Published by Swiss James on 28 Oct 2009 at 12:49 pm
On site
Normally I do my software engineering seated on a Chaise Lounge, dressed in a fine linen suit, sipping on private stock. This week though, we’re testing on site so it’s all a bit different.
This is, or will be, the new terminal at Hongqiao airport. It’s the West terminal, three times the size of the one they’ve got there now, and will be connected to a massive transport centre with high-speed train (e.g. to Nanjing), subway (line 2) and Maglev (not for a while though) stations.
The construction site is enormous- the place where the workers buy their lunch is like a small market that’s created new each day. It’s dusty, noisy, full of mosquitoes, but looks to be coming on well. Due to open on schedule in March 2010.
Quite impressive. Looks just like Pudong airport, especially that sign that says “Maglev”. When I came to Shanghai the first time, Hongqiao was the main airport for both international and domestic flights. Ah the good old days.
I think that guy at gate 48 is going to have a long wait before his flight arrives!
“Here you can see Dr Swiss James as he prepares to operate on a worker whose face was broken after a panda fell from a crane onto him. Dr James will have to operate without the use of anaesthetic after the site’s medical supplies were found to be toy replicas. Quite how a panda managed to be in one of the cranes is under investigation, but the site operator said that it was ‘just a one off, it could have happened anywhere.’ Rumours that the site is using unpaid panda labour in order to cut costs are unconfirmed.”
Ah Hongqiao “International” Airport. Wait, they do fly to Haneda and Taipei (somewhat international, right?) from there, so I guess it does fit. I miss flying to and from HKG from Hongqiao – hate the trek out to Pu-jersey Airport.
I do hope the engineers and designers spend a lot of time in Chep Lap Kok or Changi – or even Suvarnabhumi before committing Shanghai to a not-as-nice-as-them-foreign-locales airport.
I thought it was Dingle who was the “doctor”!
I love the sleeping construction workers all over this town. They are sad too, of course, but at least someone is getting naps.