Departure and Arrival (Jason Skinner)

On May 18, 2008, our plane left the Twin Cities at 6:00 am. Within the hour we were waiting in the concourse at O’Hare International Airport. I had a cinnamon roll, a turkey sandwich, and an iced latte from Starbucks (with an extra shot of espresso). The exchange rate at the airport was 5.9 Yuan to the Dollar (this is low); the current exchange rate is seven Yuan to the US Dollar. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 10:30 am; at about 11:10 am we were on our way to Shanghai, which is 13 hours ahead of Central Time.
United Airlines (we were on a Boeing 747) served two lunches and a snack. The plane ride wasn’t that bad; I only slept for a few hours on and off. The flight was about 13 hours and we arrived at 1:30 pm (Shanghai time), May 19, at Shanghai International Airport. We easily passed through customs (which was very quick, I gave it a very happy rating – there was a digital rating survey at each customs teller). Also, we observed a three-minute silence, along with the rest of the country, for the many lives lost in the recent earthquake (70,000 and counting); we were soon out the doors and on a bus.
The highways and vegetation were very impressive; trees were propped up and supported with bamboo supports. Workers, sporting flashy, hunter orange uniforms, tend the trees, shrubs and flowers along the highway. Soon enough our driver managed to take us downtown, and before checking in at our hotel we went to the Oriental Pearl Tower to view Shanghai from 263 meters in the sky – a spectacular view! Skyscrapers and high-rise buildings dominated the view; like asparagus emerging in the spring, the architecture sprouted from the land for as far as we could see (horticulture students are allowed to make tacky vegetable metaphors). A haze, not quite fog and quite a settling dust, blanketed the city and hid the sky and the horizon from our view; 18 million residents live their lives here.
After a speedy descent in the elevator, our tour guide, Lili, lead us through the Shanghai History Museum. Our tour guide, Lili, is from Suzhou and also studied horticulture; she explained the displays at the museum. I did not know that Shanghai also had streetcars before buses – the entire world has succumbed to the ventures of the petrol industrialists.
Later that evening we arrived at the hotel – the New Asia Hotel. I drank a little tap water. Jake and I went for a walk after the sun went down. We passed a McDonalds and went inside to check out the menu. A Big Mac meal (with fries and a Coke) costs 17 Yuan – about $2.50; the sandwich alone was 12.50 Yuan. Instead of a dollar menu there is a 6-Yuan menu. Our night-walk lead us through a few streets and a few alleys. Eventually, yes, Jake and I became frustrated, but we were never lost. Jake bought a melon and bananas from a man selling fruit – 10 Yuan (about a dollar and a half, cheaper than Cub). Our exposure, however brief and limited, gave Jake and I the impression that the Chinese, especially our generation, are basically just like us – which I find to be pretty cool. Younger crowds and couples take to the streets at night. Most of the stores closed at 9:30 pm.
We stopped at an ATM (International Bank of China) so I could acquire some cash; I notic the Visa sign and took advantage. Later, I looked at my checking account and saw that I received the very best exchange rate – just over 7 Yuan per dollar. The ATM was easy to use because I could use the Englished commands. TCF Bank, in Minneapolis, charged me just over four bucks to make the withdrawal; the International Bank of China charged about six dollars – perfectly fine by my standards, having withdrawn 1000 Yuan (roughly $140).
The number of bikes, motor-bikes, and mopeds is unbelievable. Minneapolis is known as a bike-friendly city, but the numbers don’t even come close to what we see in Shanghai. Bike “shoulders”, as we have in the States, don’t exist here. The bikes fit right in with the rest of traffic – usually hugging one side of the road or the other, the large numbers of two-wheeled commuters make it easier to fend off the cars, amongst other two-wheelers. There are, however, some roads with separate bike lanes that are completely separated from the car lanes by a curbed median, usually planted with street trees – Sycamores are very popular street trees here; this is a great idea and this is what needs to happen in the US.
Like crosswalks with walk signals, there are bike signals here – a green bike lights up when it is appropriate to cross (keep in mind you are still not guaranteed a right of way). The traffic laws are liberal, especially at night when traffic police aren’t out. You are pretty much on your own – look both ways and hurry your ass across the street or into the adjacent lane. There are also counters, on many of the traffic lights, for cars and busses, to let you know how much time you have to get through the green and how long you have to wait for the red.
mentioned a Target might do well here; I responded by noting the laziness of Americans – we really only need to know one or two stores (destinations) to get whatever we need (we The shops are very specific in what they sell. Many street-front businesses have roll up steel doors to close at night. There are many clothing stores too; local brands are cheaper than western brands like Nike, which cost the same. A pair of Crocs costs about $40. Jake are simple people and have not the time to be traveling all over to run errands, or maybe we are too stupid to know where to find everything, it seems like local self sufficiency is lacking in the US – after all, where would we find soaps and toilet paper if it weren’t for Target, I don’t know of any producers). In China, similar to European markets, there is a store for every department we would have in a Target. However, as far as shopping goes, there are still department, stores that act as malls, comprised of different stores. One of my favorite shops was a ribbon store – great selection.
At the very end of the day we were all very tired, dirty, and starting to smell, shower at night here. Some of us hadn’t had more than a few hours of sleep for three days, with finals, an early 13 hour flight, and then about 20 hours of China. The hotel beds were very firm.