Every day

"Every day in China you see things you don't see every day!" - A great quote from a former McDonald-Douglas aircraft executive. I love that quote and in fact the entire concept of that quote. It's true of course in far more places than China, but it is so profound it's worthy of its own blog entry.

Cell Phone Signal Everywhere

The Chinese are certainly cell-phone crazy - they are already the world's largest market and have a dizzying array of phones and service plans, with vendors on every corner. And they work, everywhere, including in the subways and in elevators. The carriers (mostly China Mobile & China Unicom) even have little stickers in most elevators tell you your cell phone will work. Very advanced and very cool.

Ayi's & Drivers Galore

One of the joys of living in a less-expensive country is the affordability of hired help, a luxury once afforded only by the rich. It seems in Shanghai that everyone has one or two Ayis, which means aunt, but really means maid or nanny. You usually have one for cleaning and then one for each of your children. They are cheap, but recent demand (many families have 2-3) makes it difficult and of course you don't give your children to just anyone. They rarely speak English and are culturally far from America, but it's a system that works, and works well. It's so common that when I once asked a women with two kids if she had an ayi, she looked at me funny, as if it was a stupid question (which it sort of was).

Further, many families also have a driver - you buy a car for usual prices and then hire a driver for a few hundred dollars per month. Very convenient, especially for carting mom and kids around town. In the end, these luxuries make it hard to move back to the West.

Overeducation in China

Had an interesting discussion yesterday with a professor who had an interesting perspective about higher education in China these days. Of course, education and advancement are high priorities in Chinese culture, but he wonders if this is not pushing too many students too far - everyone wants to go to the best universities, but many (most?) are not well suited to the rigors of such schools.

Further, no one wants their kids to take blue-collar or mid-level jobs, but of course hundreds of millions will take those jobs; this cannot be good for their psyche, as they are rejected from (or fail out of) good schools. Further, they see the newly rich all around them, forcing them to not be satisfied with their lot in life; this can both stimulate and depress them. There is also not a strong community college system, as unlike in the U.S., no one wants to go there, given they are a step (or two) down.

This is also partly due to the Japanese / English-style national tests, which force kids to cram and if they fail to get good scores to wait another year - these are far, far more high-pressure and deterministic than American SATs. I strongly dislike these tests, instead preferring the American system of many different tests and admission criteria for many types of schools, providing many different and individualistic opportunities for young people.

Massage & Massage People

Massage is everywhere in Shanghai, in all the hotels and many store-fronts, both mom & pop and chains. All (well, most) are above board and very cheap - an hour-long foot massage runs about $8-10 and is a true luxury. Full massages are more like $20-25.

I have only tried these in the hotels (which seems cleaner and safer, though I might find one of the chains), which have a curious structure. Most massage places are related to a hair or other salon business in the hotel, but these are all independent places, just paying rent and probably a percentage.

The interesting part is that the staff, routinely from poor areas, all live in the salon ! When I go there at 10am, they are usually still sleeping, apparently from many late nights and evening massages. You literally have to wake them up to help you in the middle of the morning. But they seem very skilled, especially at deep foot massages, plus they never speak English, providing an hour of free Mandarin conversation practice.

Communist Party Founding Meeting

I had a chance to visit the first meeting place of the Chinese Communist Party, on July 1, 1921 - now a museum as part of XinTianDi, a new upscale shopping district catering to foreigners. It is a small museum, but very interesting, especially the full-size replica of the meeting, complete with wax statues of all the key players, with a young Mao standing at the table - a very powerful scene to watch the founding of a country. Downstairs is the actual room the men met in, also a powerful scene. In the ultimate irony, though, a visit to the men's washroom shows Japanese sinks and American hand dryers; if Mao only knew.

Chinese food in China

In a word, yummy ! Or hen hao chi ! Inexpensive and delicious at every turn, and far, far better than in the U.S., even San Francisco. Shanghai of course has a wide variety of Chinese (and American) food, with a few pictures here - lots of Sichuan, or with fishheads or just good peppers.

Construction & Loss of old Buildings

China, and especially Shanghai, are free-construction zones, with projects and cranes everywhere, though it's slowed in recent years due to the government putting on the brakes. In fact, it's gone so far so fast that old and traditional parts of Shanghai are being razed at an alarming rate - it's hard for foreigners who want to live more traditionally (and cheaply) to find places because whole neighborhoods are flattened regularly.

