The Pride

Issue date: 11/12/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Ellie Yambrach

Shanghai started off as a small fishing village before it eventually became a major multi-national hub for trading through the Treaty of Nanking in 1842. Today, Shanghai is known as the "Paris of the East." I found this nickname suitable when visiting the city in June 2008. Shanghai is quite wealthy both financially and culturally and shows off the best of its past and future.

The Huangpu River provides a natural split for this vision of the past and future. On the one side of the river is the location of the Bund, composed of a collection of late 19th and early 20th century buildings. These buildings were once part of the affluent business center of Shanghai run by multi-national corporations over a century and a half ago. A river walk constructed next to the Bund provides a magnificent view of the river as well as the Pudong district directly across. The Pudong represents Shanghai's future and also encompasses the famous Lujiazui financial district.

The Pudong district is comprised of some of the tallest buildings and most incredible engineering and architecture of skyscrapers I have ever seen. The Oriental Pearl Tower, a television tower is ever so beautiful in its fluid structure and colorful appearance. Most astounding is the Jin Mao Tower which rises a quarter of a mile into the sky. I'd heard of a magnificent bar located on the very top floor of the tower which I would have loved to have visited for a drink, unfortunately my tour was on a tight schedule and I missed the opportunity.

Famous Nanjing Road, one of the world's busiest shopping areas, is located in Pudong and is quite spectacular, especially at night. It out-does Times Square in New York in inexplicable ways. Shopping on Nanjing Road is an experience out of the ordinary. High end western stores like Coach, Armani, Chanel, even IPOD and Apple stores as well many Chinese department stores and smaller high end Chinese retailers can be found on Nanjing Road. If you happen to love shoes, Chinese department stores dedicate nearly the entire first floor of the store to the shoe department. It's simply overwhelming.

Taking a step back into history is the Yu Gardens, a haven located in the Bund district which was built by a government official four hundred years ago as a retreat for his aging parents. The garden is magnificent, complete with ponds, spectacular rockeries, bridges, viewing pagodas and large trees. Yu Gardens provides an appreciation for historical Chinese visual and artistic aesthetics and inspiration for the soul.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools