I'm Not Seeing It

I love lists and even though its not really a true "top 5" list, Shanghaiist pointed me to this article that listed 5 of the best cities around the world for expats, though each get their moniker in a specific category.

Shanghai is listed as the "Best Hot New City." Come again? First off, Shanghai is hardly new on the world travel map or as a "hot" city and isn't Beijing the "hot" city of 2008? If you go through the rest of the list, you see how laughable it is.

Let us look at why the writer lists Shanghai as a great "hot new" city. He states, "Shanghai’s dynamism can be seen in the layering of the futuristic skyline, colonial facades, and the teeming, gritty street life. This energy is percolating down to Moganshan Road’s gallery and warehouse studio scene, regarded as the epicenter of contemporary Chinese art."

Blah, blah, blah, a great mix of old and new, blah blah blah. Shanghai the epicenter of contemporary Chinese art? Has the writer ever even been to China? Has he been to Beijing? He further states "Shanghai already provides a good mixture of affordability, opportunity, nightlife, and culture."

I'm sorry, I'm not seeing it, especially when compared to the affordability, nightlife, and culture in Beijing. Nice try, though...