Up to Shanghai (as an expat) - November 17th 2009 and onward

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December 2009


Page 1 of 4.
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Daily Life: Getting to Work
Our apartment building is on the right. The entrance is in a courtyard off an alley off a long (though small) lane. Our room is the second on the right. In the courtyard at left, one of our neighborhood keeps birds in cages. He leaves them out there when the weather is significantly above freezing. I guess this day was cold, because the cages aren't there (sorry). In the spring, the birds would say hello to me in Mandarin. Di Yin says they also speak a bit of Shanghainese ("hello little girl").
The view from building's front door past the courtyard to the short alley. Notice the clothes hanging out to dry.
The long lane our building is on. Our building is the tall one on the left. We're on the third floor overlooking this alley, though at the far end of the building. I wonder if any of those clothes are ours. We generally didn't hang clothes to dry outdoors; we generally only hung sheets (because we didn't have space indoors). Hanging sheets on those long poles is a scary task! The alley is visible in this picture: it's on the left, just in front of our building. Walking down the alley about twenty feet, turn right, and you're in the courtyard (previously photographed).
Walking down the lane. There's only one lane for cars, but there's a gate at the end. It's usually down--the guard has to flip the switch to make it rise--so generally the lane has relatively little traffic. (The only people who use it live on it.) I said the lane was long. You can barely see the end.
Our apartment building is on the right. The entrance is in a courtyard off an alley off a long (though small) lane. Our room is the second on the right. In the courtyard at left, one of our neighborhood keeps birds in cages. He leaves them out there when the weather is significantly above freezing. I guess this day was cold, because the cages aren't there (sorry).
In the spring, the birds would say hello to me in Mandarin. Di Yin says they also speak a bit of Shanghainese ("hello little girl").
The view from building's front door past the courtyard to the short alley. Notice the clothes hanging out to dry.
The long lane our building is on. Our building is the tall one on the left. We're on the third floor overlooking this alley, though at the far end of the building. I wonder if any of those clothes are ours. We generally didn't hang clothes to dry outdoors; we generally only hung sheets (because we didn't have space indoors). Hanging sheets on those long poles is a scary task!
The alley is visible in this picture: it's on the left, just in front of our building. Walking down the alley about twenty feet, turn right, and you're in the courtyard (previously photographed).
Walking down the lane. There's only one lane for cars, but there's a gate at the end. It's usually down--the guard has to flip the switch to make it rise--so generally the lane has relatively little traffic. (The only people who use it live on it.)
I said the lane was long. You can barely see the end.
The actual real intersection near the entrance to our lane. The lane's entrance is about a hundred feet behind me. This photograph shows the trees in our neighborhood (yay!). It looks north. Two-and-a-half blocks in this direction is one of our local green markets, with vegetable, meat, etc. stands. Usually when I hit this intersection, from this direction, I turn right, following the path I take to the metro station to get to work. Occasionally on the weekends I'll walk to market in the morning to pick up some fried bread. (There's a stand by the entrance to the market.) (It's too far out of my way to do on typical workday.) This is the intersection of Wukang Road and Hunan Road.
Walking down Hunan Road, following the path I use to get to work.
The large intersection of Hunan Road and Huaihai Middle Road has the Shanghai Library on the corner. Although Di Yin works there often, and I walk by it everyday, I've never gone in.
The view west down Huaihai Middle Road. This is a major commercial street in our part of town (though still note the apartments above the shops). I don't walk down this street often, as I my route to work has me continue down Hunan Road.
The actual real intersection near the entrance to our lane. The lane's entrance is about a hundred feet behind me. This photograph shows the trees in our neighborhood (yay!). It looks north. Two-and-a-half blocks in this direction is one of our local green markets, with vegetable, meat, etc. stands. Usually when I hit this intersection, from this direction, I turn right, following the path I take to the metro station to get to work. Occasionally on the weekends I'll walk to market in the morning to pick up some fried bread. (There's a stand by the entrance to the market.) (It's too far out of my way to do on typical workday.)
This is the intersection of Wukang Road and Hunan Road.
Walking down Hunan Road, following the path I use to get to work.
The large intersection of Hunan Road and Huaihai Middle Road has the Shanghai Library on the corner. Although Di Yin works there often, and I walk by it everyday, I've never gone in.
The view west down Huaihai Middle Road. This is a major commercial street in our part of town (though still note the apartments above the shops). I don't walk down this street often, as I my route to work has me continue down Hunan Road.
The steamed bun shop on Hunan Road near the library that I frequently grab breakfast from on the way to work. Steamed buns are light, yeasted, white bread about the size of a fist. A variety of fillings could be put inside. I eventually tried its entire menu, and the woman recognizes me (though obviously we can't have a real conversation; the best I can do it attempt to say very clearly in Mandarin what I want).
Continuing down Hunan Road. More trees (one benefit of living in the French Concession). In the distance is the traffic light at the major street, Hengshan Road. We're almost at the metro station!
A tiny park on the corner of Hunan Road and Hengshan Road. I cut through it daily. Depending on the time of day, there may be someone selling roasted yam or roasted corn by the park (as seen here). Rarely (only when school gets out), there may be someone grilling skewers of meat.
This part of Hengshan Road is known for its row of bars. (The reason for this will be more obvious in photographs of this area at night.) We're also closer to a part of town with residential skyscrapers.
The steamed bun shop on Hunan Road near the library that I frequently grab breakfast from on the way to work. Steamed buns are light, yeasted, white bread about the size of a fist. A variety of fillings could be put inside. I eventually tried its entire menu, and the woman recognizes me (though obviously we can't have a real conversation; the best I can do it attempt to say very clearly in Mandarin what I want).
