vansteenblogen

Old Chuangsha Home

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 10:08:00 +0000

Despite the rain, I am glad I made it out there since it's back to work tomorrow after the Chinese New Year break. The weather did not stop boys in several villages from lighting firecrackers, but for the rest most places were quiet since the majority of migrant workers are still in their home provinces. Demolition to make room for new developments have all been put on hold for now, and most shops were still closed.
South of Chuangsha I came upon this old home with an inner courtyard that had been restored. The young couple that lived there was hospitable enough to show me the inside of what probably dates back to the 1930s.

January Rides

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:52:00 +0000

Despite the winter temperatures this January, I've been out in the Pudong countryside on my mountain bike three times now, which feels fantastic. Yesterday I ventured NE, and covered some new territory. And as always, if I come across kids, I stop and chat with them. Special moments; for them, because it's probably the first time they've ever spoken to a foreigner; for me, because I can never get enough of a child's heart. Played some soccer with the boys in their yard.

Across the Huangpu

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 06:38:00 +0000

Had a great ride today; a good start to the year and my commitment to bike at least once a week. Did about 44 km; took the ferry under the Yangpu Bridge, then along the Bund, back across the Huangpu River by ferry again, and then along Gaoke rd home.

Shanghai Maglev!

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 04:29:00 +0000

Finally found an overpass that's close to the maglev rail. It's somewhere in the middle of the track (which takes only seven minutes from Longyang station to the Pudong Airport), so it must have been going at maximum speed (about 40 km/h).

Yangshuo 20 years on

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 11:25:00 +0000

I first visited Yangshuo (& Guilin) in 1990 and again in 1991, when it was still a quiet and quaint backpackers' hideout. Going back while on a business trip last month, it was disappointing to see that it had been heavily commercialized, including a McDonalds in the middle of the town.

Magic Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 09:14:00 +0000

I immediately pulled over with my car, got out, jumped a fence and snapped away when the sky turned yellow and a dark cloud hid the sun but not its rays. Unfortunately all I had at my disposal was my iPhone...
The towers you see (in Lujiazui, see previous post) are about 12 km away.

Three Towers

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 23:08:00 +0000

In moments like this you wish you had a better camera than your mobile phone.
In the forefront Jinmao Tower (my workplace), flanked in the back by the World Financial Centre, and a in few years time the Shanghai Tower, will be the highest of all (632 meters; 128 floors).

Old Sailor

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 04:16:00 +0000

These old buildings in Heqing town caught my attention so I biked down this dead end alley. To my surprise an old man came out the next-door grain shop and spoke to me in broken English . He had sailed the world while in the navy from 1973-1987.
He then took me to the inner courtyard which is now being used as a warehouse. It once belonged to the Wu family (character was still on the steel door) but he fled to Taiwan in 1949. When I asked if Wu was a big landlord at one time, the man replied that he was a 流氓 (gangster).

Rural China

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sat, 21 May 2011 00:53:00 +0000

This picture was taken two minutes ago in Pudong. None of this was here 1.5 year ago...
(apologies for the cut in half bus...).

Click on the photo to enlarge.

Short-lived

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:18:00 +0000

The peach blossom stayed only for a week but I tried to savor a daily moment marveling at such beauty.

Bikeless Weekends

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:14:00 +0000

My biking aspirations for this spring have been repeatedly frustrated by busyness and recurring colds. The weather is already in the mid to high twenties Celsius and I have get out there before it hits thirty-plus...
Hopefully a bike update very soon.

Looking Down

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 11:30:00 +0000

Had a meeting on the 93rd floor in World Financial Center yesterday; below me a couple minnows: Jinmao Tower (88 floors) and the Pearl Tower.

Rain or Shine

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 14:46:00 +0000

I had to push myself to get out there this morning in the drizzling rain, but in the end was glad I did. Leaving Tangzhen I quickly snapped this one, wondering how long longer this little bridge would be here, as new developments encroach closer and closer. Then toured around Chuansha, smelled the fragrance of spring blossom, said hallo to the bicycle repairman on the street, came upon the most isolated subway stop (surrounded by farm houses and nothing else), and made my way home after 24 km just before the rain got heavier. Another day in the life of a biking Pudonger...

