China 1994
The Bund
Shanghai, China
When I first went to China, the streets were filled with bicycles and pedestrians. There were very few cars. I remember standing on a street corner and looking at the thousands of bicyclists, waiting for the traffic light to change. And when they had the opportunity to move again, it was as if they were competing in an Olympic race. They moved with a swiftness and purpose that forced me to find my way in to the middle of the pack of people who were also crossing the street. I didn't have the courage to take the lead and risk getting run over by lots and lots of bikes.
While I have'n been back to Shanghai since then, I have been to rural China and I don't see too many bikes. There's lots of public transportation and private taxis. I did notice an increase in cars in between my three year absence from China.
My sister has been to Shangai several times over the last ten years and she tells me that bikes are no longer even allowed on the streets near the Bund. That's just too hard for me to believe. I will have to plan a trip back and see this transformation for myself.
