Anytime or anywhere, if there's good sunshine, even the worst kind of camera can take a dirt in shooting some photographs. This pictures are taken in my neighborhood. It was a good day with good sunshine. Such shots are typical photos of alleys in Shanghai, most commonly known as nong-tangs by the locals. When there are good sunlight, people rushes out to dry their clothes. Similarly, locals will try to air the bed rolls to remove moisture and possible fungi attempting to grow in damp cold Shanghai.
The only thing different of this alley from most alleys in Shanghai is that there is a mixture of Spanish Architecture and Shi Ku Men existing together. Still, life goes on at it is, with no differential factor of who own which house as a tone of serenity lies around, where everyone knows each other, despite whether you are Local Chinese or Western, or mixed blood.
The area has a nice local community to ensure the safety and cleanliness of the place. Anyone who walks around the French concession area can guess where this place is?
Thursday, December 20, 2007
On a shiny day in Shanghai in the nieghbourhood
Friday, December 07, 2007
The Bunny tooth Barber Haircut
I was walking along with Auntie Liew around my area last weekend. Nothing much, just a casual walk to pass time and get familiar with the neighbourhood we are staying in. Located in the heart of Xuhui District, Luwan and Jingan District, our area is basically where the French Concession lies.
We managed to find a couple of grocery stores and mini-marts, wine stores along the way, meaning we need not go to far away Carrefour and Walmarts to do our groceries anymore. Things are a little more expensive in the area, but taking a long trip in cab or metro basically means up-ping the costs anyway.
When we are about to leave, Auntie Liew decided to do her haircut in this Chinese Barber Shop in our district. I seriously have no idea where her courage come from. This barber was attending to her needs. I guess she resented her idea at that moment.
The Barber was serious and rather stressful being taken pictures off. He tried to looked professional. I can feel he was extremely uneasy throughout the 10 minute haircut sesssion.
So I decide to give him free publicity. If anyone is looking for a buck tooth barber in old Shanghai district, here's one for you. You can find him in Anfu road. Haicut costs 10Rmb and shampooing your hair another 10. Have fun messing around his bunny teeth!
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Edgar look at this photo!
Perhaps you might want to find such pictures during your travels in China. Nope I did not take this. Nope, it will not be easy to find such folks in the cities. But, Do take note of such old man. Pictures like this will go well in your stocks!
Friday, October 05, 2007
Photo of the Day
As I woke up and have a looka looka around the web, I found this photo online. Not much, but this photo is well cropped, lots of informations and emotions involved when one looks at it. You can see a young woman and her children of 4 perhaps escaping from something dangerous or not safe. They must have been in some form of fearful experience in which we as viewers can only guess what had happened.
Such pictures are plentiful in our Asian societies. There is no proper means of ensuring everyone has their equal rights to safety, education and escape from poverty. Even if there is, one can never measure and predict Mother Nature at well. Floods and Earthquakes, Famine and Droughts are still unfortunately the worst enemies of Man in some part of the World.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
I did not go to Tattoo Show Convention China 2007
Woo! Tattoo Convention China 2007 seems to ROX! But KNN, I never get to see it. I did a tattoo on myself a year ago in Lijiang. The pain can be pretty addictive. It was done a Manchurian artist. In China, tattoos are not as popular as their counter parts in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In Singapore, my generation of people just to love getting INKed somehow. Last Year when I visit Stockholm, I'd seen many people owning a tattoo or two as well.
In the past, Tattoos are linked to secret societies, syndicates or those bad baddies you always see in the movies like Yakuza Boss Lords. Nowadays, owning a tattoo had become a trend among young people. Many of course chooses to be inked with tribal pictures in Asia. For my case, I did it out of pure belief that I want to be seen even more clearly as a ethinic Chinese.
GO GO GO!!! scroll down and look at those cool pictures! HOHO!
related posts:
wa eh ang kong 2007
wa eh ang kong
ang kong kiah
image source: shanghaiist
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Changxing Island - Take a trip out of Busy Shaghai
Brief introduction:
Changxing Island covers an area of 76.32 sq.km. It is reputed as a green jadeite for its “pure soil, pure air and pure water”. The orchard is located in the middle of the island, occupying an area of 451.67 hectares. It is the largest production site of the “green food”. There are rockeries, long corridors, a potted landscape garden, a Mongolian village with yurts, a horse track,a conch hall, and a hotel entertaining visitors with each of their own attractive characteristics. In autumn, amidst the ripe fruit in the orange orchard, visitors many feel the joy of a bumper harvest.
