Hello from Sozhou - bobskoot's travels

bobskoot:

We are now in Sozhou, China, the "City of Canals". This is a small city of only 6 million. There is a new industrial area here and the shopping mall includes WalMart and BestBuy.

Scooter is king here and no one follows any rules. It is free for all, riding the wrong way, or going through red lights, lane splitting. No one wears helmets and many have 3 passengers on them, also saw one with 3 passengers and a baby on the front handlebar.

There are very few actual motorcycles. I would say for every thousand scooters you may find a small 125cc Chinese motorcycle. Even the police only ride 250cc bikes. Scooters are mostly electric and perhaps less than 2% with actual gasoline engines.

Scooters have their own lanes, segregated from regular traffic and also their own signal lights.

While we are enjoying our marble washroom and walking on the marble floors in the lobby, just around the corner we find poverty and people trying to find ways to make ends meet. It would appear that they operate a small business in front and live in the back.

The first few are of small family operated restaurants and they have to wash the dishes on the sidewalk; one plastic container with soap, and one with plain water to rinse. They also cook outside on portable gas ranges. One has to wonder how much business they get.

We are in a different city every day this week and will end up back in Shanghai on the weekend for an extended day before returning home on Sunday.

Traffic is very heavy. Shanghai has a population of approx 23 million and here is a photo of typical traffic jam. The roads are very good and efficient.

Gas costs 6.74 Yuan per litre. (a Yuan/RMB is approx .163c in CDN funds)

I hope Nella gets fixed soon and also that you get better too. So many scooters here and I was just thinking how nice it would have been to be riding around on 2 wheels too.

On our return we will be in the air for many hours. With jet lag and time difference (15 hours ahead of Vancouver) I have also taken Monday off, so if it is nice and I am feeling good, I will go for a ride. Can't wait.

Bob

On bobskoot’s behalf – A message from the Middle Kingdom

Bob’s having trouble with the internet service, so for everybody who is curiously waiting for a life sign, here are some of Bob’s first impressions from China.


bobskoot:

Things are not working right here. Also I cannot access blogger. I think I am being censored by China's watchdog policy of no free speech.

We did not realize that we were visiting during the National Nationwide Holidays where the whole country shuts down and many make their pilgrimage to Tiananmen Square to visit Chairman Mao's grave. Thousands of people everywhere, long waits at all the tourist sites and few washrooms.

We could hardly ever touch the Great Wall, lots of pushing and shoving and one of the group could have gotten pick pocketed, he lost his wallet.

We decided to climb up the other side of the mountain where there were less people; lots of contrast here with old and new, and rich and poor; lots of beggars in the streets and all the slums are covered with high fences so we can't see over, but being in a high bus we couldn't help but notice.

The last photo is the main shopping area of Shanghai, West Nanking Road. You can't believe the people and all the stores. If you didn't see the Chinese characters on the neon signs you could be in New York City.

If this works I may be able to send a few photos when I can. We are staying in a different city each night for the next 8 days.

I just checked, I cannot log into YouTube either.

I think this is the way for China to control pictures and information from the outside world. I was afraid this was going to happen from the information I got before we left home.

I will have much to say about my opinions after being here for a few days. I have video of beggars in the street pestering our bus tour. They are waiting for us to get off the bus and just follow us everywhere. It is hard to say no when a blind man comes up lead by his wife and begging for money to buy food. I almost broke down and gave them some money, but we were told NOT to. One of the other ladies gave some $$ to one and she was pestered by others.

We went to a shopping mall and every six feet when you get to the next stall the girls handling the stalls are calling out to you and offering their goods for sale and trying to barter. I could have gotten a Columbia running shoe for 20 Yuen (RMB) which is around $16.00 CDN without even bargaining. I think these are originals stolen by factory workers. After all everything is made here.

After a short while we couldn't stand it anymore and had to leave the mall, then when we get outside the know we are not locals so again we are bombarded with street hawkers mostly with fake Rolex watches. You could even buy fake Gucci handbags and select the purse model from an actual Gucci catalogue.

Bob