This causes some rather serious problems for existing residents, as they are suddenly homeless and can't afford to live in the new housing that replaced theirs. They often have to move far from the city center and commute an hour or more to work. The government has fortunately responded by providing more subsidies so they can live in the new buildings, so the pressure is easing somewhat, but gentrification seems in full swing.

In the end, though only foreigners seem able to afford to preserve the old houses, with the hottest new development being XinTianDi, built in old Shikumen housing, mixed in with new high-rises. This sort of preservation development will likely become more popular, at least saving portions of the old areas, if only for tourists and shops, but far better than losing it all.

English here, there, and everywhere

The English situation in Shanghai is interesting - it's far more common than I thought, better than in Tokyo. This is especially true in nearly every Western or foreigner-facing establishment, partly because English can simply be a job requirement (even for bus-boys at some restaurants). I do wish the tax drivers spoke English - in Beijing they are taking courses to learn something like 1,000 mandatory phrases before the Olympics in 2008.

But beyond that, the government is working hard on English, including what seems to be a mandate that nearly all signs be in English. And I mean all - elevator permit, fire hose reels, electrical cabinets in obscure places, etc.

An interesting side note - the Shanghai government just banned signs that are English-only, requiring the Chinese equivalent be included. I'm not sure how this fits in for Starbucks or other western establishments, but we'll see.

Shanghai Subways

The subway system is very modern and clean, though unfortunately very limited in its coverage - in a city the size of Tokyo (which has 25+ subways), Shanghai has three operating lines and planes for 6 or so more; not nearly enough.

Subway etiquette is interesting, and very unlike Japan. In Tokyo, as the car stops you move to the side of the door so everyone can exit; there are even little feet painted on the platform so you know where to stand. Once everyone is out, you enter the car.

In Shanghai, as the car stops, you stand right in front of the door and as soon as it opens, you push inside the car, all as people are fighting their way out. This despite the signs asking you to wait - during rush hour there are platform guys to help keep people out of the way as passengers exit, otherwise it would be very challenging. But otherwise the subways are very pleasant and convenient.

Inside-out Hardware store on Beijing Lu

Shanghai's Beijing Street is an odd place - you can buy any sort of hardware you might need, from electronics to 6 inch water valves and everything between. They are all sold in little shops or stalls, but it's like a Home Depot exploded, spawning hundreds of little specialized vendors for blocks and blocks. And they are often very busy, with guys on scooters running in and out with hoses, lights, and everything needed to support one of the world's fastest growing cities.

Service Culture

Service is an ever-evolving process here in China. Even in Shanghai, the most commercial of cities, increasingly well attuned to global eteqitte (according to a recent poll), service at hotels and restaurants remains a bit elusive. For example, here I am sitting in my hotel at 7:30am with construction the floor above to wake everyone up. Or when the waiter and service guys stand two feet from your table as you browse the menu, but you have to stand up and wave to get them to take your order.

Unfortunately, it's not yet really in the culture, so it has to be taught, which is definitely a work in progress, even at high-end Western restaurants. I have had numerous experiences that would cause you to walk out of a Western establishment, and standard American service simply is not there yet, though usually in the little things (forgotten water glasses, empty plates piling up, hovering waiters). I hear it's getting better, though and in five years will be just like anywhere else. For now, only Starbucks seems to have really worked hard at drilling in friendly service to each and every employee; quite impressive, actually.

Shanghai Air

The air here is, um, interesting. Actually, not nearly as bad or polluted as I expected, but maybe that's an illusion as it fills my lungs with grit. If I'm ever here full time, it will be important to get a good HEPA filter. Sometimes you can barely see the sun !

It's pretty rare to see more than 10 blocks and often buildings just 500-1000 feet away are hazy, but at least there isn't any Beijing-style coal-fired pollution. Fortunately the city is now banning any car or bus without a first class European-level emissions certificate, which should help a lot (something like 150,000 vehicles will fail). And they are moving dozens of polluting factories out to the far suburbs.

Of couse some days are stunning !

Wine in China

Wine is the nectar of the gods - can I just say that ? Unfortunately, good wine is not that easy to come by in China - local wine is, um, a challenge (and hard to find) and foreign wine quite expensive. The market is dominated by the Australians on the low end and French on the high end. There are essentially no small American producers that hopefully will eventually drive the market once tastes develop.

But, it's interesting to see the wine culture develop, with young women going out to high-class places for a glass of Merlot or Cabernet; this can only be a good thing on many levels.