Changxing Island is closer to the center of Shanghai City and enjoys the reputation as “Longevity Island”, “Clean Island” and “the Hometown of Oranges”.
Place of Note: Novel farm
It is located in the middle of Changxing Island, with an occupation of 451.67 ha. As one of the national largest orange production base, this novel farm enjoys the high reputation in Shanghai and even the Eastern of China.
Tangerine oranges from this farm look bright and smooth, and taste sweet and juicy, with thin skins and few pits. Besides, there are some attractive scenic spots and well-equipped entertainment places and hotels in this farm.
Future Infrastructure accessing the islands to Shanghai Mainland
Shanghai will extend the planned No. 9 Metro line to Chongming Island as part of an already started bridge and tunnel project linking the island to Pudong.
The Metro line will run from Songjiang District in western Shanghai, through Xujiahui, and Waigaoqiao in Pudong. It will then be linked to Changxing Island by tunnel. From Changxing, it will run across a bridge to Chongming Island.The city has announced that it plans to turn Chongming Island, the third largest island in China, into an ecological zone that will be ideal for tourism and international forums.
While many details of the Metro project haven't been worked out yet, the line is expected to be complete by 2010, according to Mao Jialiang, director of the Shanghai Urban Planning Administrative Bureau.
"We are planning to merge the new subway line with the tunnel and bridge connection to reach the island," Mao said.Construction has already begun on the 8.9-kilometer tunnel connecting Pudong to Changxing Island."The tunnel will be a two-level tube - its upper level will be used for vehicles and its lower level has been reserved for the subway line," said Yu Sijia, director of the bureau's planning department.
Engineers haven't decided yet how the Metro line will be integrated into the planned 10.3-kilometer cable-stayed bridge connecting Changxing and Chongming.
"One possibility is to build the subway line in the middle of the bridge, dividing the traffic lanes into two parallel sections running in different directions," Yu said.
A 6.3-kilometer elevated highway will also be built on Changxing Island to link the tunnel with the bridge. Yu said city planners are still conducting a feasibility study of how to merge the subway with the bridge.
Location: Changxing Island lie between Congming Island and Pudong New District and belong to Baoshan District.Transportation: take bus No.5, 51,116,522,728,848,849 to Wusong dock, where you can take ship to Changxing Island, Hengsha Island and Chongming Island.
Above: A local market scene selling fresh vegetables locally produced.
above: a local vendor selling local made Tofus and specialties.
Above: Fishing is an important source of revenue for the islands. During the spring festival, it is the most lucrative period for the locals to sell their catch to the mainland.
Above: A genuine smile you seldom see in the city. An old man posing for a shot at his orchard. The locals grow chinese mandrin for their own consumption as well as exporting to the mainland. Current projects in developing the island into a more robust and industrialised area forces many villagers to relocate. Many chose to build their houses higher in order to receive more stipends and supports from the goverment when they relocate.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
3 years ago...
Around Fudan University, you could see lots of construction works going on, building of the central highway in Shanghai, that passes through Handan Road, at which where Fudan University was located. Everyday, students crossed the roads in order to reach their classrooms. Whether it was raining or shiny, it was a real hassale. Students wearing masks was a common sight then. However, students took it easy and everything pass as smoothly as the University's Centennial Celebration.
The constructions are over, but we can still see that Shanghai will always be in an ever changing state, in which one construction ends awaiting another to be complete.
above: construction worker moving across a traffic of students and workers
above: how high can the p.s.i be?
above: such uniformed workers are a common sight around china. they are usually volunteers, old people who had retired. In shanghai, they can be a fierce sight, in which their whistles blow loudly, sometimes screaming at padestrians who jaywalked
above: everything ends with a smile
above: the newly completed central highway 中环线, 2006
above: an evening shot of the surroundings around Fudan University.
Monday, June 04, 2007
This is no art street performance
I took this two shots with my Yashica T3 during 2006 when i was on my way to the Shanghai Museum in summer. It was in the late afternoon, there was a lot of people crossing the busy streets around Nanjing Road, People's Square and Xizang Road. This old lasy sat down near a cross junction attracting lots of attention from passer-bys. She was not performing or basking. She was apparently outcrying to the public for some wrongs done to her, seeking justice and attention. There were a couple of street police and traffic police trying to clear the crowd. I took the shots quickly and left.
Notice the passer-bys, they were curious as well as dumbfounded of the situation. Some tried to look at what was written on pieces of clothes that the old lady dressed herself with. I did not get the chance to read what was written or take a picture of the content.
China CCTV currently is reaching out their hands in telling the social issues happening around in China. You can access the website here. The content is in Chinese and Mandrin. The english version can be accessed here.
