Propaganda Poster Art Centre

The Propaganda Poster Art Centre is well worth the effort to find.Tucked away as it is not only in a housing complex oddly named President Apartment but also in the basement of Building B of the aforementioned residential block.The guard at the front gate will give you a small business card with directions once you reach the main entrance.Follow your nose and descend down the elevator where the gallery awaits.


















There are according to the pamphlet at the gallery some 3000 odd posters from the 50's through to the 70's. There is also some Maoist memorabilia on display such as the collection of busts above .I liked the earlier posters that reminded me almost of Japanese woodblocks with their simplicity and spare use of colour rather than the later lurid almost psychedelic 60's anti US Vietnam era productions.I've included a couple that I liked-the one above and the last one in this entry below.

Not all the posters are political in nature.This being the year of the Expo some posters and photos of life in Shanghai in earlier
times are also on display.There was a lovely almost 2 metre long black and white photo of the Bund in the 1920' or 30's on sale for a not inconsiderable but reasonable sum given its size.Just how to get back home.Not exactly carry on luggage.
The poster below depicts 1930's Shanghai for some people at that time.


















The Art Centre is divided into the gallery/showroom where the posters,prints and varied collections of Mao busts are displayed.The posters are grouped historically and there are English language captions explaining each sections significance.
The other section is the shop where you can buy the posters and prints either as originals or copies.There are also a number of related items for sale such as arm bands and caps and other Mao era memorabilia.














The posters represent an important time in the development of China and hopefully they can be preserved as primary historical items that bear witness to those times and be seen by many more people.As I said above the later Korean/Vietnam posters didn't really inspire me as much as the earlier poster and the one below.
The Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre has a website www.shanghaipropagandaart.com.The entrance fee was 20rmb and it can be found at 868 Huashan Road near the intersection with Changle Road.It was a little hike from Changshu Road Metro Station but walking the leafy French Concession streets was an unexpected bonus.

Shanghai Sculpture Park

The Shanghai Sculpture Park is located in Shenshan about 45 km out of central Shanghai.I took the subway to get there.It's 18 stops from Century Avenue on Line 9.About an hour and half ride to Shenshan Station.You then can either catch a taxi,walk or catch a bus from the station to the Park.The figures above are in the Moon Lake and are part of a series of beach sculptures featuring figures at the beach.












On entering the Park I was impressed with the large open green expanses.And the fresh air.The Park covers around ninety hectares and includes rolling green lawn.A large man-made lake Yuehu or Moon Lake takes centre stage and the whole area is surrounded by the Shenshan Mountains.There are around thirty sculptures of varying size and interest within the Park.One of the features of the Park is a large paddling pool where you can go get your feet wet.A larger deeper pool for wading is located adjacent to this one obviously intended for toddlers.Both pools have been decorated in a faux Gaudi style with small,colourful ceramic tiles being used to cover what would otherwise be a dull expanse of concrete.


















One of the permanent,more traditional sculptures on display.Being such a large area the sculptures are well spaced out and you can appreciate each one in it's own right.Some of the sculptures can be climbed or sat on.In fact there is an odd but fun jumping area like a cross between one of those deflated fun kids castles and a rubber mattress.















These sculptures are on the beach shore of the man-made Moon Lake.While you can't swim in the lake there appear to be boats for the nautically inclined to hire.There's also a large concrete tree structure complete with treehouse that provides views of the whole area and a restaurant and cafe that provide refreshments.









The Park has its own website that provides information on prices and opening times.I think because it is a bit of a haul out there and the adult admission price is 120rmb there were few people present.Not that I'm complaining.It was nice to walk around unimpeded by the masses and being able to breath without hearing the continual hacking and spitting that usually fills the city air.As the Park closes around 5pm its worth getting there early.Definitely a place I'll return to sometime midweek in the future.

More Snail Shots

A very slow week at work.Wrestling with the differences between collocations and compound words.Earth-shattering stuff I know.But damn annoying and difficult to define.So is the word 'school bus' a collocation or a compound word?I've found definitions and websites that go either way.
















While pondering such matters,Shanghai felt the effects of a passing typhoon.Lots of grey skies and rain though the strong winds forecast didn't really eventuate.Schools were cancelled the night before the typhoon's arrival.Next day dawned very humid and warm but otherwise most untyphoon like.


















I was too tired to do much my last days off so I have resorted to posting more snail photos.You can just make out their white shapes in this shot across from the Jinmao Tower.Theres an observation deck on the 88th floor which I will eventually visit once my summer humidity induced lethargy wears off.

Shanghai Snail Sculptures

I walk past these metallic gastropods on the way to work every day.They appear to be made of some powder coated punched metal and sit across from the Shanghai World Financial Centre providing a distraction for drivers caught in the traffic that drives past them.During the week an article ran in a local paper about a massive 10 day traffic jam that runs from Beijing to Hebei Province in Northern China.
Meanwhile in Beijing it is predicted that by 2015 with about 7 million cars on the road in the city rush hour speeds will be reduced to about 15 kilometres per hour-not so much a rush as a snail crawl.


















I quite like this photo as the snails antennae are echoed in the buildings that surround them-the radio and television masts of the Oriental Pearl Tower in the left background and the assorted banks and financial buildings that cluster in the area.












Moments after arriving back from taking these shots ,the skies which had been black and menacing,did indeed open up.There was another brief but heavy bout of thunder and rainshowers.While they provide a short respite from the humidity and lower the temperature it is only a matter of minutes before the steamy summer conditions return.

Food Prices Increases

Seems rather mundane but food prices are on the rise here.China's Consumer Price Index accelerated 3.3% last month from a year earlier according to a Shanghai Daily News article.This compared with an increase of 2.9% in June and 3.1% in May.Food costs rose 6.8% from a year earlier in July,while prices in the non-food sector rose just 1.6%.
Just figures bandied about by financial analysts and the National Bureau of Statistics?.No.You can see the direct result of the recent extreme weather such as droughts and floods on food prices.
The price of the 1.5litre bottle of water has increased from 1.70 yuan to 2 yuan over the last two weeks at one supermarket I shop at.The 500 ml milk carton likewise has increased in price from 5 yuan to 5.3 yuan and in some upmarket supermarkets to 5.50 yuan.The box of 25 teabags have also increased in price from 10 yuan to 10.30 yuan and in some cases up to 10.50 yuan.There doesnt seem to be any consistency in the prices increases. In some places chocolate bars remain untouched by inflation steady at 3 yuan while other stores have hiked the price up to3.60 yuan.For people on low fixed wages and trying to save for their own house and apartment these increases provide a further challenge to stretching household budgets.
You can speculate why the food prices have increased apart from weather factor-there are a great number of tourists here for the Expo and there is an ever increasing flood of workers into the city needing food,drink and housing.All of which create demand.

And the Heat Goes On
Earlier in the week the temperature hit at least 39 degrees celsius for the fourth consecutive day.Apparently this is the first time this has happened since records began some 137 years ago.The mercury last Sunday hit 39.8 degrees.What is curious is that the temperature never seems to hit 40 degrees yet having experienced similiar weather over the past 10 summers it certainly feels hotter than 39 point whatever.I've been told factories and other companies must down tools should it ever hit the magical 40 degree mark.
There have also been 21 high temperature days defined by the Met Bureau as days of 35 degrees and above.A few thunderstorms and heavy rain cooled the city down temporarily during the week but the forecast for the next few days predict temperatures in the mid to high 30's.

Mad Dogs and .....

Last Tuesday the mercury hit 39.6 degrees-the highest temperature for the year.Yesterday matched that peak and today, Friday, the temperature again is expected to hit the around the same mark and continue over the weekend.According to the Shanghai Daily yesterday was the 18th day so far in 2010 the temperature has exceeded 35 degrees.


















Many people were taking advantage of the air conditioning available in shopping centres and subway stations to get out of the energy sapping temperatures.Some lay spreadeagled and slumped over benches or sprawled against walls sleeping in the humid afternoon heat.Even though my walk to work is barely 15 minutes,by its end I'm awash from head to toe in sweat.Even my eyeballs seem to have perspired.


















During my daily walk I cut through the Luijazui Pudong Green.I've already posted some earlier photos of this small green area.Actually,after reading the information displayed in the park you realise it is in fact quite a large area.Around 3500 households were relocated to provide the space which opened in July 1997.The main feature in the middle of the green is a man-made lake shaped like a map of the Pudong New Area.It is stocked with carp and has a water fountain system usually in operation when married couples visit for their wedding photos.A number of walks circle the lake and there is a sail-like structure that provides shelter and coffee should you want to rest and take in the views of the skyscrapers that border the park and are reflected in the lake's waters.


















