PREVIOUSSPREAD, FROMLEFT: KERENSU/GETTY IMAGES; LIWENBAO/CORBIS
THISSPREAD, FROMTOP: IANTROWER/CORBIS;MICHAELS. YAMASHITA/NATIONALGEOGRAPHICSTOCK
and self-assured student from Southeast
University inNanjing, means. Shanghai
couldhaveabillion residents (asoneday it
might), but itwillneverhave theheart and
historyofNanjing.
Whatdoes thisactually look like tofirst-
timevisitors?Itturnsoutthat8millionand
23millioncanfeelsomewhatsimilaronthe
ground.Therearebig,wideboulevardsand
traffic-choked freeways inboth cities. In
Nanjing, as inShanghai, Ihavea recurring
problem of trying to take a picture, espe-
ciallyanywhere scenicorhistoric,without
someoneelsewalkinginfrontofmycamera.
Chinaisanationofunwittingphotojumpers,
peoplewhoarejustblithelymovingthrough
theirbustlingdayand somehowkeep step-
pingintotheframeeachtimeItakeapicture.
Butonceyoureyes, earsandmedullaob-
longata get adjusted to the constant hum
that isChina,youcanstarttoseethethings
that setNanjingapart. Forme, it startson
my secondmorning in the city.My guide
and I are in search of tang bao, a thick-
skinned dumpling that is something of a
specialty inNanjing. Ihadheardof a tang
baoshopthatwas100yearsold, sowedrive
through amidmorning traffic jam to find
it.Whenwearrive,wefind that it’s aplain
FROMOPPOSITEPAGE:
Elephant statuesonStone
StatueRoadatMingXiaoling,which is aMing
Dynasty tombandaUNESCOWorldHeritageSite;
thedistinctive roundhousesof aNanjingvillage
Shanghaihas
23million inhabitants.…
Nanjing, incontrast,
iscozybyChinese-city
standards:Amere
8millionpeople livethere.
AA.COM/AMERICANWAY
DECEMBER 01, 2011
31
*20% off with a Saturday night stay. 10% off without a Saturday night stay. Coupon valid at all
Parking Spot, FastTrack andAviStar locations.
Offer expires June30, 2012.
This original coupon
must be surrendered, no photocopies accepted. Coupon may not be combined with any other
offer. Coupon not valid for On-Airport Valet at DFW.©2011 PRG ParkingManagement, LLC. The
ParkingSpot and the spotted shuttledesignare trademarks of PRGParkingManagement, LLC.
AAWAY11-20%
AAWAY11-10%
SAVE 20%
*
For directionsandmore information, go to
As part of TheParkingSpot Network, many FastTrack andAviStar locations
arebecomingTheParkingSpot. Use this couponnowat:
ATL
AUS
BNA
BUF
CMH
DAL
DEN
DFW
EWR
HOU
IAH
JFK
LAX
LGA
MCI
MCO
MEM
OAK
OKC
ORD
PHL
PHX
PIT
STL
