Impero di Mezzo

---

As long as I can remember, it had always been a dream of mine to one day live in China, so when the opportunity arose almost four years ago, I grabbed it.

Previously I had only visited Shanghai on business a number of times, but since Shanghai is really a showcase, I never really had the chance to get to know China until I finally moved here in July 2008. Even now, living in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, I admit I am not totally immersed in real China. So hopefully this trip will allow me to see the real Middle Empire.

The images of China that came to mind before I moved here were of bycycles, lots and lots of bycycles, noodles, Wham on the Great Wall, and PLA soldiers everywhere. Reality could not be farther from the truth. It is rare that I even catch a glimpse of an army uniform, and the police in general are managing traffic. Bycycles have been replaced by battery powered silent pedestrian quashing bikes, and noodles here are no more prevalent than any other Asian nation although I was disappointed that the birthplace of the noodle really has failed to impress in terms of taste, texture and flavour (think Penang Laksa, Japanese soba, Singapore Char Kway Teow, Indonesian Mie Goreng, Vietnamese Pho, or Pad Thai to name but a few) Even Chinese noodle dishes like Dao Xiao Mian and Sichuan Liangpi seem to taste better outside of China. (1.4 billion people will vehemently disagree with me here)

I truly had no pre-conceived notion that China was a nation of vivid landscapes, beautiful mountains, and vast deserts with over 50 different ethnic groups and a diversity of cultures. I must admit I havn't visited many places in China. My roadtrips thus far have been confined to neighboring Zhejiang province, and business trips have taken me mostly to industrialised cities. But there is beauty out there as I hope to have captured with my limited photographic skills ....

---