Heaven and Hell

That is such a fitting term from this weekend's excursion to Zhapu. We were in this little town about an hour drive from Shanghai, south east I believe.

This place, like other parts of booming China, is manufacturing based. And 2 Km away from our hotel in Zhapu is the latest luxury development called Nine Dragons Hill. This development spanned, for the obvious name, nine hills with guards all over the place. The cost US$400 million development with 3 parties; the major one is a textile king somewhere in China. This place target wealthy Chinese. Condos sell between 2-4 millions US. Phase 1 has completed with a 18-hole golf course ( 18 more holes to be developed), a Polo club, a Marina. Phase 2, Westin Zhapu will be open in March 2009. Phase 3... to Phase 11... will compose of 2 International Schools, a highspeed train connects to Shanghai, a 200-unit service apartment, 30 units of ultra luxury housing. All in all, there will be 31,000 units in this gated property. O yeah, there will be a crematorium as well. The pitch is, you have water (the marina), land (golf), horse, and when you die, you can create at the property.

This is a piece of work. Once we arrived, I thought I was being transported to some European ultra posh private club with perfect grass, fresh air, no unwanted people begging, no honking, no almost screaming type Shanghainese conversation, the hills protected us from all the 'unwanted" elements. Yes, of course, all the foreigners sitting around smoking cigars, having wines, watching their kids practicing horse jumping. Then the lunch time horse performance. Then the occasional golf carts with golfers (all Chinese) teeing off with women caddies handing them clubs. In all the scene was totally ridiculous!!!! Talk about creating the big gap between rich and poor! Yes, and all those Polo players with their tights and boots and equipments.

I don't think I want to invest into this place though; the unit pricing is too high, road is too narrow for current Chinese driving style, wait until those 31,000 units are sold and lived in; then the Westin resort. This place will go from totally quiet to totally swamped. Parking, I think someone has forgotten about Chinese people like to have cars. O yeah, a Disney theme park is also in the plan! The Marina, the water has become murky and polluted. Worker are using the same water to clean the side of the sea retaining wall. And God knows what dumped into the water.

Then you have security guards acting they owned the place and pushing people around, driving around with all dark clothing and aviator sunglasses.

Even though the property is being developed as a whole, the management is all broken up; too many layers and too many bosses.

Membership: RMB300,000 a year for a family; that's only for the Polo Club. It includes horses and all the lessons for riding. RMB500,000 a year, you get the polo and the golf club together.

On June 21, there is a demo day; you can try your hands on polo, test driving Marsarati and lunch; total: RMB480 for existing member and RMB650 for guests. Anyone? I just want to test drive the Marsarati. The only place to test drive around there is by the Marina; too small and too tight. You might have the car into the water in no time.