Shanghai Taxis

The taxi culture here is interesting - the taxis are essentially free, as they cost $1 on flag drop and about $1 for every 5-10 minutes after. The nearly hour ride from the airport is about $15. They are clean and relatively new, with polite drivers, and are everywhere except at rush hour when you need them most ! You really have to get where you are going before 5pm or you'll wait until 6:30 or later to find free cabs.

The drivers sit in little plastic bubbles for reasons I don't understand, as there is no crime here. Passengers are well advised to sit in the front seat, since there are no seatbelts in the back. That is bad because many drivers drive rather wildly, making NY taxi drivers seem very sane.

You can tell the seniority of your taxi driver by their license number - they are now about 270,000, adding 15-20,000 per year (though today my driver said they will add 30,000 next year). Unfortunately, many drivers over 200,000 don't know the city well and you have to explain how to get places. Drivers also get little stars for good service, so try to choose a driver with a few stars (five is the most, but very rare).

Shanghai Maglev - World's Fastest Train

The Maglev is quite a ride - 430kph, or 250 miles per hour ! Unfortunately it's only an 8 minute ride, but still the world's only maglev train on which you can buy a ticket. Connecting the subway system to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), the short run is a technology demonstrator and validation platform. Next year it will be extended to the domestic airport on the other side of the city. See movies here.

The real goal is to run from Shanghai to Beijing, a 1300km (800 mile) trip, and to then have ultra-fast train service to major cities. China has a unique transportation problem given its size and population - it's the size of the U.S. with population density of Europe, so it needs European-like trains over U.S. distances because its population is so large that it cannot possibly build enough U.S.-style airports to move people around.

The maglev is impressive, with German car technology and the Chinese working hard on the construction processes and engineering, since they have to cross many soil and route types not found in Germany. In fact, if the San Francisco to Los Angeles maglev ever gets built, it will likely be with Chinese technology.

Business Corruption

It should come as no surprise there are sometimes ethical and corruption issues in Chinese business, with lots of interesting stories to go around. Everyone seems to know companies with not one or two, but three or four sets of books. Or with the general manager moonlighting by working for the competition. Or lots of other run-of-the-mill fraud issues, some no worse than in other countries, but some endemic for now. You really have to investigate and, in Reagan's words, 'trust but verify,' which means frequent audits and very tight financial controls. As someone said recently, if you can't trust your CFO like your mother, hire your mother. This problem will of course wane with time, but for now, caution is warranted.

Shanghai International

Shanghai is a first-class international city, its once and future fame and fortune well-deserved as the city seems to re-create itself as it goes. Initially built or at least controlled largely by foreigners in the 19th century, it has a very European feel in many ways, mixed in with Chinese culture and 21st century architecture, all in the same place.

The Shanghainese are many things (good and bad), but they are very international in outlook and perspective - I just saw a survey indicating that the local folks are steadily improving their English and knowledge of the global ettiqute while following world news on a daily or weekly basis. Such outwardly focus means the Shanghainese are very comfortable with foreigners; in fact the French Concession and international business district are one of the hottest neighborhoods to live in (especially for foreigners, but for internationally-oriented Chinese, too).

Making Clothes

One of the cool things about many Asian cities over the years is the ability to buy custom-made clothes inexpensively. In Shanghai there is an entire district for this, with a huge warehouse-like building with hundreds of stalls/vendors making everything imaginable - suits, sweaters, shirts, skirts, coats, everything. A nice man's dress shirt it about $10, though you have to find a vendor you like, especially if you are hard to fit like me.

One interesting issue is that when everything is custom, you have to think of (or decide) everything - even for a simple shirt, what sort of buttons, which of 10 different collars, what sort of sleeve and cuff, types and location of pockets, etc. Very interesting process.

Dangerous Streets

The streets here are the most dangerous I've ever seen - not really for cars, but for pedestrians ! The problem is not so much the cars, but the bikes, which are everywhere and I mean everywhere - sidewalks, alleys, everywhere. And of course the signal lights are merely advisory for cars or bikes - a red light is more like a yellow in America.

So, when you step off the curb, you really take your life in your hands - look all ways at all times, and constantly. Bikes come at your from all directions and never, ever have lights, making night-time especially problematic. In fact, I have changed hotels so I didn't have to cross some of the alleys - the main streets are mostly cars, but any minor street is mostly bikes, thousands of them, so many that you sometimes cannot actually get across the street.

