The culture shock of Beijing had been overwhelming. Never before had I see so much that in my culture(s) would be downright unacceptable, such as urinating in a squat, spitting in restaurants, and children doing their business in the street. But aside from that, the city had been definitely something new to me. The way not much travels up and areas had ancient buildings, older than Western society, strewn about. And the Great Wall of China took my breath away, literally and figuratively. A feat built in 15 years without cranes or any other form of modern technology.
Now Shanghai is a city that caught between two lovers: the exotic East and the modernized West. The impressive skyline that puts New York city to shame could not be adequately glorified in pictures taken with even the fanciest of cameras. But there were glimpses of the past, that were still buried under the weight of 6,000 sky scrapers. But this city was perfect for the young person. Bars and clubs by night, historical sites by day. The city I wish we had spent more time in.
Hong Kong, but that city, to me, was a more expensive version of home. People either lived in a 1 million dollar studio or a 35 million dollar mansion. Million American money. Which seems absurd, which is why I had a hard time being able to fully appreciate its largeness.
But overall, I loved the people on the trip. Some were crazy, some were there, and some I am visiting sometime in the few months.
