Crossing the River 过江难

Cross posted at http://blogs.sun.com/syw

HuangPu River carved the lovely Bund, the prime financial real estate since China leased this area to Britain in 1870s. It slices the city into halves.

ShangHai City started from the west side (PuXi) and expanded east, toward the sea. The river exacted a distance tax to PuDong, or the east of HuangPu river. It accepted to be the lesser part of ShangHai.

No more. Its rural land provided growth space for high-tech industries. The adjacency to the new airport and sea ports makes it a better choice of trade, light manufacturing, and the steel industry. PuDong is now rich, modern, and vibrant. PuXi, however, remains charming, classic, and the choice location for the best restaurants.

The necessity of crossing the river is a daily nightmare. Subway network is not yet mature. Tunnels are frustrating. Bridges are inconvenient detours. Then, I found the lovely alternative: the ferry. I like ferries.

There are two commuter ferry lines (and many tourist ones). The shorter one costs 0.50 RMB and the longer one 2. A short wait beacons the boat and begins the leisure crossing. I soaked in busy river activities and understood the role this river plays to the prosperity of this biggest city of China.

Then the taxi thrusted me back to the mega-city’s arteries.

同步上网于http://blogs.sun.com/syw_zh

黄埔江，一弯刻出了个悠悠的外滩。从1870年代英租界时，就是金融中心了。但这江，也把上海一分为二:浦东，浦西。

老上海市在浦西。因为要过河，浦东总是低了一等。但今非昔比，浦东有地，离新机场及港口近，对高新业，加工业，钢铁业，都有大吸引力。今天，浦东又新，又大，又繁华。而浦西依旧迷人，古典，也有最多的好餐厅。

过江，就成了上海人天天头疼的大事。轨道还没盖好，隧道塞，桥又远。而我这次发现了轮渡，多遐意。我迷渡轮。

过河有两线，东昌路口直过5毛钱，去外滩2元。船娓娓漂来，吃力离岸，我眼看江上船来船去，明白了这水对上海的重要性。

一下船，出租车立马把我再注射进上海的动脉。