We took two plane rides in China from Beijing to Changsha and from Zhangjiajie City to Shanghai. They were both fairly short trips and they served the same hot meal on both. They also showed the same movie and no, we never saw the finish of either one.
Shanghai was the end of the trip and it is a very modern bustling city of over 16 million people. The skyline is remarkable for its very unique architecture and planning. They are preparing for a World Expo to take place in 2010 and it looks to be something else. The map you see above is from the Shanghai planning center and it is one of the most remarkable planning maps you will see anywhere, it is huge. Even standing from the overlook above it, I couldn't get it all in one picture.
Shanghai's dark skies were the result of looming thunderstorms in the distance and it made for some great images. To the left are Kitty and Bart Trescott from Carbondale IL, part of our delegation.
I never get tired of seeing the traffic on the river or the magnificant architecture of the high rise buildings. To the left is the USCPFA delegation to the friendship forum, from left: Robert Sanborn, Bart & Kitty Trescott, Alex Gabriels, Cres LaWell, Eric Liu (our CPAFFC Host), Mimi Lau, Joyce Cox, Marcia Cooper, Rose Ellen Stanbery our tour coordinator who kept us all together, and Joe Lau.
Despite all what you see of a huge city like this, it is a city of 16 million people and they have to be somewhere like this bustling market section called the Yu Garden Area. A warren of what seems like a million shops and alleys and of course, I got lost and ended up finding a driver willing to go cross town back to the hotel.
Thank you for making it this far. While this trip was a part of an official USCPFA delegation (of which I am as of this writing the president), the opinions are my own, the pictures are my own, and of course, mean no offence no matter how bad the drivers are but you know, the people everywhere are as friendly and helpful as can be. One reason I love going back to China.
I have included a number of web links to get you through a lot of what I have seen on this trip so I hope you enjoyed the story and happy surfing.
http://www.acfs.com.au/news.htm Australia China Friendship Society.
http://www.indianapolis-cologne.org/ Indianapolis Cologne Sister City.
http://www.indygov.org/eGov/Mayor/sisters.htm Indianapolis Sister Cities organization.
http://www.gov.cn/english/2008-11/08/content_1143321.htm Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on the Sister Cities Conf.
http://www.nzchinasociety.org.nz/news.html New Zealand China Friendship Society.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/26/content_7500066.htm Guo Jinlong Elected Mayor of Beijing.
http://www.zhangjiajie.com.cn/english/ Zhangjiajie's own Website.
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hunan/zhangjiajie/zhangjiajie.htm Another travel site on Zhangjiajie.
http://en.beijing2008.cn/ Beijing's Olympic website.
http://en.expo2010china.com/ Shanghai China Expo 2010 Website.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2008-09/26/content_7062200.htm From China Daily visiting Zhangjiajie.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2008-09/25/content_7060177.htm From China Daily another story visiting Zhangjiajie.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2008-11/28/content_7249180.htm From China Daily - Phoenix Old City.
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