Experiencing the faces of China: Arriving in Shanghai at the Pudong Airport

Shanghai is cosmopolitan city - photo by Edward Cardona

Anyone who thinks they know China based on scenes of the Yangtze River, or farmers working in the fields, or thousands of workers on their way to the factory has not really seen China.

These images are attention-grabbing but no more sum up the country than images of the Mississippi, scenes of street life in a major city, or pictures of workers in cubicles sum up the United States. They are snapshots. Fascinating, but limited in their scope.

I’m in Shanghai, yet despite all its aura of mystery it is simply another face of China. And as valid as any other. Whatever its history, today It is the face of commerce, sophistication, and tourism.

  Two-wheeled transportation is popular - photo by Edward Cardona

Certainly residents commute by bicycle and scooter. In fact, except for the sheer number of two-wheel vehicles, Shanghai feels a lot like any major city.

Growing up in New York City, a city known for its diversity, I feel surprisingly at home here. The language is foreign, but the booming construction, the shops, the parks, the wide streets is not all that different.

It's not until I turn down smaller streets that the fact of a foreign city comes clear. And even then, it still feels like a neighborhood where people just simply live more on the street than in cramped apartments.

Shanghai is China's largest trade and commercial city-- the first stop for many foreign and even domestic visitors. It boasts two international airports and frequent flights between other countries. Next year their Expo opens, and even more visitors will explore and experience the city.

The sophistication and welcomed efficiency of Shanghai soon became clear. After landing at the airport and quickly clearing Chinese customs (they seemed much more concerned with any possible exposure to H1N1 than anything else), we simply followed the signs in English that lead to the taxi stand.

Taxis are definitely the best form of transportation from the airport. There are mini entrepreneurs who will offer a limo service, but the taxis are cheaper.

From the airport to our hotel in the new Pudong area the fare was 139 RMBs (about $25). The cabs are regulated, honest, and no tip is required. However, the drivers speak no English. In preparation we went to the internet and printed out the name and address of the hotel in Chinese.

We showed are attempt to circumvent the language problem to the dispatcher at the airport whose job it is to place the next passenger into the next taxi - and avoid the chaos of drivers and passengers freewheeling.

He checked it and verified it was indeed the name and address of our hotel. The cab pulled up, our luggage was loaded in and we were on our way -- totally clueless about where we were or where we were going. Our trust in the system was appropriate. Forty-five minutes later we arrived at our hotel.

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(c) Neala Schwartzberg - all rights reserved