Shanghai
Shanghai is simply too big, too vast, and too full of energy to try to capture in photographs; it must be visited and experienced in person to be believed. The pictures below are just a random miniscule sample of the excitement that is China's commercial center.
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Glimpses from the promenade along the Bund, the picturesque riverside walkway that is one of Shanghai's most visited locales. Architecture both old and new compete for attention.
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My attempt at creativity by shooting the same seen in both midday and midnight...
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In a display of questionable judgment, we carelessly throw caution to the wind and splurge well beyond our means -- however briefly -- as we book a couple nights at one of Shanghai's most exclusive hotels, the Grand Hyatt Shanghai. The hotel occupies the 53rd to 87th floors of one of the tallest buildings in China, the Jinmao (Golden Prosperity) Tower. From the moment one steps into the lobby, the shimmering gold decor dazzles the eye. Unfortunately the snooty staff took away some of the luster of the place.
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Some shots of the breathtaking (and vertigo-inducing) atrium inside the hotel.
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At least we got a nice return on our investment with some amazing vistas. The spectacular views of Shanghai and the Oriental Pearl Tower below were taken from the divine luxury of our full-length hotel room windows!
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Going to the top of the Oriental Pearl Tower, the centerpiece of the Pudong skyline and the tallest building in all of China until 2007. The structure functions as a TV Tower, but its futuristic shape makes it one of the most photographed and visited buildings in Shanghai. It is composed of 11 spheres, big and small, many of which can be toured. The highest lookout is in the bauble that is 1,150 feet (350 meters) above the city.
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One of the Pearl Tower's observation decks is made entirely of clear acrylic. Stepping outside into what looks like open air is quite a thrill. Below, a shot of the view straight down, and then another shot of the same scene with our feet just to add scale.
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Local girl finds standing in mid air a little disorienting and decides to sit on the solid surface to regain her balance.
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Back down to street level and looking up at the striking shape of the Shanghai World Financial Center, the tallest building in China and the second tallest building in the world at 1,614 feet (492 meters).
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Shanghai in mid summer is dripping with heat and humidity, so where else to escape the high temperatures than in an ice bar? This place sure was a sight for sore eyes.
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Eating in China is always an adventure...
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Who says learning English can't be fun?
(this ad from one of our many taxi rides around the city)
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As the above pictures testify, Shanghai's architecture is stunning on a grand scale. But we found some of the littler things to be fascinating as well, such as this oddly-shaped piece of art that seems to have fallen into the city center from space.
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Leaving the city in true style aboard the city's maglev (magnetic levitation) train that soars at more than 268 miles an hour (431 km/h). The trip from Pudong Airport to the city center took well over an hour when we arrived by cab; the trip back to the airport aboard the maglev train took a mere 7 minutes! The train travels so fast that photographs inside, like the one below of the digital monitor showing our current speed, all seem to have the effect of being slightly blurred and warped by time travel!