There are a number of life size bronze cast figures in groups dotted around the walkways,notably a group of tourists armed with cameras and another threesome of earnest looking business types.I've noticed other random statues and figures popping up around Shanghai but havent been carrying a camera to photograph them.

Shanghai Railway Museum

Due mainly to work committments and the energy sapping heat and humidity I haven't done anything recently worthy of blogging about.My efforts have had to concentrate on preparing a presentation for my peers and this has eaten into most of my free time.The recent weather with its regular forays into the high 30s exarcerbated by short,frequent cloudbursts has also done little to get me out of the house and exploring Shanghai.Still with a lull in the workload and a need to stretch my legs I travelled a few subway stops to the Shanghai Railway Museum near Baoshan Station.It's virtually around the corner from the station.The fact that theres a 100 ton or so locomotive parked in the front courtyard also makes it difficult to miss.


















According to the nearby plaque the steam locomotive was a gift from the United Nations in 1947.While the train offers some photo oppurtunities as does the passenger coach behind it,once inside the museum there are notices advising that cameras can't be used.













The Museum is built on the original site of Shanghai Station and the building itself seems to be in the classical British architectural mode of public buildings.The Museum takes up the ground floor of the building and is divided into various sections.While the staff gave me an English language pamphlet there were few other labels or translations explaining what the exhibits were or their significance.
The Museum covers the 100 plus years of rail history since the 1860's.There is a model of the first locomotive and scale models of modern rolling stock and high speed trains as well as plans of existing stations and futuristic stations planned for the future.












There was a section devoted to the old picks and shovels and other manual tools used by the early construction crews which graphically showed what a backbreaking job it must have been.Other sections are given to uniforms,signalling equipment and the like.












The photo above shows a wheel assembly unit built in Sheffield,England.If you are'nt a railway buff you can probably get round the whole museum in less than twenty minutes.Having said that the place was teeming with kids who were taking turns on some of the interactive exhibits and seemed to be enjoying themselves looking at the scale models and other equipment on display.I happened to be at the Museum at the right time for a ride in their Simulation Locomotive.This was a computer simulation where you get to control and drive a modern high speed train just as a modern driver would with the aid of a computer program and screen.The children who piled into the driver's cab with me enjoyed their chance to drive 'the train' and sound its diesel horn under the supervision of the Museum staff.
The Museum entry was 10 yuan for adults.It is open on Tuesdays,Thursdays and Fridays.Check the Museum website for opening times(the morning opening hours are currently 9-11:30 am) and other details at www.museum.shrail.com.As I said it's not a must see and given the lack of English labels and translations even less appealing,but a pleasant diversion nonetheless.

The 'Hood

Stinking hot day.Literally and figuratively.We appear literally to be in the middle of a heatwave with temperatures soaring into the mid 30s(celsius) and humidity to match or surpass that of a Japanese rainy season.Paper curling humidity.Humidity that continually jams an ancient dinosaur of a photocopier that should have been retired years ago.Humidity that causes arguments and wailing Chinese women cursing all and sundry at 2 am at the top of their lungs.Humidity that drives cockroaches to find new cooler pastures.Their crushed bodies slowly merging into the concrete dust that stirs underfoot on the unswept stairs.
Figuratively stinking because although I live several floors above ground,the nauseating stench from the inadequate blocked drains below still manages to drift upwards as the heat of the day rises.












This is the view from one of my windows.The square building in the middle of the frame is the local stock exchange building.Its an interesting design as it has a hollow centre which may be symbolic of that whole industry but I'm only speculating.(Yes that was a pun).Behind that edifice one can see a bevelled building which is the Shanghai World Financial Centre currently the fourth tallest building though for how much longer is anyones guess.The Jinmao Tower is towards the right of the World Financial Centre building and can't really be seen in this shot.At night I can make out its lit pointed top from my windows.












Another view looking in the opposite direction overlooking some of the other apartment buildings in this complex.The building I'm in was built in the early 1970's.There's no elevator although the building has six floors.There is virtually no insulation and my white plaster walls have a scruffy black tinge about them.The bathroom is an all tiled affair.Cold as a witches tit in winter and the ideal breeding ground for mould in humid summers.It lacks both a handbasin and tap.The toilet is prone to blocking so a rubber plunger is an essential piece of household kit.The shower seems to have a mind of its own switching between scorching hot and arctic ball breaking temperatures quicker than a Formula One pit crew.

