Mimicry in the Suburbs

Jan 13, 2014

Today, we abandoned the center of the city to see what Shanghai was doing on its outskirts.

Increased crowding and traffic have inspired the city to experiment with satellite cities on its periphery.  The idea is to make these new areas attractive enough to draw the rising middle class out of the dense city center and create new mini-metropolises each with their own distinct culture.  The plan seems logical... the execution, as can be expected, a bit quirky.

The satellite cities have all adopted European themes.  We visited only three of them today along the west side of the city, beginning in Scandinavia town (Luodian or Meilan Hu), moving south to German town (Anting) and finally ending up in British Thames Town (Songjiang).  Architects and developers did extensive research abroad on just how they wanted the new city centers to look.  Prominent landmarks from the three countries and residential types were replicated to lend an exotic foreign flavor to these new areas.

While the architectural and functional successes of each city widely varied, what we first saw along the central avenue of Luodian describes a general trend, as we observed it.  After crossing a quaint wooden bridge and passing through a stale shopping mall lobby, we stepped into one of the city's main squares.  It was a ghost town. Scanning through the square, we saw all the signs of premature decay, the result of lousy materials and hasty work.  Instead of sunny porches and sparkling windows, we saw laundry, ladders and rubbish piling up.  Mops were hanging out to dry.  AC and heating units blighted the exteriors.  A space age chimney snaked up the back of one building--I swore I saw some duct tape holding it together in the middle.

Contrary to advertisement, there was no bustling and friendly community.  No lively retail space.  Commercial property was slowly being taken over by local tea, photography and convenience shops.  The charming foreign facade was literally peeling away from the city's structures.  Luodian was falling apart and getting a makeover by its inhabitants who cared nothing for its central theme.  If this reversion was artful and intentional, it would be one thing.  Unfortunately, it just seems like a few squatters moved in and threw some furniture and blankets around.  On the bright side, there were some nice new tall apartment buildings being constructed around the dying city center.  Naturally they weren't European-themed, but another version of the latest blocky, East-West fusion style popular in the luxury Xintiandi blocks of the former French Concession downtown.  Luodian may rise again, but it won't be on the novelty of Swedish construction.

Chinese want to live in areas and houses that make sense to them.  That is abundantly clear in Luodian, Anting and Songjiang, and probably elsewhere.

January 10 (Shanghai, China)

Coming off a day of panaromic views of imposing architecture on the Bund and the Pudong financial district, our group retired today to the old south city. 



It was here in the nanshi that local Chinese crowded outside the western concession area.  Remnants of life in the late nineteenth century can still be found here.  But they're falling fast beneath the bulldozers of modern real estate development.



We began the day at the famous Yuyuan Gardens and bazaar, where a private garden begun in the late 1500s remains preserved in the heart of this bustling modern city. 

Students walked through one of the world's best preserved examples of ancient Chinese gardening and contemplated how its construction for a retired minister, Pan En, nurtured a much different experience and relationship with one's surroundings  than the modern financial structures presently flanking the Huang Pu river.  The emphasis in the Yuyan garden is not on grand spectacle, but on private, subtly measured discovery of one's environment that finds balance with the urban and natural worlds.  This is a spatial aesthetic and mode of being that is constantly under threat in the rapidly developing city of the 21st century.



We continued our walk, stopping to visit two of the city's oldest places of worship, the Chenxiang ge Buddhist temple and the Qingzhen Mosque, where students discussed the basic beliefs and iconography of Buddhism and the uncertain, evolving role of regualted faith and religion in China.


The group ended the day eating their first niurou mian (Beef Noodle) and hundun soup (Wonton soup) at a couple of dives on a local street.  No one had any idea they could get a bucket of noodles for under $2!  We finished by picking through the city's famous Dongtai antiques market.  One man's garbage is another woman's treasure...like a beat up, plastic, laughing Buddha, for instance.

Final Itinerary

Final Itinerary

Multi-city round-trip Ticket Louisville-Shanghai-Bangkok-Louisville

1/7/2014		Depart	Arrive
Delta # 5730		Louisville, KY 800A	Detroit, MI 929A on 1/7/2014
Delta # 181		Detroit, MI 1205P	Shanghai Pudong, China 400P on 1/8/2014
1/27/2014		Depart	Arrive
Delta # 284		Bangkok, Thailand 545A	Tokyo, Japan 120P on 1/27/2014
Delta # 296 Delta # 2184		Tokyo, Japan 310P Atlanta, GA 255P	Atlanta, GA  130P on 1/27/2014 Louisville, KY 415P on 1/27/2014

One-way Ticket Shanghai-Bangkok

1/15/2014		Depart	Arrive
Malaysia Airlines # 387		Terminal 2, Shanghai Pudong, China 945A	Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 330P on 1/15/2014
Malaysia Airlines # 780		Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 605P	Bangkok, Thailand 710P on 1/15/2014

Tuesday, Jan 7  
Meet at Louisville Airport at 530am.  Leave Louisville for Shanghai at 8am
* Make sure you have submitted your pre-test on The Concrete Dragon and Bangkok 8.

Wednesday, Jan 8
Arrive in Shanghai, 4pm
* Maglev ride into city
* Pick up city maps and Hostel cards
* Check in to Le Tour Traveler's Rest (Jing'an Metro Stop 静安站, Jiao Zhou Rd. 319 胶州路319弄36)
* Welcome dinner at Sapar Uyghur Restaurant (near Jing'an Metro stop, 20 Yuyan Branch Lu, near Wulumuqi Lu, Jingan district, 静安区愚园支路20号,近乌鲁木齐路)
* Bund Nightscape Walk

Thursday, Jan 9   
Morning Scavenger Hunt--East (Pudong) and West (Bund) Architectural Fusion
Reading: Cities of East Asia
* Students travel in groups to Zhongshan Park and Nanjing East Road
* Tour of Pudong
* Tour of Puxi (Bund)
* Group Observations

Friday, Jan 10  
Nanshi (Old City) and Temple Visits
Reading: Best Guide 97-119
* Nanshi Walk (Yuyuan Metro stop 豫园站)
* Jade Temple 玉佛禅寺 (Changshou Rd. Metro Stop 长寿路站, 170 Anyuan Rd. 安远路), Jing'an Temple 静安寺 (Jing'an Metro Stop 静安站, 1686 Nanjing West Rd. 南京西路), Longhua Temple 龙华塔 （Longhua Metro Stop 龙华站, 2853  Longhua Rd. 龙华路）
* Group Observations

Saturday, Jan 11  
The People’s Square and National Museum
Reading: Best Guide 119-125, 133-144
* Shanghai Museum 上海博物馆 (Peoples Square Metro Stop 上海广场站)
* Urban Planning Museum 上海城市规划展示
* M50 Moganshan Art District 莫干山路艺术区 (Zhongshan Rd. Metro Stop 中潭路站, walk south)
* Group Observations

Sunday, Jan 12  
The Boulevards: Nanjing and Huaihai Lu
Reading: Best Guide 177-187, 197-209
* Morning walk through Xintiandi
* Visit to Shanghai Green Antiques (East Xujing Metro Stop 徐泾东站 then taxi , 4877 Middle Jiasong Rd. 嘉松中路)
* Museum of Technology and environs

Monday, Jan 13   
European Satellite Cities
Reading:"Manifestations of Westernization"
* Chartered bus to Luo Dian--Nordic Town
* An Ting--German Town
* Song Jiang--Thames Town
* Group Observations

Tuesday, Jan 14  
Fengjing Old Town
Reading: "Shanghai New Towns"
* Fengjing Old Town 枫泾古镇 (Lianhua Lu Metro Station 莲花路站, South exit, Bus to Fengjing Old Town)
* Afternoon free

Wednesday, Jan 15  
Depart for Pudong Airport at 600am.  Leave for Bangkok, 945am.
* Taxis into city (~400b,"chai meetuh")
* Check in to New Siam 2 (50 Trok Rong Mhai, Phra-A-Thit Road)
* Pick up maps and Hotel cards
* Welcome dinner at Hemlock (56 Phra -A-Thit Road)
* Book Bus to Ban Phe (Jan 20)
* Khao San Road Nightscape

Thursday, Jan 16  
Temples Visits I
Reading: Best Guide 125-132
* Orientation walk
* Wat Saket, Wat Traimit and Wat Sutat
* Monk Bowl Village Soi Baan Bat
* Tuk-tuk back
* Cooking/Culinary Tour
* Group Observation

Friday, Jan 17  
Temples Visits II
Reading: Best Guide 13-23
* Tak baht--morning alms at 545am
* Wat Arun, Wat Mahathat, Wat Pho
* Cooking/Culinary Tour
* Group Observations

Saturday, Jan 18
Chinatown
Reading: Cities of Southeast Asia
* Chinatown walk
* Cooking/Culinary Tour
* Group Observations

Sunday, Jan 19  
Grand Palace
Reading: Ramayana Summary
* Grand Palace

Monday, Jan 20  
Ko Samet
* Depart Ban Phe Saphan Nuan Tip pier at 7am.  Boat to Ao Wong Deuan, Ko Samet
* Check in to beach hotels on Ao Wong Deuan
* Explore Ko Samet
* Evening beach walk

Tuesday, Jan 21  
Ko Samet
* Explore Ko Samet
* Evening beach walk 

Wednesday, Jan 22   
Commercial Districts
Reading: "Silk Thread"
* Check in at New Siam 2
* Chidlom, Sukhumvit, Ratchaprasong
* Jim Thompson House
* Pack and leave bags at New Siam 2
* Group Observations

Thursday, Jan 23  
Chiang Mai
* Leave for Don Muang airport at 8am.  Depart for Chiang Mai at 1225pm.
* Check in at Hotel M (2-6 Ratchadamnoen Rd.)
* Chiang Mai walk and Night Bazaar 

Friday, Jan 24   
Temple Visits I
Reading: "Religion and Social Change"
* Wat Chiang Man, Wat U Mong, Wat Phan Tao, Wat Chedi Luang
* Monk Chat at 500pm 

Saturday, Jan 25   
Temple Visits II and Elephants
Reading: "Popular Tradition"
* Wat Doi Suthep with Blue Elephant, 815am
* Elephant Riding and Rafting 

Sunday, Jan 26    
Leave for airport at 9am.  Depart for Bangkok at 1210pm
* Afternoon free
* Pick up bags at New Siam 2

Monday, Jan 27    
Depart for airport at 230am.  Depart Bangkok at 545am.
* Arrive in Louisville at 415pm 

Wednesday, Jan 29  
Submit Final Essay

Hotel Information

Le Tour Traveler’s Rest (Shanghai)

上海市胶州路319弄36号 #8621-62671912

New Siam 2 (Bangkok)

50 Trok Rong Mhai , Phra-A-Thit Road
+66 2 282 4554

Hotel M (Chiang Mai)

2-6 Ratchadamnoen Rd. Thapae Gate, Sriphum
+66 53 418 698

US Embassy Information

Shanghai (Shure-gwan)

Westgate Mall, 1038 West Nanjing Road, 8th Floor
Emergency Tel: (86-21) 3217-4650, press 1, then 3
After-Hours Emergencies: (86-21) 3217-4650
Fax: (86-21) 6217-2071

Bangkok (Sa-tawn-tawt)
120-22 Wireless Road, Bangkok, Thailand 10330
Tel: +66-2-205-4000
Hours of Operations: Monday – Friday, 7:00am-4:00pm

Miscellaneous Information

There have been some repeat questions.  So, I figured I would include some basic info here:

• Concerning the recent unrest in Bangkok:
• We are recommending that each student and a parent register for the State Dept's alerts.  We don't expect any serious problems over there, but this is an easy way for everyone to keep informed.
• Here is the link.
• Concerning voltage:
• To use American electronics in the countries we'll be going to, you will need to buy a plug adaptor set (including C and I)  and a voltage converter (to handle 220V).  Some plugs and devices may work as is, but generally you'll need adaptors/converter.  These can be found cheaply on amazon, or electronics stores (like Best Buy).
• Empty bottles:  
• This is on the list in case you would like to fill it with water (or a kind of gatorade powder).  You can easily buy plastic bottles of water, but some people like to use their own bottles.  
• You can also put some laundry detergent in one of these and use it to wash clothes on a daily basis.  Generally, the hotels we will be at will have access to laundry services for you.  However, if you want to wash certain garments on a daily basis, you'll need to keep some liquid detergent handy.
•  Mosquito netting:
• The mosquito sleeper refers to mosquito netting, to put around a sleeping area.  Realistically, we may not use this.  We included it to account for any eventuality that might come up.  On one of the few trips out of the big city, if something quite unexpected happens, we may make an unscheduled stay at a more "rural" hotel.  Here, the netting would be useful.  We included it for completion, but it (again) it may not be used. 

Election Protests

A front page NYTimes article on an encounter between Thai police and election protesters this morning has prompted us to post an update on the situation in Bangkok.

To begin with, Dr. Paskewich and myself, Dr. Anderson, are in communication with officers from the State Department.  The US Embassy continues to assess the situation in Thailand and deems it safe for travel for American citizens.  The conflict in Bangkok is isolated to areas outside government buildings and polling areas, places we will stay far away from.  Thus the State Department has declined to issue any travel warnings to the area.

Recent clashes are the result of a more desperate move by Suthep and his People's Democratic Reform Committee to stall elections that their backers, the Democrats, will surely lose against the popular, incumbent Pheu Thai party. The elections are scheduled for February but will most certainly be postponed at this point.  Protests have largely been peaceful, but occasional violence has occurred over the past month.  Our travel group will stay clear of all large political gatherings, keeping close to temple and tourist areas.

Any necessary changes to the itinerary will be posted to the website on site.  Dr. Paskewich and myself will be in frequent communication with Centre and student families while there, through email, phone and blog posts.

Syllabus

• Pre-departure exam (20%)
• Covers material in the Bangkok 8 and Concrete Dragon.
• Will be emailed to everyone on January 3.  Must be emailed back to both professors by 11:59pm on January 5. 
• As this is close to our January 7 departure date, make sure you plan ahead: budget enough time to run errands, to pack, and to complete the exam.  
• For Bangkok 8, these topics will provide you with some guidance:
• What do we learn about the city of Bangkok?  What is it like?
• The novel really pushes the theme of the clash of "East vs. West".  What characteristics are said to be "Thai" and what characteristics are "American"?
• What political and social problems are emphasized in the novel?  
• Be prepared to answer questions about the plot and characters.
• For Concrete Dragon, these topics will provide you with some guidance:
• What are some characteristics of the Chinese city?  How homogeneous are they?
• What are some urban issues specific to China?  
• How does a rural/urban divide affect Chinese cities?
• How does China's past influence the current state of its cities?  What economic influences affect Chinese cities?
• Make sure you understand how Campanella understands the city of Shanghai. 
• These topics will give you some guidance, but you will be asked questions beyond these.  Read Bangkok 8 and Concrete Dragon thoroughly. 
• Be ready to bring your copy of Diane Morgan's Best Guide to Eastern Religions on the trip.  You will read from it while we're abroad.  
• Journals and Group Assignments (35%)
• Bring a small journal with you.  Nearly everyday, we will give you prompts for you to write an entry.  
• Your entries will pull together the previous night's reading assignments and the site visits during that day. 
• We will have some entries based on group observation.  
• You will all also do a presentation on a particular landmark in China or Thailand that we visit. 
• Quizzes (20%)
• There will be 10 reading quizzes, each worth 2% of your grade.
• These will be given randomly throughout the course on the reading assignment that is due that day.  
• These cannot be made up if missed (and there is no reason why you should miss one).  
• Participation (10%)
• We expect you to be an active participant in the short classroom opportunities that we have throughout the course, as well as an engaged student throughout each location we visit. 
• Be prepared to ask or answer questions, and approach each location energetically and with focus.  
• Final Essay (15%)
• A final essay will be required from each of you.  You will need to email it to us a few days after you are back in the USA.  
• This essay will ask you to reflect on the readings of the course, the site visits, and the topics we discussed throughout.  

The Political Situation in Thailand

This season has been a strange one for Asia.

In North Korea, Kim Jong Un has removed his Uncle from power.  China, Japan and South Korea are wrestling over new restricted airspace.  The Philippines were devastated by typhoon Haiyan.  And political demonstrations are now popping up in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Thailand.  Analysts say its a result of a clash with a majority-takes-all politics and the shifting of money and power with the new rising middle-class.

The US State Department is optimistic, no travel warnings or restrictions have been imposed.  But we're all keeping a close eye.  Bangkok has a couple of important English-language papers that I invite you to visit (though, keep in mind, media there is highly politicized and must be read with healthy skepticism): The Nation and The Bangkok Post.  Please feel free to visit the US Embassy in Bangkok's website as well. 

We thought we'd explain briefly what's at the heart of the protests in Thailand right now and how we will assuredly avoid them.

Thailand's oldest political party, the Democratic Party, has grown weary of losing elections.  They haven't wielded power since the early 90s, and their old Bangkok, old money, pro-market membership is disgruntled.  The party has thus taken to the streets (as they have in the past), to air their grievances.  They have formed the People's Democratic Reform Committee under Suthep Thaugsuban and are calling for the majority party, the PTP, led by Prime Minister Yingluck and her powerful family the Shinawatra, to step down. 

Suthep Thaugsuban, Leader of the PDRC (protest)

Abhisit Vejjajiva, Opposition Leader and Leader of the Democratic Party

The much younger, more rural, pro-farmer majority party, the Pheu Thai (PTP), has accommodated the demands of the PDRC and has called for reelections.  By royal decree, seats in the House will be decided upon again in early February.  Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has become caretaker premier of the government until February 2014, but she is now being asked by the opposition to step down entirely and cede power over to a make-shift, non-elected People's Council.  Analysts and academics have no faith in that proposal.       

 Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister

Jarupong Ruangsuwan, PTP Leader

The situation on the streets of Bangkok:
Currently there are political protests surrounding government buildings in Bangkok.  Brief violence did break out on November 30, but police have since retreated and allowed protestors to voice their dissent and occupy previously barricaded areas. 

Given this state of affairs, our group will steer entirely clear of government buildings and political gatherings.  If numbers and dissent continues to increase, we will divert our stay in Bangkok to some of the country's more quiet, frankly more beautiful, quarters to the north and south (Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, etc.).

For now, we are taking careful note.  The Tourism Authority of Thailand's Situation Update is a good place to stay linked into.