Though I’m putting together a more in-depth summary of the tour for The Tech Dynasty, I thought I’d make a quick mention of the awesome experience here. A warning, massive linkbacking is about to occur – but you wont regret checking out any or all of these immensely clickable people.

As a quick intro, the China 2.0 tour was a “tour” of China put together by The China Business Network, CNReviews and Web2Asia, as a way for prolific Western bloggers and industry professionals to get an on-the-ground look at what China is really about.

Members of the tour (in Shanghai at least) included author/blogger Shel Israel, TechCrunch UK’s Mike Butcher, Dutch ProBlogger Ernst-Jan Pfauth, freelance writer and blogger Sheila Scarborough, Melissa Sconyers, photographer Bart Lapers and Jamie Quint.

On top of those cool people, it was great to see Christine Lu again, and finally put faces to the avatars of Web2Asia’s George Godula and Markus Gruber, as well as ace-shutterbug Elliott Ng and Twittermaniac David Feng, both from CNReviews.

And if all that name-dropping/linking wasn’t enough… the tour gave me opportunity to catch up with Adam Schokora, John Guise and Kenneth Tan, raise (far too quick) a glass with Sean Leow, graffiti the walls at Tudou HQ with founders Marc van der Chijs and Gary Wang, and scarf down some amazing Sichuan food with Alibaba CFO Joe Cai, Mobinode’s Gang Lu, SpreadShirt founder and angel investor Lukasz Gadowski, CHINICT President Franck Nazikian, and JL McGregor’s Elias Glenn.

Just an insane amount of hand-shaking and card-swapping. Two things I’m not apt at. However, in spite of my networking shortcomings, it was an absolutely amazing time and well-worth the 30 minute train into The City.

Me and Shel Israel

And don’t forget to check out The Tech Dynasty for a more in-depth, less name-full, post about the innovative Chinese startups we visited. Should be up tomorrow-ish.

About a month ago in Shanghai a group inspired by Improv Everywhere created a “scene” in front of the Sofitel on Shanghai’s Nanjing Rd.

At a set time the group of random folks from a number of nationalities stopped and froze in place for five minutes, causing quite a crowd of onlookers to grow around them. Despite getting away with two “freezings”, the group was amicably told by police that technically they couldn’t continue as it was against Chinese law (?? – if freezing in place for long periods of time is against the law, someone should tell all the assholes that suddenly stop in doorways and in front of escalators.)

Frozen Improv in Shanghai

Original Inspiration – Frozen Grand Central (NYC)

How awesome is that.

According to the Shanghaiist, another possible freeze mission is on its way. Interested peeps should check out ShanghaiiAdLib’s page on the Improv Everywhere community site.

H/T to Kevin Smith, at whose blog I caught this.

It was the first “networking” event I’ve ever been to, and gave me a chance to whore myself a bit as well as finally put a dent in the massive pile of business cards I have.

But more than the business of it all, the dinner was a fantastic opportunity to finally put flesh and blood to the digital avatars that make up a big chunk of my friends, colleagues and acquaintances here in China. People I’ve know in some cases for a couple years, but have never had the chance to meet.

I headed to Shanghai at about 2 p.m., but after a mix-up with the Suzhou taxi driver (apparently my “火车站” sounds remarkably like “虎丘“), I missed my first train and didn’t end up arriving until nearly 5pm.

However, I managed to high-tail it down to the Praxis Language offices (the folks that produce ChinesePod.com) and meet up with a load of people I’ve “known” for a long time, but never met – namely John Pasden, John Beisnecker and fellow Canuck, David Lancashire.

We then all headed down to the rather hip Moon River Diner and met up with the growing crowd of “geeks” (and one race car driver). The night really read like a “who’s who” of the Sinosphere. On top of finally getting to meet face to face with my friend Lonnie, eating BBQ with two of my coolest clients, I also got to meet some fellow bloggers: John, Dan/Kenneth, Adam, and Paul.

And as if this linkfest wasn’t approaching a tipping point – it was also very cool to meet Thalia from ChinaOnTV; as well as the folks behind iTV-Asia, the multifariously talented Corbett Wall and Mr. IWOM – Sam Flemming.

There were a number of other folks I met in conversation, but never got (or happened to lose due to wine) their names.

It was a fantastic time, and definitely worth the two high-speed train tickets to get there, and late/cramped trip back.