The shot below shows a typical building in my compound..Entry to the buildings is gained by a key or number entered into a keypadded metal gate.Once inside the building,individual occupants then use their own keys to enter their apartments- so its a fairly safe and secure procedure.Theres also a watchman at each entrance to the complex.Apart from playing mah jong and clearing his throat audibly twenty four hours a day their main function seems to be barking at people entering and attempting to park their cars in the grounds.

A couple of Shanghai food photos

A trio of Shanghai's most famous snack,the xiaolongbao or steamed dumpling.These had a meaty interior awash with a hot broth or gravy.Other varieties contain crab and seafood and there are also vegetarian dumplings.The trick is eating them without scalding your mouth or dripping the gravy/broth over your clothes.These ones cost 1 yuan each and are available all over the city.














Local bakeries and stalls sell different kinds of bread and snacks.These are made of flaky pastry.A little oily and pleasantly but not overwhelmingly sweet.Again like the steamed dumplings above they cost a mere 1 yuan each.

Shanghai Ocean Aquarium

According to one guidebook I read the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium has over 10,000 specimens making it one of the largest aquatic collections in the world.The aquarium is located in Lujiazui in the shadow of the Oriental Pearl Tower.Adult admission was 135RMB.Up from 120RMB stated in my guidebook dated 2009.But this is 2010 and the EXPO is on...
Anyways given that it took me nearly two hours to see everything and read the helpful English language captions it seemed a fair and reasonable outlay.
There are three floors and various watery environments such as the Yangzi River,the Amazon and the usual tropical reef fish and tanks.Not forgetting of course the almost mandatory penguin tank that lets you see both the birds swimming and nesting.
There were tanks devoted to single species such as stingrays and slow,ponderous jellyfish which had a backlit tank so you could see how transparent and luminous their bodies were.












You move between floors via escalators.In one instance as you descended you were surrounded on three sides by a huge see through acrylic tank.Fish darted beside and above as the escalator transported you to the floor below.The basement floor features a lengthy clear viewing tunnel that has you craning your neck or diving anxiously as sharks,stingrays and other sea creatures swim overhead and beside you.












There were obviously some species I hadnt seen before such as the Chinese alligator or even the Horseshoe Crab which shared a tank in the Sea and Shore area on the Second Floor.


















There were,as I noted above,signs in English that named each species and gave some useful information about them such as their habitat and status.I recommend picking up one of the English language guides that is available.It also has hints about taking photography and other etiquette such as not using your flash and not tapping the glass of the tanks.
However this doesnt seem to be strictly enforced and is even ignored as parents prop their offspring up against the penguin or fishtanks or stand them on ledges and illuminate the area with their barrage of flashes.The sudden incandescence seems to stun the watching aquarium staff into inaction as much as it causes the penguins and fish to flinch and attempt to flee.












The Aquarium is worth visiting if you have a few hours to kill or the weather means other leisure choices are out of the question.The Aquarium has a daily feeding schedule that visitors can attend.Personally I gave the penguin feeding session a wide berth not wanting to be crushed by the hordes.Theres also the obligatory exit through the well stocked gift shop which leads through to an uninspiring fast food court should one be hungry.Not that I saw fish and chips on the menu...
The daily operating hours vary according to the time of year tho it seems usual hours are 9am to 6pm.Check the website at
www.sh-soa.com

People's Square(Renmin Park).

People's Square in Shanghai is pretty much the centre of Shanghai if you want to meet up with anyone from either Puxi or Pudong.The huge subway station is one of the major intersecting hubs connecting metro lines.Above ground various museums ,buildings and shopping streets draw people to the area.In the shot above you can see the UFO topped Raddison Hotel overlooking the Square.













One of the attractions within Renmin Park is a large pond.As yet the lotus flowers havent yet bloomed but no doubt are a drawcard later in the month when they do.There are lots of grassed areas with shrub and treelined paths. Despite the cloudy day there were a good number of people out and about taking advantage of the fine weather.










Above is a shot of the Shanghai Museum again set in the grounds of Renmin Park.It looks odd because it has a round roof and a square base.I read somewhere it was designed along the lines of a traditional three-legged cooking utensil called a ding.I havent been inside yet as apparently you need at least a day to do the exhibits justice and Ive been too busy on my days off or too tired to find the time.












