More Olympic Spirit!!!
Yes, the US track & field team is indeed training here in my beloved Dalian, at Dalian University: Check it out!
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/05/content_8974802.htm
http://olympics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/06/a-friendly-stay-in-an-out-of-the-way-city/#comment-4891
http://www.china.org.cn/olympic/2008-08/01/content_16116489.htm
http://en.beijing2008.cn/sports/athletics/headlines/n214500838.shtml
The resort they are staying at is called Bang Chui Dao. (“bong chway dow”), which is on the other side of town (about 1 hour away). DU is in the Development Zone at the base of Da Hei Shan (Big Black Mountain), which is about 1 ½ hours away from where I am, and where I hope to go climbing soon (no, “climbing” was NOT a typo).
Shanghai Trip Part Two: The French Concession
After my harrowing two days, I ended up sleeping in on Thursday while Claire went in to work around 9:00. She left the keys with me, saying she would be home at 8, a schedule that she would repeat on Friday, and all the next week as well. Claire’s apartment is small, with a tiny kitchen(—smaller than yours, Mom—), tiny bath and two tiny bedrooms, one of which belongs to Carol, her German roommate. The largest room is the common room in the center.
I met Carol on my second day, and found her to be extremely nice. Her boyfriend showed up on Friday, and I liked him as well. Shanghai has a nice-sized population of Germans, and Germany is also a popular place for many Chinese to travel, work and live.
In the afternoon, after a small meal of yogurt, water and crackers, I managed to stumble down the six flights of stairs and onto the excruciatingly bright and hot street (daytime highs reached about 98 degrees, nighttime temperatures bottomed out at about 93 degrees the entire time I was there).
Claire lives in the former French Concession, a piece of very nice tree-lined downtown real estate. The only sounds one could hear were the occasional honk of a distant car and a thousand cicadas looking for love. Although Claire’s building is very old, it is surrounded by a few more upscale buildings and French-style villas. She told me that mostly foreigners live in the villas, which are behind very high walls. In fact, most of the housing in the area lie behind walls. I read somewhere that, even though the French government had its China base here, ironically, very few French ever actually lived in this area. Claire does not own a bike, so I took a walk north to the Radisson Hotel to pick up a map in English. Always look for the western hotels to get maps and tourist information in English, that’ s my tip for travelers. The Radisson takes up a full city block. It is a complex of buildings and small guest villas. It is listed as a five-star hotel, which, here in China it richly deserves.
After getting my map, I found a sweet little neighborhood park in which to sit and peruse my purchase and make my plan for the week. One thing I noticed about neighborhood parks in this part of Shanghai is that they are generally fenced in and quite secluded, like little cool, green jewels scattered about the area. Children’s play and adult exercise areas are hidden in the back, away from the street, with main garden areas in the front. I also noticed that the public bathrooms are extremely clean, partly air-conditioned and worth the one kwai to use them. On the way out and back, I also noticed that the French Concession has a lot of art-deco architecture, which I found very interesting. The 1930s are considered Shanghai’s Golden Age, and there are still many wonderful remnants of that era to gaze upon. Of course, they contrast greatly with the standard “modern” Chinese architecture (read: soviet block design and rural-style housing) that I found on the little winding back streets. The art deco sections of Shanghai remind me of parts of New York. In the area south of Claire’s apartment, there is a shopping district with modern, upscale stores that get more upscale the closer you get to the main road. The Shanghai Public Library (which is a hugely impressive structure with a lovely and well-kept outdoor garden) and the former home of Madame Chiang Kai Chek are also within walking distance. Also nearby are two convenience stores, where I was able to buy food for my breakfasts for the week. I also bought a face cloth, which I found to be very useful in wiping the copious perspiration from various body parts during the course of the day (I had washed and folded my shorts, but forgot to pack them, so I spent most of the week in jeans).
nice china travel Information./….