A country of many faces

Today we saw yet another face to China - Zhujiajiao, one of Shanghai’s best preserved historical and cultural towns. Its stone paths, arch bridges, peaceful river and ancient architecture eminates a serenity that is rare and beautiful to behold. Truly, my breath was taken away. I took more than 100 pictures but those cannot come close to capturing the town’s old magic.

As we meandered along, beggars, mostly old women, often wearing toothy smiles will reach out their dirt-crusted hands. Everywhere you look, someone is trying to sell something, often homemade, as part of their livelihood: Food, neat gadgets, grass-woven figurines, sandals, a man rubbing his wet hands against the two handles of a pan full of water to frictionize vibration and cause water to sprinkle. More than one mother or grandmother toted a dimply baby on their hip while making their living.

You try to imagine what life is like for them, constantly being invaded by nosy, bustling tourists clueless to your struggles to put food on the table and keep the baby from crying of hunger, and your heart breaks a little. Your mind is aghast at the sheer contrast between this cozy countryside and grand Shanghai with the impressive architecture and flamboyant lights.

I realized our two weeks in Shanghai and Beijing are but seconds against an eternity of history and to understand China, this can only be the beginning.

A line of open windows along the street, much like the way these people have opened their doors and their lives to those coming to sightsee their livelihood

Many people sat atop stone walls or in-between cracks, notebooks open and pencils in hand, to sketch the beautiful scenery

An oasis of plush green in the middle of a man-made lake, surrounded by tall towers, captures the stark contrast of China's past and present