Observations from the Shanghai World Expo

---

The Shanghai World Expo is the City's signature event for 2010. Everywhere you turn you'll see the little blue mascot "Hai Bao" (ocean treasure) and the official slogan "Better City, Better Life" plastered along the streets and billboards. Arnold Schwarzenegger The Gubernator of California was just here on Monday.
Summer still has a strong grip here in Shanghai, Hot and sticky is the norm. We set for the Expo site in the morning and queue up with the rest of the heard to enter into the Expo. It really feels like we're being led somewhere not so desirable as we wind around a maze of chest high white gates you often see at farms for cattle. The site has two parts split between the river one side has all of the country pavillions and the other side has pavillions made up of technology, commerce, and urban planning.

It really does seem like half the population of the country is here as every line to get into a pavillion is at least an hour and a half wait. Some of the more popular pavilions can be up to 4 hours!! With all this waiting, I'm reminded about what it's like to be around alot of Chinese people for a long time. Specifically i'm talking about the 50+ year old tourist group crowd that invades every tourist attraction around China with their matching hats and megaphone weilding tour guide.

First off, there really isn't such a thing as personal space with these folks. You have to be prepared for little old ladies to give you a good stiff arm to the back to signal to you get going sonny. They're also masterfully skilled at finding openings under your arms or thru your legs and before you know it they've charged ahead of you in the line to grab that elusive viewing spot two feet ahead that's so much better.

Personal hygiene can be another challenge for some of these folks too. Since you're right up against everyone, you get too enjoy that wonderful aroma of Ben-Gay,sweat, and herbal Chinese rub. We also observed 2-3 guys digging for gold up their nose and depositing their treasure on the hand rail and of course the lugees that these guys can create are legendary. mmm mmm good!

All this being said, we did encounter many nice Chinese people throughout the day like the lady that found my entrance ticket and flagged me down to personally hand it to me or the food court girl that said I spoke good Chinese when ordering.

As for the Expo itself, it was worth it for a day the architecture of some of the pavillions are quite interesting. Most of the exhibits inside were ok. Basic stuff you would expect to see at a travel show or a science museum. Although, the GM Future car pavillion was interesting as they showcased concepts of future car travel where we would use pods that can be automatically controlled. I am glad to be back in my climate controlled room. One quick check to make sure an old Chinese tourist hasn't followed me back and i'm off to bed!

---

Photos

The Cattle Call
The entrance to the World Expo

Fashion Statement
Not sure if those glasses are gonna work without lenses.

Car Pavillion Show
A peak at what our future pod cars may look like.

Please Don't Touch
Apparently Cardboard cut-outs of soccer players are pretty valuable!