As Seen by TV

The Shanghai Stock Exchange (the square donut shaped building in the center above, from a strange photo I took back in 2009), is the 5th largest stock market in the world.

While photographing an executive training group from the Recanati Business School, I got the chance to see the insides of the Shanghai Stock Exchange.  And although I had been warned not to expect too much, I was still quite disappointed.  I have been to the NY Stock Exchange, which is pandemonium… masses of people running around and yelling, so I expected something somewhat like that.  This was very much the opposite… as you can see in the images, it is just several people sitting behind computers!

On August 8 Typhoon Haikui came whipping just south of a direct hit on Shanghai.  Only 2 people were killed in the city, but many more were affected in the regions that felt the full force of the storm.  This was the 3rd tropical cyclone within a week in the greater area…!

I had called my office earlier that morning stating that I did not think it was wise to come into the office, they told me I had no choice.  I got a taxi and came in late, around 11am, less than 2 hours later they told us all to hurry home as the Shanghai municipal government had just issued a “red warning” (the highest level).  Morons.  So, now that the storm was right over the city they ordered us to go home (keeping in mind that bus and taxi services had been suspended)!  I was stuck at the office.  I waited for hours until a lapse in the storm then rushed home… all these pictures were taken only just outside my office building.

As a side note, I am happy they renamed Typhoon Haikui, because getting seriously injured by Typhoon Longwang would not have been funny.  Well, maybe just a little.

Well.  My third Chinese New Year, and they sure as hell don’t get any quieter!

These images were taken over a 3 day period (Chinese New Year is a week long).

You can see that fireworks are sold on the street, and even off the back of tricycles, as well as a kid lighting some (light provided by a lit cigarette given by a building guard), you’ll also notice how although the streets are a battlefield, traffic doesn’t seem to mind one bit… cars, scooters, bikes all travel straight through the mayhem.  In the last several you’ll see a group of men who literally lit up the sky (and left some debris in the process), in some of those images you’ll notice why fireworks can be a dangerous thing in a city as populated as Shanghai.  Best to keep your windows closed and ear plugs in!  I can NOT stress how loud all these situations I put myself into were…… enjoy.

And here are some videos taken throughout the scenes shown above…  video #2 is another example of why Chinese-made fireworks are slightly dangerous, as sometimes the rocket doesn’t get quite much height (but makes for some stunning photography!).

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If you still can’t get enough, check out my previous posts from the past CNY’s:

2011 – Year of the Rabbit

2010 – Year of the Tiger