For the last one or two years I’ve made a calendar at Christmas. Photography is in my top three hobbies (others: binge drinking, teasing shrimp) so by the end of the year I tend to have 12 shots that I think would look good in a calendar. Let’s face it, only my Mum looks at it, so the bar does not have to be set high.

Anyway, I’m rambling- the point is that whilst looking through my photos for this year’s effort I came across some of the first shots I took of Shanghai back in March 2006.

Towards town

March 2006, from Science & Tech museum towards Lujiazui 

The way I came to Shanghai in the first place was that I was working in Seoul, South Korea at the airport there. I took a weekend trip across the (<insert name of sea or whatever here>) and had a look around Shanghai, loved the place, and decided it would be a place I’d love to live. My company won a contract at the new terminal here, I told anyone who would listen I’d be prepared to go, and bish-bash-bosh, here I am.

Before I made the big move though I came over for a month in March- partly to introduce myself to the customer, partly to work every hour Jah sent on whatever crisis we had at that time.

chess
A park near the Four Seasons, just off Nanjing Xi Lu

Looking back at the photos I took then is strange. It seems like a really long time ago, and I remember how the city looked very strange; foreign, alien.

I’m sure Shanghai has changed a lot since then, but I’m guessing my view of it has changed more. Some things don’t change though, seems that even back in the mists of March 2006, manbags were all the rage on the streets of Shangers.


The Spring ‘06 collection