Thursday, April 21, 2011

Shianghai

Midnight at the Nanjing Road


The atmosphere of the evening at the Nanjing Road, Shanghai, China, Wednesday (23 / 2). Nanjing Road is the busiest shopping street in China and become one of the mandatory sights for tourists.

Local time has been moved to ten o'clock at night when subways stopped in the station Lujiazui, Shanghai, China. Some passengers scrambled out, while only a handful coming.

It took less than 10 minutes to get out of the hall station and arrived at Nanjing Road, the busiest shopping street in China. Nanjing Road is more or less similar to Malioboro in Yogyakarta. However, the area feels more comfortable for walking because it is designed specifically for pedestrians and very clean condition.

Bone piercing cold immediately once was in open space Nanjing Road. Understandably, in Shanghai, the end of February, is still the transition from winter to summer. Thus, the air temperature at night 5-10 degrees celsius.

Writing the names of stores in Chinese characters on the board lights up bright neon colorful. While the lights dim garden gives hue. Permanent bench made ​​of cement strewn offer relief for visitors who are tired of walking or just want to sit around enjoying the atmosphere relaxed.
Along the sides of the street, lined with shops, supermarkets, and some malls. Most of the European architecture and modern buildings. Various leading fashion brand and franchise network is available. Various typical products made ​​in China were spread out in the stores, ranging from silk, gems, to jade.
Just walk 10 minutes, a man came over. Apparently he is a broker of commercial sex services. From the physical and style, he seems to ethnic Malays. "Good evening. Where are you from, Malaysia, Singapore? "she said in Malay, which later started the campaign leads directly to the subject matter.

It seemed, every walk of 50 meters, there's always a broker who approached. It seems that foreign tourists to be one of its main targets. However, not all commercial sex services through a broker. There are also commercial sex workers who were in the crowd and went straight to the target and offer themselves.

Among these are two beautiful women who introduced themselves as Shusien and Vinda. Their age about 25 years. "From what country, where to go? Want to accompany us? "asked Shusien in English.

Outside the commercial affairs and the crowds of visitors, both domestic and foreign, Nanjing Road leaving a place for a number of homeless. Some of them seem to sit on the bench while carrying a bag of cement big dingy. They average elderly.

In the front lobby of the Royal Meridien Hotel, a homeless shoeshine concurrently busy wiping tattered shoe with pond water garden. Then ply those around them ignored the 45-year-old man, including when two policemen walked by.

Park Lane

Embryo of Nanjing Road is Park Lane, a commercial hub during the British occupation, 1845. After experiencing the addition of a body length of the road twice, the name officially changed to Park Lane Nanking Road by the authorities of Shanghai in 1862.

In 1943, local authorities change the name of Nanking Road East Nanjing Road. At the same time, the name of Bubbling Well Road is also changed to West Nanjing Road. Both roads along a total of 5 kilometers is called Nanjing Road. However, in its development, addressing more refers to the Nanjing Road East Nanjing Road.

In 2000, as part of a development blueprint for the city of Shanghai, East Nanjing Road was renovated into a special area pedestrians. Width of 28 meters and a length of 1,200 meters. Today no fewer than 600 outlets operating in the street.

Talk Nanjing Road are inseparable from the history of Shanghai who was born 700 years ago. Located at the mouth of the Yangtze River, Shanghai became an ideal location for trade and Nanjing Road was never out of the vortex dynamics.

During the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Shanghai developed into a regional shipping business. In the Ming Dynasty (1386-1644), Shanghai grew into a national textile center and the largest trading ports in China.
Post-Opium War in 1843, Shanghai became the concession area which rotates a number of imperialist countries for 100 years. Starting from the UK (1845), United States (1848), France (1849), International Settlement between the U.S. and UK, to Japan. In this period, Shanghai grew into a major trading port.
Economic reforms launched by Deng Xiaoping in 1990 to give good luck to Shanghai. Foreign investment, global markets, and competition is limited to the private sector thrives in the city covering an area of ​​6340 square kilometers.
Now, Shanghai with a population of about 19 ​​million people became the center of the Chinese economy as well as the city's most vital trade ports in the country. In 2020, Shanghai dream of being the center of economic activity, financial, trade and shipping world.

Meanwhile, the middle of the night was over at Nanjing Road. Most shops were closed. Then ply people also had receded. However, Nanjing Road is still alive, not for that night only, but for Shanghai, the oldest son of the socialist market economy, the beat ....

(LAKSANA AGUNG SAPUTRA),

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