Teacher Aboard

You're going to like this place! I have spent my week meeting students and winding my way through small streets and markets. This is good stuff. Have a look!

THE RIVER HARBOR

One of the best parts about traveling is that places are never quite what you expect. Entering Shanghai in the fog proved to be challenging. The heavy traffic on the Huangpu River only made Pride II's last miles to her destination that much more difficult. In the words of Captain Miles, "It was like finding your place in line during rush hour traffic." Most of the boats are barges with noisy engines. These boats function like trucks here - they move all kinds of materials around the region. Occasionally, larger boats join the parade of traffic while passenger ferry boats crisscross the river on a regular schedule.

Since we are docked on the inside of a bend in the river which presents a blind turn to oncoming traffic, the larger boats sound their horns as they navigate the turn. The end result - this stretch of water is very noisy! Lying in your bunk at night, the hum of traffic is a constant reminder that we have arrived in a place very different from home. As Dorothy said after landing in Oz, "Toto, we're not in Kansas"!

THE CITY OF SHANGHAI

Looking around from our location on the river at the foot of the towering Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the surrounding city is huge! Many skyscrapers are under construction as they inch their way toward the sky. Cranes hover patiently over each of these sites where crews often work long into the night. The visual (sight) message is growth. It has been said that there are more cranes in Shanghai than anywhere in the world. There are 12 million people living in the midst of this building frenzy (fast activity). There is an interesting contrast between the sparkling skyscrapers and the older Victorian style buildings that are home to the people and their businesses. These modestly tall older buildings have added bits of color as drying laundry hangs on poles off balconies.

Alleys lead off the main streets providing access to quiet scenes where people carry out their day-to-day chores of cooking and washing. Bikes line these alleys and serve as the main source of transportation. Some bikes are tricycles (have three wheels) and are equipped with boxes on the back to transport goods or run a small street business, such as selling fresh squeezed sugarcane juice. It is not uncommon to see an entire street filled with bikes at an intersection. On larger roads with more automobiles, there are "bike paths" as wide as single lane roads on both side of the roadway.

Despite the crowded living conditions of this large population, the people are extremely friendly. On a clear evening, families or couples stroll along the wide river front walkway to enjoy the colorful display of city lights and the activity on the river. Amidst (in the middle of) the busy hum of Shanghai, this walkers' promenade (sidewalk) is a place where the pace is slower - a place where people can visually experience the life of their city on the Huangpu River.

Street markets play a large role in the lifestyle of Shanghai. Narrow streets and walkways are lined with stands displaying choices such as fruits, plants, goldfish, birds, crickets and local food served hot and ready to eat. Bikes and mopeds slowly weave through the crowd as a steady flow of people passes through the passageway. Shopkeepers sit in groups at their stalls. They often engage in conversation passing the day with little worry about attracting customers. The scene is a colorful bustling (busy) flow of small businesses that fill the crevices between buildings, much like life-giving blood in the veins of Shanghai. In the shadow of the skyscrapers that loudly boast huge economic success, the simple flow of business provides the essentials for the common people. The contrast (difference) is fascinating.

THE BALLAST STONE

As Pride II prepared to depart from Hawaii, the City of Honolulu presented Captain Miles with a granite ballast stone in a traditional Chinese ceremony. The mayor of Honolulu and the Honolulu Chinatown fathers asked Pride of Baltimore II to present this stone to officials in Shanghai as a memorial symbol of trade between the cities in former days. These ballast stones were used to add weight to sailing ships leaving China to make them seaworthy. Once in Honolulu, the ships would off load the stones and replace them with shipments of sandalwood.

On Friday, Helen Bentley, a former Congresswoman from Maryland, and Captain Miles made the presentation of the ballast stone to the Shanghai officials at a festive ceremony complete with music, dancers, and a round or two of Pride II's cannons.

Tomorrow we set sail for Xiamen. It has been an action packed couple of days as we explored our first Asian port of call. While at sea, we'll talk about the new friends I made at schools in Shanghai. You'll be surprised at some of the differences.

With a fond farewell to Shanghai,
Leslie Bridgett

YOUR THOUGHTS

1. How does the harbor of Shanghai compare to the port of Baltimore? List the similarities and differences.
2. Compare the use of bicycles in Shanghai to their use in America.
3. Based on the description of the market, draw a sketch of an area of the market you would like to visit.
4. How are Chinese markets different from markets in America? These differences might include goods sold, location, and vendors (sellers).
5. In the former colonial port of Old Town Alexandria, VA, south of Washington, DC, there is a road paved in small cobble stones that originated in (came from) England. Tell a short story explaining why they are now in America.
6. Consult some resources, like an encyclopedia, to determine why the Chinese keep crickets as pets.
   Click on the image for a larger view
7. Use this map of Shanghai to draw a simple map of the area. Use the description in the log to find where Pride of Baltimore II is docked. Mark the spot on your map.

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