Changing Scenery

One of the things that we westerners notice is the ever changing scenery. I don't mean the natural scenery so much although that does and I will explain that later.

Vacant blocks can almost overnight have multi storied buildings erected. OK, that's an exaggeration, but it almost feels like that. I would suggest that one of our teachers who remained in Australia this semester would feel a little disorientated if he returns to Shaoxing and expect to see the same place he left.

On campus there was a muddy hole, which now is a construction zone. Since September or October when I rode my bicycle past it, it has transformed and now a three storied building is there - and they are going higher. No doubt to 6 floors, which is what they can do here without installing elevators.

I see the skyline from the street (SPT Street) as I walk to the West Gate to catch the bus, a massive multi storied building has appeared in the distance. I watch in amazement as each couple of weeks another level has been added and the massive cranes are one or two levels higher.

Along from Westgate was an old building - which had at sometime been the showroom, and offices of "Shanghai Volkswagen" judging by the faded lettering on the facade.

Last semester we noticed some activity there - and when we returned from summer break there were small "shops" there - some selling food, several with pool tables which seem to get a good workout, several hairdressers, two fashion stores and a supermarket. Later on another hairdresser, a cake shop and mobile phone shop appeared.

About two weeks ago a lot of "flyers" appeared and we heard fireworks as another supermarket, (bigger then the others) has appeared in the big showroom area. As you can imagine the streetscape has been transformed.

Yesterday walking in the village which is adjacent to the above complex, we noticed new shops opening (old owners gone and new owners appeared), and there was a shop fitter busily working and at the end of the lane some deconstruction and reconstruction going on with a new brick wall. (Recycled bricks of course). All this and I doubt that there is any need for government approvals of any kind.

In downtown Shaoxing it is the same. New buildings rapidly get constructed, old ones completely revamped, and the ever changing retail area where one day a store is there and a couple of days later, some other business looks as if it has been operating there for ages.

The gardenscape changing? A tree dies? Not long after another one - not a small version of the deceased plant, but another one about the same size is there. Huge trees are put in new gardens in a way that is quite surprising.