HK or SH?

so since i've been splitting my last 8 months between HK and SH, people have been asking me the same question, "which do you like better? HK or SH?" that's a tough question to answer because to me its comparing apples and oranges.

i used to live in Shanghai back in 2001. i loved it then. i dont know if i love it now. there are things i love about Shanghai or Mainland China in general - i get to practice my Mandarin, massages are cheap (i get at least 1 a day, sometimes 2 or 3), maids are cheap, food is cheap, taxis are cheap, there are lots of things going on, happening, its fully of energy and excitement, etc. that said, i'd take 2001 Shanghai over 2008 Shanghai any day. things that get to me include: more traffic than ever, a shortage of taxis, more prostitutes, people still spitting everywhere, more pollution, more eurotrash (i stay clear of the bund) and most of all... the complete disregard for preservation, culture, history and compassion to save relics of a long-gone era that remains mostly only in the architecture of modern Shanghai.

here are some pictures i took today while cruising around on my new bicycle trying to capture some of the Shanghai that i first fell in love with. i dont know if any of these pictures will mean anything to anyone, but i know people who used to live in these neighborhoods. i feel like part of me is being destroyed as they raize neighborhoods to make way for the newest, fancy 5-star hotel, commerical highrise, residential tower or retail shopping mall. dont get me wrong, i'm not against modernization and development, i just wish Shanghai would take a little time to consider what they are doing and make some effort to preserve a bit of the past.

there are more photos in my album if anyone wants to see...