Starbucks Success in Shanghai

I make it a rule to visit Starbucks everywhere in the world (for cultural anthropology reasons) and of course Shanghai is fertile ground, now with 57 stores. In fact, Starbucks is a great window into China's rapidly changing culture, on many levels. A great report on their market entry is available here.

First, "experts" predicted that Starbucks would fail in China - it's too expensive for local incomes, no one drinks coffee, and everyone smokes (Starbucks is smoke-free). And other said they'd have to modify their menus (as they have in Japan & Beijing) for more tea, etc.

In the end, they did none of the above in Shanghai, which after all is an international city that really wants to be global in all aspects. As a result, Starbucks has boomed, flooded with locals, who may always drink coffee, but are laying out $3-4 for the beverage of their choice.

And culturally, it provides a place for teens and women to sit and hang out, smoke-free, with friends and on dates. I see this as the biggest cultural change Starbucks brings, for most parts of the world don't have a cafe culture, especially for women (i.e. men can always hang out in bars). Especially in cultures where young women live at home, venues for dates, friends, and just getting out of the house are limited - this is just such a place.

And Starbucks has by far the best service in Shanghai - smiling faces, good English, and just a service-oriented attitude still found wanting in much of the city.

Some images - the very popular Starbucks at XinTianDi, a store next to the museum, and finally, some women actually in a Starbucks writing a song / jingle for Starbucks !

Odd Building Tops

What's with the odd roof-top structures on new Shanghai buildings. A good number of the new buildins have very strange tops, with UFOs, pyramids, and many other shapes common. And it's not just signature buildings, but run-of-the-mill office buildings. The best is the UFO atop the Radisson. I guess the idea is to stand out, but a decade or two later and these things look mighty funny.

Ladies of the Night

I was duly warned about the oldest profession in Shanghai and aptly so. My first week there offered many opportunities to meet such ladies, usually making a bee-line for me in the tourist areas to 'practice English.' They also show up in force on weekends at places like XinTianDi, the foreigner bar area - I spent an hour or so chatting with one as she became more desperate to get me to leave, starting with "let's go meet my friends" to calling in her associate as backup to offering full 2-on-1 action. Regardless, the girls spread out on every other barstool to await their prey, or, as I saw in another place, they are run by a pimp who directs them to westerners coming in the door. It was all rather amusing.

XinTianDi

Shanghai is changing very rapidly. Even at the more subdued pace of 2005, there are still cranes everywhere and neighborhoods coming down all around. In the midst of this, there is XinTianDi - or New Sky Earth. This is a mixed-use development project in the heart of Shanghai, the first phase of which is a rebuilt set of traditional buildings that house a very Western set of shops - Starbucks, Coffee Bean, San Francisco's Shanghai 1930 restaurant Chain, and many other bars. It's largely a foreigner hangout, but also now caters to many Chinese, for many reasons.

Nanjing Dong Lu & People's Square Park

Nanjing East Road is the neon tourist wonder of Shanghai - very much like Fisherman's Wharf, with lots of tourists (Chinese & Foreign) and all that brings. Plenty of neon, shops, hookers, bars, etc. along this long, largely pedestrian only street from the Bund / River to People's Square. But, after a day or two, you learn to avoid Nanjing Dong Lu to avoid the hookers, guys selling watches, and the general annoyances associated with any tourist area. You instead go to Nanjing Xi Lu, to the west, which is the high-class shopping district.

Nanjing Lu has some very interesting buildings, especially at the square, including my favorite, the JW Marriott, a semi-twisted skyscraper. The park also has a few good bars such as Kathleen's 5 on top of a museum and Barbarossa on a small pond, plus a Starbucks and other goodies.

Shanghai Weather

The weather in Shanghai is interesting, though not always in a good way. My first trip in September was decent, if not hot at 90+ degrees and modestly muggy weather. While perhaps not quite as hot/muggy as Hong Kong, there is nowhere near the air conditioning here. October weather was better and very pleasant, though December started to get windy and chilly - not in the tropics any more. The air is almost always hazy, sometimes with visibility measured in blocks, and that's not even in summer - I am not really looking forward to summer. Maybe a May or June visit and then U.S. vacation until September !

Welcome to China Perceptions

This is my new blog on my perceptions of China. I live in Silicon Valley, but spend a fair amount of time in China, mostly in Shanghai. This blog contains my perceptions, impressions, and thoughts regarding the Middle Kingdom in the early 21st century.

For pictures, see my travel site under Shanghai 2005 & 2006.