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March 28, 2009
Pudong from the Bund
I spent last week working out of my company's office in Shanghai. My hotel was outside the city center, and for the weekend, I decided to stay downtown where the action is. I am writing this blog from the Bund, an area that - architecturally, at least - looks more Europe than Asia. In the early 20th century, this is where the Western countries set up their banks and trading houses to do business with China.
After the communist takeover in 1949, the area went into disrepair. However, it is now under redevelopment in preparation for the Shanghai Expo in 2010. While this is no longer the financial center of Shanghai, it definitely has potential as a tourist destination...Looking across the Huangpu river from the Bund is like looking from the past into the future. Here is the view:
This is Pudong, which has been transformed from a swamp to one of the world's most impressive skylines in about twenty years. It seems like in the US, China is the country that we love to hate. However, I can not help but be impressed with the progress that has been made - at least in the bubble of prosperity that is Shanghai. Is this what HCMC will be like in twenty years?
Posted by mt_mrobinson at 11:02 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
March 15, 2009
Feeling At Home
It is late on Sunday night, and while I am tired, I want to keep my commitment to an entry per week on this blog. While my feelings about this city can change as quickly as the weather in the rainy season, today is a beautiful, sunny day in my world. After eight months living in Vietnam, this country feels like home to me. That might sound like a betrayal of my fatherland, but I have nothing against America. For now, Saigon is where my work, friends, and near future are, and I feel grounded here. Time for me to get some sleep and face the madness of Monday tomorrow morning.
Cheers everyone!
Posted by mt_mrobinson at 10:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack