Shanghai surprise

It was time for my annual trip abroad to broaden my horizon in the industry I’m in.
Yearly is a lesson in global awakening of how things are changing so fast.
Actually at times these changes are overwhelming as one discovers new things.
For starters going to Shanghai again, is an experience of ever evolving development.
It was not the same city, I’ve visited before.
Many more experiences are yet to be discovered.

First stop was the Hyatt Shanghai, one of the five tallest buildings in the world.
As an architect, it serves as a lesson in fusing the old and the new in one magnificent building structure.
It is an architecture masterpiece by I.M. Pei, akin to a delicate metal and glass sculpture.
Being able to go to its viewing level at the 88th floor up there @ 340 meters is one unforgettable experience.
The view is breath-taking and virtually all of Shanghai can be viewed from that height.
It is more like a view from a low flying plane, but much better.






Next is a blast of a ride in the world’s only magnetic levitation bullet train.
The SMT, Shanghai Maglev Train was built by the Germans, only for this city.
It is so expensive that even Germany doesn’t have this.
The train is similar to a Boeing plane on rails.
Even the interior is comparable to that of a passenger jet plane.
The most awesome part is that we were traveling at 431 kilometers per hour.
Now I know how it feels to travel faster that Schumacher and G-force on curve banks.





Of course for the Volkswagen enthusiast in me, Shanghai is VW heaven.
Fifty percent of the cars on the road are VWs, that is even excluding its Audi brethren.
Santana, Fox, Gol, Polo hatch & Classic, Golf, GTi, Jetta2, Jetta5, Bora, Touran, Passat, Touareg, name it they have it on the road. I really love this place.
My surprise find from my short VW collection hunt, came from TRU.
I wouldn’t pass this trip without a memento of a VW diecast model.
This little Golf5 has a story to tell in my collection
A reminder of 2007 Shanghai surprise.



By the way and not surprisingly so....Yao's shoes are really huge!

Third Career?

Doing a future fun VW pedal car as a hobby-biz is tops.
This would make for an interesting start.
So, why stop there?
Up another fun level, something ought to evolve.
But it has to be something along those lines too.
It must be VW based, light-hearted and creative endeavor.
At times, it can just give you that plain good laugh.

With the local scene full of creative talents, it will work.
Jolly men with skills are there for the picking.
I’ve seen them make Mustangs out of flat G.I. sheet.
Make chassis and custom fabricate works of pop-art.
I’ll be one of those that make sure their craft continues.
Call it a noble cause, call it grass roots fun, or call it both.
My third career is close to patronizing the Pinoy ingenuity.

Tri….cycle Career!
Aircooled Specialist and Custom Builder

Beetle bodied sidecars ....
....with custom surfboard roof.
What out….Orange Country Choppers!