Endless waves of sprawl flow from Shanghai. Immense apartment buildings tower by the dozen. First, we enjoy recognizing international brands and the factories where they are born. Soon living complexes exist only to house employees.

Work to live.

Live to work.

If we could see the person behind the product, could we open our grudging wallets wider? How far could that extra five dollars per shirt go if it escaped corporate greed?

China, condemned for its pollution, bears the weight of the world's consumption. 

With every laboured breath.

We joke, "Everything is made in China".

A difficult scene to witness.

***

This one is a bit out of order in case you're confused about being back in Shanghai. China really was an experience, one you can't fully appreciate until you've come away from it. It can be very conflicting at times, and I wanted to end this section on a reflective note. 

I didn't get any photos of that particular area, but this one in Yangshuo shows how bad the smog can be in such a beautiful place. There are supposed to be karst hills not far from the fruit/orange fields that were obscured. The effects the smog has on the population both working and living in any of those areas are heartbreaking as well.