Talk about a mass exodus ... college on Friday lunchtime

Check this out, the first week I did not have any idea what was going on. But turns out almost all the students are from Shanghai. And it is still and hour+ away by bus. plus once you get there travel is required to get to other parts of the city. BIG city. anyway Friday about 10am all these buses start arriving at college to take the students back to Shanghai and parts.
Believe me these are just a few of the buses that arrive here. literally dozens and dozens of them.

And of course right outside my apartment, so there is no getting away from it unless I go out early. Oh did i tell you that I work just Monday to Wednesday 2.20pm. Part time work full time money. good gig I think.

cheers, check this pic out
Mike

On any Sunday ... in Shanghai

Recently I went to a visit a few sites around the place. It was a Sunday and to be honest ... that was a really bad idea. There are 20+ million people in Shanghai and I think most are out on Sundays. Check the pic of the Yu Yuan garden and old Shanghai. Sorry it is just the one, was impossible to get any decent position. But you can see the people there. Great spot and I will go back, at least not on a Sunday next time.
That day i went with two students, Ruby and Nemo. Yep Nemo after the fish in the movie. Obviously these are just made up English names so they tend to choose something different to the norm. In my classes I have a Silence, Rainbow, Vampire, Kenny (girl), Nono, Yoyo, Jojo, Apple, Strawberry and honey, Chocolate, Kisses, Joker, rabbit and many NBA stars including just a few Kobe's. And the list goes on. I like it and they like it. Plus of course there are many more traditional girls and boys names.
Anyway back to the days out. Yu Yuan garden was great but a little over crowded that Sunday. Ruby Nemo and I also went to the People Square where they have a English corner plus a dating corner. Interesting place, although I had to get the girls to translate for me. The dating corner is unique i think. It is like a clothes line with messages printed on A4 paper pegged to it. you can read it and write the or call the number and make contact. The girls were asking me what kind of person I wanted like personality, looks, etc etc and then they went looking. So there is a pic here of Ruby in front of the dating "clothesline".

Another Sunday I went with another student Bonnie to the Shanghai Science & technology Museum (SSTM). It is much closer to college. Great place. There is one in Brisbane and I liked it also. This one is much bigger and more to do. Pics here of me and one of Bonnie in front of the tiger.

Around Shanghai

I suppose a lot of people who have been here to Shanghai, tell you about the Pudong area and the famous Pearl T Building. Well to bad i am gonna do it as well. There are three really tall building very close to each other including the Pearl tower. The Jinmao tower and the brand new Shanghai world Financial Centre that is 100+ stories.

So i went there to go up the observation deck. A long way up. and that day in Shanghai was not the best weather, but did take some pics of the city and surrounds. Pictures here from the deck.

The most interesting ones I think thought are the observation deck is on flr88. 8 being the luckiest number to Chinese people. but even at that level the new Shanghai world financial centre building just towers up. see the pics. And at the top was a bunch of workmen in a hanging basket cleaning it. check the pic out, you can see them waaaay up there. yeah, not for me sorry.

Jackie Chan came to meet me at the foyer. Nice of him really. and on the the top 50+ floors is the Grand Hyatt hotel. and they have an atrium design and you can see all the way down the centre of the hotel like a spiral. very interesting. see the pics

ok short post tonight .. always interested in your comments

cheers

Factory Outlet city ... at my doorstep

When I arrived here one of the Chinese teachers told me that if I wanted to buy any clothes, shoes or other international brand names products really cheap I could JUST go down the street and there is a village there full of the stores. And I just said yeah yeah. Now that I have been here a little while I have ventured out to take a look around the area I live at Nanhui. And you know there is a brand street about 10 minutes slow walk from my room.
It is a walking street so like a mall really. and runs parallel to the main road that goes to our College. I have had a look now and there is a lot of brands we know eg Nike, Adidas, Esprit, Boss, Benetton, Armani, and lots more I just cant think of right now. But I have included here some pics of the street. it is done out like stores on the ground level and what will be cafes above and balconies. Very continental I think. At this stage it seems to be quite new so not so many shoppers. But I did notice some tour buses so I guess it will take off soon with many tourists with money to spend. Hope you like the pics.
Oh one thing more. I went to the Armani store. and they asked me if I would like to help them by appearing in a poster for them for Armani Mania .... WHAT... me?? Must be a shortage of foreigners around these parts!! ... Sure why not, maybe my 15 mins of fame.
So there is a pic of me in the posters as well with the posters in the street.
What do you think?