The Sights of Shanghai
“Hello, Where are you from”, asks the young Chinese lad. Anyone who’s visited this country will know that this question isn’t 
exactly uncommon, and after a few days is usually rudely ignored as it’s often the prelude to some kind of sales pitch. Still, the boy is young and I’m in the Oriental Pearl Tower, which seems to be a magnet for earnest out-of-town Chinese tourists. One wonders how long they have to save for a trip to Shanghai and up the tower, which in itself costs Y135 (£9 or US$18).
“England”, I reply, and as this is met with blank stares from the child and his mother, “Ying-gwor. London.”, and I gesture the nods of understanding behind me to a large picture of Tower Bridge. The building at the foot of the tower contains a number of these illuminated images; they include Red Square, The Niagra Falls, Sydney Harbour, The Louvre, Mount Fuji and Venice. Having forked out a small fortune to see Shanghai from the top of the tower, wide-eyed Chinese tourists get to take pictures of themselves in front of these 
large backdrops of world landmarks, which really sums up so much about modern day China.
The boy stares at Tower Bridge for a moment, looks back at me and says, “you’re beautiful”; he’s obviously been listening to too much James Blunt but I can’t help but be moved by the sheer awe he seems to have for my homeland. The mother, simultaneously proud and petrified that her son is conversing with a strange Englishman in a language she doesn’t understand, starts talking. With a smile and a wave he runs up in front of Tower Bridge, spreading his arms for the picture, and I decide to quickly slip away before they ask me to join in.