One of the things I like about this area is the diverse architecture styles on display.In the foreground there is the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Centre while in the background you can make out the Radisson Hotel topped by what looks like an errant UFO.A lot of these buildings like the Exhibition Centre have roof top cafes so you can get a better view of the area.Again something to put on my 'to do' list.
Finally another view of what you can see as you walk round Renmin Square an odd mixture of architectural styles and eras.A sleek nondescript mirror windowed sky scraper lurches over a far more conventionally designed building.

Getting My Bearings

Central Shanghai can be roughly divided into two halves split by the Huangpu River.Puxi, to the west of the river, contains the historic areas of the city with the Bund and the French Concession as well as other districts such as the Old Town and Peoples Square area which is the geographic centre of modern day Shanghai.
To the east of the river is Pudong,the ultramodern face of Shanghai, with the garish Oriental Pearl Tower and the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone with the Jinmao Tower and the Shanghai World Finance Centre towering over the area.
In the picture above a paddle steamer makes its way down the Huangpu river through the haze.This shot is looking towards the Pudong side of the river.









One of the first things I had to consider was which side of the Huangpu I would live on.There are more oppurtunities for cheaper accomodation and better shopping and other facilities on the Puxi side as opposed to Pudong.Theres also commuting time to be taken into account.Where you work obviously is an important consideration.Do you really want to face an hour subway commute after work or be able to walk home in ten minutes?
If you live in Pudong which lacks the bars and restaurants of the Puxi districts one must note the time of the last subway or alternatively pay for a taxi back home over the river after a meal or beer.










The Huangpu River regularly has ocean going tankers and ocean liners moving at a stately pace studiously avoiding the other river craft such as barges and tourist boats zipping about them.Last week,one of New Zealands two frigates Te Kahu was in port.It was part of the ships current tour and was in town for six or so days.The ship was anchored on the west or Bund side of the Hangpu River.The grey atmosphere which was a combination of sea fog and Shanghai's smog provided the perfect camouflage for the ship. Unfortunately grey smoggy days that obscure the views and make taking photos problematic are all too common here.Im still trying to work out things like exposure times and lenses to get the best shots possible given the conditions.

Sheepless in Shanghai.

Back.Finally.I arrived in Shanghai at the end of February.I'd returned home to New Zealand after leaving Japan in late August 2009.After a fruitless search for full-time employment I accepted a position in Shanghai,China.













I'm still finding my feet culturally and workwise.The energy of 22 odd million locals is sometimes overpowering compared to the sombre post Toyota gloom I left in Nagoya,Japan.Geographically I live in an area of Shanghai called Pudong.Its an interesting area undergoing rapid expansion.Theres an uneasy mixture of old style residential gated compounds cheek by jowl with modern skyscrapers.The photo above comes from a local park in central Pudong.The flying saucer sculptures echo the architecture of nearby high rise buildings.












The park has a number of features including a lake that abounds in carp and huge expanses of grass though there are signs that prohibit you from sitting on the verdant green stuff.Instead you have the option of sitting on pile-inducing granite stone like benches dotted around the park.As it seems to be the only green space with trees for miles there are always wedding couples getting their photos taken there.Park staff obligingly turn on the fountain in the centre of the lake so that the happy couples can be snapped with water spouts and sprays gushing in the background.













The wedding cars are always festooned with flowers and toys such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse.The sight of this car brandishing a Hello Kitty wedding decoration produced a wry smile.I could have been back in Japan.











The last three months here in Shanghai have been frantic and at times difficult.Trying to find an apartment knowing there is a deadline to meet with immigration and visa papers to be completed,at the same time still learning a new job and trying to get to grips with a foreign culture meant there has been little time to explore Shanghai.As I recall it was the same in Nagoya.It took time for things to shakedown and establish a routine.A balance between work and recreation.Now that Ive finally got an internet connection and getting to grips with my job I will be able to see something of this city and blog about it.Hopefully.









The stretched limo you see above was ferrying a large wedding party to the park for their wedding photos.As it was rather warm and humid today the car was having a hard time of it.Although you cant see in either photo there was a cloud of steam coming from the engine.If you look carefully you may note the puddle of water in the first photo around the feet of the man wearing a black tshirt and gingerly using a cloth to look at the radiator cap.Seeing that things were getting heated in more ways than one I beat a hasty retreat.Hopefully the car and its occupants had a safe journey without incident.