AT SEA EN ROUTE TO HONG KONG, CHINA (3/8/2007)

From: Sherman Rootberg (biggiroot)
Date: Mar 8, 2007 10:30 AM
Subject: Thursday, March 08, 2007

Thursday, March 08, 2007

AT SEA EN ROUTE TO HONG KONG, CHINA

Nothing exciting special today but there were a few interesting things we learned yesterday.

The Chinese people had been allowed only one child for many years. No, they did not kill the second should there be one but there was a large fine and there could be jail time depending upon circumstances. Now they are allowed to have a second child, but only if both the mother and father had been products of a one child family. There is not full health care for anyone but there is none for the second child. Free school for eight years is also only for the first child.

Another interesting item is their vehicle traffic. In Shanghai there is a yearly auction for auto license plates. Only 5,000 per year are given out for a city of 13 to 17 million people. The cost for the last few years has averaged about $5,000.00 US each. You do get to keep these plates forever or until they decide to change the law, which could be tomorrow. There is a yearly update fee. You can sell these plates and have them transferred.

They do at least drive on the correct side of the street, the right side. If you have a street with three lanes going in the same direction, the center lane is the left turn lane at a stop light. The left lane goes straight only and the right lane is straight or right turn. They drive like nuts here. They dart in and out and constantly cut each other off with horns constantly blowing, but no one ever seems to get mad or make any gestures. Idiots on motor scooters and bicycles will go pedaling along down the middle of a street blocking a bus or truck right behind that is blowing their horn. I suppose this is just another way to keep down the population.

Of course there is no crime in Shanghai. You are always perfectly safe but just in case, don’t keep a wallet in your back pocket. If you carry a purse, carry it in front of you with both arms wrapped around it and don’t go to many places after dark.

This was a great place with many interesting things to see and do. The people on the street were friendly everywhere we went. The reason given, for so many people in New York, being so rude, is the population. There are about 10 million in New York. They admit to 13 to 17 million in Shanghai. Who knows how many more are actually living there. These Chinese are never anywhere near as rude as many New Yorkers.

If we get the chance, we would be back here in a minute.