Urban exploration on wheels

What is the oldest structure in Shanghai? On the bike, I was wondering about that, but back at home googling I discovered it’s a pillar in Songjiang. I wonder if this sea dike (南宋古海塘遗址) — albeit hidden in the water is in the top 10. I’m not sure why I’m drawn to this stuff — but it was a nice target for a bike ride today. I asked a shushu fishing there if he knew anything about the dike, and he said he didn’t — neither did an ayi living nearby.

I think it’s better to come back here when the water level is a bit lower, and I may be able to see a bit more of it. (On Dianping, there are photos with a lot more of the structure visible.)

Then the same day, I went to a closed Carrefour in the area. I remember some tweets about Carrefour doing really bad in China but I was like “But I go to Carrefour all the time?” Well, that Carrefour looks like this now. The baoan was watching his phone, I cycled to the top floor — but when I wanted to look downstairs he saw me and said I shouldn’t be there.

This isn’t even in a dead area of Shanghai. A lot of construction is ongoing here. (I don’t think there are empty areas in Shanghai.) My guess is that they cannot build a new office out of an old supermarket & parking garage.

 

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