May 26, 2004

Nationalism, Democracy, and the People's Livelyhood, inscribed above the three arches to the entrace of the mausoleum proper. Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite...of the people, by the people, for the people. Big ideas come in threes apparently.

It's hazy in Nanking, and in all of China in fact. But the setting here is gorgeous. And for a few hours, you could hear birds.

292 steps to the top.

Took the train from Shanghai to Najing today. Nanjing was the capital for six separate dynasties. More on that in some notes. Here, pictures from the mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat Sen. More on him later too.

May 25, 2004

The evolution of a good idea...traders at the Shanghai gold exchange, taken from the floor of the exchange by yours truly.

The evolution of a failed idea...I bought this as a paper cut icon at a museum down by the river. It's for sale, not display only.

Big Vegas...Times Square Cubed...the New America?

The bended and glowing elbow of the Bund at night.

The skyline at sunset in Pudong.

The Grand Hyatt...all eighty eight stories of it...looking...grand.

Shanghai from the American Club after dinner...and a few beers.

May 24, 2004

Me working from the Hong Kong office...or me testing out some office furniture at the Lamex showroom in Hong Kong. Lamex needs capital, but its goal is to expand in China. I asked its CEO if she worried about "fair trade" legislation in the U.S. hurting future U.S. exports. She said the company didn't "dump" its products on the U.S. market. They're not much cheaper than alternatives. Plus, it's commerical furniture, not residential.

Just before the neon got really cranked up. I'll snap some more colorful pictures this evening.

The guide didn't know what this monument commemorated. But this icon is in stark contrast to the neon and glass all up and down the Shanghai skyline. The guide did note that tourists from the countryside now come to Shanghai, like gawkers in Times Square. The significance? Disposable income...

Busy busy busy.

By Sunday the sky finally cleared and the sun came out, just in time for a bus ride to the airport. Not the best pictures, but I managed to snap a few of Hong Kong's harbor, the third largest in the world. Lots of loading docks and container ships...and lots of containers.

China, one of Saturday's speakers said, needs to get better at "branding" its products to compete on the world market. The day will come, he hopes, when made in China is not just a sign of something produced at low cost, but quality as well. It worked for Japan. A good start at branding is beer. Your editor felt compelled to snap a picture of Hong Kong beer. I also did some quality assurance testing.

A garden in front of the Marriott in Hong Kong. Met there on Saturday with Chinese companies looking for investors.

Another sharper image of Hong Kong. Too bad it was gray outside.

Cleaned up this picture across Hong Kong harbor, taken from the Kowloon side. You can take the Star Ferry across for a few bucks. At night, it's like Vegas on steriods.

On the Bund side of the Yangtze river. What the locals call "New Shanghai" is in the background, with the radio tower (the Jetson's looking thing) directly behind me and the Grand Hyatt to my right. Lots of commerical real estate going up here, but the skyline can't compete with Hong Kong..yet.