Blocks of apartments, most of them now owned (on 70 year state leases) line the wide roads. The streets don't seem nearly as busy/grubby as they might for a city with well over double the population of London. Speaking to the smiling, helpful and friendly locals we find that there is a feeling, particularly among older generations that the pace of growth and change in the city has been hard for people to keep up with. I can't help but wonder if the versatility and range of skills associated with portfolio careers might just become a necessity here.
I wrote the original post above on day 2 of a trip to China. I'm pleased to report that subsequently I discovered several portfolio careerists. One was a private tour guide combining seasonal work with university teaching. Another, also working in the thriving internal tourism industry (70% of tourists are from within China), was also a qualified investment analyst. I noted among people my age that I spoke to that it still seems totally viable for most couples working in the cities with very young children to get by on a single salary (something that I'm sure will rapidly change as property prices continue to soar). There was also a distinct concern about a culture that is in love with money but a determination to find a balance. I'm sure the portfolio careerists among them will work it out.
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