Shanghai, China: Bikers flood the streets, barges pack the Huangpu River, and people overflow from the sidewalks! Welcome to Shanghai, China! Shanghai is the first of 6 stops for the 2001 Asian Xtour presented by Toyota. (May 26th and 27th)

Shanghai, which means 'by the sea,' is considered to be China's financial center. The city center is divided into two areas by the Huangpu River. To the west is, Puxi, the every expanding original business center. . Pudong, to the east, is a new business district, classified as a "tariff free zone," and continues to grow rapidly. That's enough for the historical tidbits for now-

Can you imagine skaters ollieing over benches next to mass groups of people "playing" Tai Chi? Or what about groups of inliners zig zagging through cobblestone streets? China, the land where BIG soccer matches are:

Zhong Yuan Hui Li vs. Guangdong Hong Yuan?
If you can pronounce that, you're ahead of the ball game! Then there's the nightlife! Apparently "single parties" are the latest thing to hit Shanghai clubs; one hotel started the "craze" by handing out flashing badges to indicate a person's status and preference!!! No word on whether this works well?

But just imagine Street skaters like Shasha Stienhort, from World Cup Skateboarding, soaring over the heads of Chinese students, whose only form of recreation is the school's morning "exercises" (Tai Chi practice!) (Insert picture of school kids "playing Chi")

Or what about Hoffman Bikes representative, Mark Owen, trying to ride past the hundreds of bike commuters that flood the streets (insert picture of line up of bikes)

Hey, maybe we can ask Shasha and Mark to check out the "nightlife" for us?

One thing is for certain, the 2001 Asian Xtour, Shanghai presented by Toyota, is going to be interesting! Keep checking in for the latest info on China's future action sport heroes! (and maybe a thing or two about the nightlife?)

AsianXtour Fortune cookie:
"The great athlete is one who does not stop to think about the possibility of failure. The great athlete is the one who sees perfection before the competition has begun. When it is time to begin, the great athlete knows he has already won."

Magic numbers: 5, 26, 27;

Lucky pet: Snake- 2001 The year of the Snake.

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