This is the eighth in a series of articles and images from NDH correspondent, David Sand, on the road in China with John-Roger, John Morton and 108 traveling peacemakers.
August 22
Early morning arrival at the Suzhou train station. We get to wait in the “soft seat section” where Zeus clowns with a manikin.
The train is clean and modern; we go through poorer suburban areas and farm areas, seeing some of the large houses that newly-rich farmers have been building that have been written about so much in the States.
We arrive at Shanghai Station and take the subway a few stops to the Shanghai Art Museum. Clean and modern, clean and modern, everything is clean and modern, it’s trite but true. The subway air conditioning is great. We could be on a new subway system anywhere in the world, except that the very simple, light, utilitarian design still lets you know that you’re in the orient, not in the west.
We could be in any Japanese city. The subway stations are full of shops, and the way that products are marketed is very reminiscent of Japan–often there are western models, the design style is very Japanese. Feels like I’m back in civilization after a week in a developing country.
We spend a couple of hours at the Shanghai Art Museum, which has the largest collection of Chinese art outside of Taiwan (the Nationalists got a lot of the good stuff out as they left, since they already had it warehoused to protect it from the Japanese). I didn’t bother to take any photos–just go to a Chinese art website or borrow a book from the library if you want to see some art photos.
Shanghai is a totally different world–not just a different city, but almost a different country. It’s a very modern city, much more of a modern capitalist economy than Beijing or Suzhou.
There are still a lot of old European-style buildings that make you feel at times that you could be in New York, Chicago or Boston. People are much more sophisticated here. I don’t think I’ll be able to photograph little kids with my digital camera and wow their parents by showing them the picture in the LCD monitor. After the art museum we have a buffet lunch with better food–not the food (starch and grease, lots of vegetables and a little protein) that we’ve been getting so far. I walk into the buffet to see big smiles on everyone’s faces.
We’re staying at the beautiful, old Peace Hotel. My tastefully-furnished room could easily be a room in a hotel in New York. I wander around outside the hotel for a while, but it’s very much like walking around the streets of a poorer Tokyo or what I imagine a poorer Hong Kong to be like, and pretty soon I’ve had enough.
Tomorrow we leave for the interior of China. We were warned at lunch that it’s not going to be a pleasure cruise. It’s going to get primitive, there are hints about lack of hot water, uncomfortable hotel rooms, etc. I’m ready–I’ve had my few hours back in civilization and I’ve had my fill. I need change, adventure–but with a minimum of discomfort, please, and plenty of protein.
Click here to view Children of China Special Feature
Click here to view Day 8 of the China Trip
Click here to view Day 7 of the China Trip
Click here to view Day 6 of the China Trip
Click here to view Day 5 of the China Trip
Click here to view Day 4 of the China Trip