Continuing down Hunan Road. More trees (one benefit of living in the French Concession).
In the distance is the traffic light at the major street, Hengshan Road. We're almost at the metro station!
A tiny park on the corner of Hunan Road and Hengshan Road. I cut through it daily. Depending on the time of day, there may be someone selling roasted yam or roasted corn by the park (as seen here). Rarely (only when school gets out), there may be someone grilling skewers of meat.
This part of Hengshan Road is known for its row of bars. (The reason for this will be more obvious in photographs of this area at night.)
We're also closer to a part of town with residential skyscrapers.
Looking east down Hengshan Road (from near the park / the intersection with Hunan Road), you can see the sign for the metro entrance. I don't have to walk far down this road.
The exit I usually take from the large People's Square/Renmin Square metro station to get to work. Depending on the time of day, there are people selling stuff on the steps. (The police make sure these folks aren't there during rush hour.)
From the same position (having emerged from the metro station near my company's offices). This is People Square / Renmin Square, the center of downtown.
From that metro entrance, I walk a few hundred feet away from People's Square to get to the skyscraper containing my company's office. We're located in the building with the curved overhang at right.
Looking east down Hengshan Road (from near the park / the intersection with Hunan Road), you can see the sign for the metro entrance. I don't have to walk far down this road.
The exit I usually take from the large People's Square/Renmin Square metro station to get to work. Depending on the time of day, there are people selling stuff on the steps. (The police make sure these folks aren't there during rush hour.)
From the same position (having emerged from the metro station near my company's offices). This is People Square / Renmin Square, the center of downtown.
From that metro entrance, I walk a few hundred feet away from People's Square to get to the skyscraper containing my company's office. We're located in the building with the curved overhang at right.
Sometimes I walk in the front entrance, though occasionally I detour to walk through this cool fountain and enter from the back. Actually, the walking path makes it cool, not the fountain itself.
Sometimes I walk in the front entrance, though occasionally I detour to walk through this cool fountain and enter from the back. Actually, the walking path makes it cool, not the fountain itself.
Daily Life: View from Work
My company uses the entire 16th floor of the building. This picture looks out one window, showing a pretty park on the roof of a nearby building. I've never seen anyone in the park, which I imagine is private.
Looking out another window, toward part of People's Square.
Yet another window, yet another direction: lots of tall residential building, and what appears to be more parks on roofs.
The more-major part of People's Square. Notice the distinctive skyscraper (how can you miss that) and the easy-to-miss colorful carousel in bottom-right (in People's Park).
My company uses the entire 16th floor of the building. This picture looks out one window, showing a pretty park on the roof of a nearby building. I've never seen anyone in the park, which I imagine is private.
Looking out another window, toward part of People's Square.
Yet another window, yet another direction: lots of tall residential building, and what appears to be more parks on roofs.
The more-major part of People's Square. Notice the distinctive skyscraper (how can you miss that) and the easy-to-miss colorful carousel in bottom-right (in People's Park).
An excellent (for content, not photographic quality) panorama of People's Square, People's Park, and downtown Shanghai in general, as seen from my company's 16th-floor office. Incidentally, the squat building by the square in mid-left is the Shanghai Museum.
An excellent (for content, not photographic quality) panorama of People's Square, People's Park, and downtown Shanghai in general, as seen from my company's 16th-floor office.
Incidentally, the squat building by the square in mid-left is the Shanghai Museum.
Daily Life: View from Work at Night
The skyscrapers around People's Square at night as seen from my company's office. The Shanghai Museum can be just made out in the dark patch. From our apartment during the summer, we could see in the distance the building with the red eyes. We always imagined it to be an evil robot.
To the right of the previous picture, more of People's Square and tall buildings. The oddly-shaped building in the foreground is the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center. The top of the building is designed to look like a white magnolia (the flower of Shanghai).
Farther right still. The tall building is named Tomorrow Square.
The skyscrapers around People's Square at night as seen from my company's office. The Shanghai Museum can be just made out in the dark patch.
From our apartment during the summer, we could see in the distance the building with the red eyes. We always imagined it to be an evil robot.
To the right of the previous picture, more of People's Square and tall buildings. The oddly-shaped building in the foreground is the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center. The top of the building is designed to look like a white magnolia (the flower of Shanghai).
Farther right still. The tall building is named Tomorrow Square.
Daily Life: Going Home at Night
On the way home at night, the first major intersection I see upon leaving the subway has lots of bars and nightlife. I previously photographed the area during the daytime (though it's not the exact same stretch of road by the intersection).
Another stretch of Henghshan Road a block away. I don't walk down this part on the way home. (I took this picture one day on the way to a restaurant around here.)
A prettily lit bar a bit farther down the road.
On the way home at night, the first major intersection I see upon leaving the subway has lots of bars and nightlife.
I previously photographed the area during the daytime (though it's not the exact same stretch of road by the intersection).
Another stretch of Henghshan Road a block away. I don't walk down this part on the way home. (I took this picture one day on the way to a restaurant around here.)
A prettily lit bar a bit farther down the road.
Daily Life: Jing'an Temple Holiday Decorations at Night
The large, bright Christmas tree outside the fancy mall by Jing'an Temple.
The mall's elaborately decorated entrance. Excellent, perhaps.
The line of smaller, more-complexly-decorated trees lining the steps up to the mall.
A video of the shooting stars (yes, animated lights) on the trees.
The large, bright Christmas tree outside the fancy mall by Jing'an Temple.
The mall's elaborately decorated entrance. Excellent, perhaps.
The line of smaller, more-complexly-decorated trees lining the steps up to the mall.
A video of the shooting stars (yes, animated lights) on the trees.