The Beauty of Shanghai |
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Shanghai now seems certain to recapture its position as East Asia's leading business city, a status it last held before World War II. And yet, for all the modernization Shanghai has retained deep links with its colonial past.
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The great metropolis of SHANGHAI is currently undergoing one of the fastest economic expansions that the world has ever seen. While shops overflow and the skyline fills with skyscrapers. In the last two decades, city planners have been busy creating a subway network, colossal highways, flyovers and bridges, shopping malls, hotel complexes and the beginnings of a New Bund – the Special Economic Zone across the river in Pudong, soon to be crowned with the world's tallest building. Essentialy, China's main money-printing mint is near here, hence the high proportion of shiny new coins and bills in circulation in the city. Like Hong Kong, its model of economic development, Shanghai does not brim with obvious attractions to see. Moreover, the Shanghai Museum, the Suzhou-reminiscent Yu Yuan Gardens, and the Huangpu River Cruise, there are few sights with broad appeal – many travellers leave the city with a sense of letdown. But the beauty of visiting Shanghai lies not so much in scurrying from attraction to attraction, but in less obvious pleasures: strolling the Bund, exploring the pockets of colonial architecture in the old French Concession, sampling the exploding restaurant and nightlife scene, or wandering the shopping streets and absorbing the rebirth of one of the world's great cities.
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| Favourite spots: |
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- Yu Gardens - Nan Jing Road - Shanghai Art Museum - Great World Entertainment Center - Huai Hai Road - Disc Go-Karting Club - Oriental Pearl TV Tower - People's Square - Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall
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| What's really great: |
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Nanjing Road - Even during this summers heat if was still buisy at nan jing riad, shops had their airco blazing and allthough the rest of the town had blackouts, this didn't happen here. Great sevice, wonderfull shopping and the best prices in shanghai. A must for everybody visiting this wonderfull city. Yu Garden - This is a must-see in Shanghai. Located in the Old Town area of the city, the Yu Gardens are a wonderful example of classic Chinese gardens. I've visited it in the spring and in the fall, and each season brings a new aspect of the gardens. Close by is a shopping area where you can get good prices on tea and teapots, as well as typical Chinese souvenirs.
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| Sights: |
Pu Dong District
- You can admire the sleek modern high-rises in the area--as well as the frenetic rate of construction. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower, supposedly the largest structure of its kind in Asia, and a symbol of Shanghai's prosperity, looms high over the city. The tower welcomes visitors and lets them ascend for a bird's-eye view of Shanghai.
Pu Xi District
- The majority of the city center lies in Pu Xi. The grid-like city plan, makes it easy to find your way around Shanghai. The city is broken up into areas that range from the traditionally Chinese Yu Gardens to the modern urban bustle of Huai Hai Road. The following areas of Pu Xi and should not be missed.
The Bund
- Definitely one of Shanghai's major highlights, The Bund offers an impressive showcase of Shanghai's colonial past. Beautifully preserved art deco and neoclassical buildings face the waterfront, and Pu Dong, on the other side, now houses headquarters of major banks and corporations.
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| Accommodations: |
- Shanghai JC Mandarin
- Shangri-La Hotel Pudong
- Grad Hyatt Shanghai
- Renaissance Shanghai Pudong Hotel
- The St Regis Shanghai
- The Ritz-Caltron, Shanghai
- The Westin Shanghai
- Jin Jiang Tower Hotel
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| Restaurants: |
- Lan Na Thai ( Cusine: Thai )
- Malone's American Cafe ( Cusine: American )
- The Grape ( Cusine: Chinese )
- Tandoor ( Cusine: Indian )
- 1221 ( Cusine: Chinese )
- Bi Feng Tang ( Cusine: Chinese )
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| Other recommendations: |
Old French Concession Area
- Displays a charming section of the city characterized by leafy, tree-lined streets, beautiful, old crumbling European architecture and crowned by the chic shopping street, Huai Hai Middle Road. Flanked with upscale boutiques and shopping centers, this is the place to burn serious cash. On the low end sits the market on Xiang Yang Road, a bustling place where shoppers bargain hard for fake designer goods with the vendors. You can feel the nostalgia of old Shanghai even more strongly by visiting the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Former Residence & Memorial Hall. Beautifully preserved, his home furnishes a place for visitors to walk the grounds.
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Published on Friday November 4th, 2005 by cath2002my
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