CHINA TRAVELOG
These are just a few of the impressions and images from my recent trip to China. I designed the tour as an introduction to China for my design partner James; the focus: Design, People and Food. Enjoy!
mitsui taipei |
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m50 shanghai ~ from history comes art |
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Fusion Food = “Small Portions” |
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a stimulating train ride |
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scale model |
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yee chino ~ designer fusion |
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Of all the impressions and images in my travelog posts, which do you think is the least expected coming from China? Please comment below or email me at casudi@esse-group.com.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Well, aside from a sudden craving for sushi, I would say the scale model really stood out to me. That’s huge. Despite knowing China is fast becoming an economic super power, I still have these images in my head of small villages post-earthquake, protesters in Tienanmen Square, and car chase scenes from Indiana Jones. That was a shocking change of perspective.
Was it merely cloudy or is that the famous smog? I’d love a misty, overcast day, but not if the clouds are full of death and pollution on par with Mexico City.
December 12th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Yes, they said it was just overcast with fog and rain
Yes, there is a major air pollution issue in China, including Shanghai.
The scale of it does blow your mind, and it came home to me even more last week when a friend brought me a 1988 book of aerial views of China which she found in the Island recycling of all places. The 1988 aerial view of Shanghai was especially interesting as it was just about when our friend Gregory first visited the Urban Planning Museum. I’ll let you know when I post 1988 Shanghai.
Thanks so much Brian for your comment which made me realize that even though China has changed, to many the view of China has not. I’ve been going to China since 2006 and even though each visit has it’s new revelations I am becoming accustomed to what is happening there and can see how things might play out in the next ten or even twenty years. Even James who has heard me talk about it for several years, was amazed by the scale of everything; definitely he said you had to see it for yourself to really believe it. I had hoped that my Scale Model post might bring the reality home, and judging by what you said and several emails (& a phone call) I received, I think it did.
December 12th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
CASUDI, thank you for sharing so much about your travels. I’d love to return to Europe (I consider Germany home, even though I’m not German and don’t speak the language), but the orient, along with Australia and New Zealand, is a region I’d really like to visit one day.
The thought of “Chinese food” over there being authentic and not the Americanized stuff that I regularly enjoy kind of scares me, as does the thought of being somewhere I can’t even guess what the signs say due to the characters used on them, but I love the history, the art, and many of the cultural traditions.
The world is shrinking at an exponential rate, which makes it easier to discover new places you’d love to visit. Not everyone has the budget to travel so extensively and really make those dreams a reality, but your travels give me an idea tonight.
I don’t think this trip had anything to do with your Bank On Rain program, but it gets me thinking, we’re all doing so much these days with our websites to enable a potentially global audience, it would be awesome to see a movement where more people attempted doing international business. Rather than focus on social media popularity contests designed to net speaking engagements or build material for a book, instead of coming up with a website to sell widgets on Ebay or as a home-based business, what if more people tried to think globally about their business ventures?
There are plenty of charities out there competing for donation dollars, struggling to raise awareness of this cause or that injustice, but it strikes me that awareness of a global need and working on solutions to that need could be the catalyst for exciting travel to places we’ve never been which end up being far more rewarding than the usual tourist junket.
I’ve never been to China. I may never go to China, but your trip introducing James to the culture leads to a revelation of sorts; one which I hope rings true with my own recent endeavors. Thank you!
December 17th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Thanks for continuing the conversation. There are so many different types and “levels” of Chinese food in the major cities, I am sure you would find something you would love. Also, signs in these tier one cities are most often in English or easily understandable icons. In fact I had a easier time navigating the Shanghai subway then the new Canada Line in Vancouver this week; and I live there and speak the language ☺
I know you are plugged in to the SM and Gearhead groups mainly on twitter, but there IS a whole group focused on China (not only China) embracing and collaborating on global business. I’ll intro you to a few of my “china focus” twitter friends. I’ve learned a great deal from them, which has helped me tremendously in propelling my own learning experience about China through my own travels. It all works together.
October 26th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
[...] If you enjoyed these shorter posts you might enjoy my China Travelog. [...]
October 26th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
[...] comment below or email me at casudi@esse-group.com and check out my recent China travelog~ all about Design, People & [...]