Part 2

I thought I'd seen big cities before. But Shanghai doesn't sprawl, thinning out like a maple syrup spill spreading on a counter-top. Shanghai is crowded with tall buildings and high-density homes, as far as the eye can see into the haze.

The details fascinate. People make their livings not just in the shining skyscrapers, but in the dark niches too.

Here on the ancient pavements is where most people's lives play out...

The hand of the government was not as blatant as I had expected. The soldiers I saw on the streets were doing crowd control, like off duty police do in the USA. (Thanks for the pic, Tom.)

Perhaps it's not the govenment agents you see that you need to be concerned about. The only time I made a native seem nervous was when I asked, "Do you like living in China?" He said, "Yes, of course I do!" Then he quickly turned away to take care of a non-existant task.

People take care of business. They work very hard when they need to work, and relax fully when they don't.

In Shanghai, people seem very focussed. They have a long past, and I suspect they're unafraid of the future. As a visitor from George W. Bush's America, I found that very refreshing.