Pudong's Children

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 14:25:00 +0000

One of my favourite things while biking through the countryside is stopping in the villages and chatting with the kids. Most of them moved here with their families from either Henan or Anhui province, to seek a better life.

Preserving the Old

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 13:53:00 +0000

Biked about 34 km through southern Pudong yesterday and came across this Catholic church in the middle of a huge area which had been completely flattened. The building was completely empty, with only the walls still standing. I checked on Google Earth; only a year ago that area still had villages and canals.
On the map you see Shanghai's maglev track curving on the left. To the right of that and below the outer ring road (S20), everything is gone...except the church. To be confirmed, but I imagine this church was related to the Tangzhen Church, which was built in 1898.
(See http://vansteenblogen.blogspot.com/2007/01/winter-ride.html)

Disney Carwash

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 04:30:00 +0000

Finally on the bike again through the Pudong countryside, with great weather today (16 C).

A Beautiful Country with Friendly People and a Troubled Past

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 11:14:00 +0000

The eight days in Cambodia was an unforgettable experience: visiting old friends Phnom Penh, a time of relaxation on the beaches at Shihanoukville in the south, and the visit to the Killing Fields, which left a deep impression. During the Pol Pot reign of terror (1975-1979), more than 2 million Cambodians died of torture and famine, out of a total population of 8 million...
And yes, I did get a short bike trip in at Sihanoukville; no comparison to the Vietnam trip (and not that I was looking for that level of excitement), but more like Langkawi (beaches, some steep hills, and wild monkeys).
We didn’t have time to visit the world-famous Angkor War in the north, so that gives us an excuse to visit this beautiful country with its friendly people and troubled past again.

Rest in Sihanoukville

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 13:52:00 +0000

Arrived in Cambodia's (mostly underdeveloped) beach town. The main beach is rather narrow and noisy with one pub after the other, but after a 15-minute tuktuk ride we found a beautiful and quiet place, Otres Beach. The rest speaks for itself...

The Killing Fields

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:19:00 +0000

Hard to describe what I saw today at the Genocide Museum at Tuol Sleng (where prisoners were tortured by the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot) and the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center in the countryside (mass graves). Seeing the torture rooms and standing at the edge of the (now empty) massgraves I could feel the screams of the victims in the silence that surrounded me. Deeply impressed.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 15:19:00 +0000

Spending a week in Cambodia; wonderful weather, people, and food. This panorama shot (with my iPhone) was taken at the Royal Palace the capital Phnom Penh.

Shanghai Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 15:33:00 +0000

It doesn't happen too often, but this past week we had two solid days of snow. Taken on the way to work (Jinmao Tower).

Sunset in Suzhou

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 03:55:00 +0000

It worked! I just emailed this photo from my mobile phone directly to Blogger and it was automatically posted within 2 minutes. The pic was taken with my iPhone.

Jinan

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 13:50:00 +0000

Visited my in-laws in Jinan for New Year's and came across this huge Catholic church...

Also found some of my mother-in-law's pictures of the time when she was an actress; these are from the mid-seventies; the Cultural Revolution had just finished and she played Mao's ex-wife Jiang Qing.

aaah...Rome

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:52:00 +0000

Finally found a way around the Great Fire Wall of this country...
I had the pleasure spent some time in Rome last summer. As I was jetlagged, I ventured outside at 6:30 AM, before the hordes of tourists arrived. The Colloseum is absolutely a breathtaking piece of architecture. Later that day I went inside to take some more pictures (click on the pictures for more details).

Back for a Moment

noreply@blogger.com (Evblog) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 23:41:00 +0000

In Macao for a business trip, I can finally access and update vansteenblogen. Had the opportunity to visit many places since July of last year; below some of the highlights of a poverty alleviation trip to Anhui province.