based on general attractiveness, but something more specific. Anyway, I digress. We spent an hour or so at this other bar and then decided to call it a night.

Today, after nursing some mild hangovers, we decided to treat ourselves and went for an overpriced brunch at the Four Seasons. Then we spent the day roaming the streets of what used to be the French Concession, which is now filled with cute boutiques and cafes, as well as old homes and gardens. After that, we headed over to the Old City, which is the location of the original walled city. The walls are long gone and construction is everywhere, but you can pay 40 kuai and wander through Yu Yuan, a large garden built during the Ming Dynasty in 1559 that belonged to Pan Yunduan, an administration commissioner of Sichuan Province.

Part of Yu Yuan

The weather was absolutely incredible. Bright blue skies with temperatures in the upper 70s. It was perfect weather for just wandering around. Shanghai is a great walking city. It seems really spread out, but a lot of the sights are within walking distance from Renmin Square, which is the center of the west side of the city. For those who have never been to Shanghai, the city is divided by the Huangpu River. The western side is called Puxi for “West of the Huangpu” and the eastern side is called Pudong, for “East of the Huangpu”. Puxi used to be the only side of the river that was developed, but in the early 90s, the government decided to build up Pudong and turn it into a financial center. The result is a lot of impressive skyscrapers, but Pudong never developed the same charm that exists in Puxi, which is partly due to its lack of any real history. Before the massive surge of construction, the area was mainly rice paddies and villages. So we did a lot of walking today, which was good after chowing down on an all-you-can-eat buffet brunch.

And the new construction across from the Yu Yuan Bazaar made to look like the old buildings

 

Yu Yuan Market, the old side of the street

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With one more day here, there will be more to tell about my Shanghai travels.