Why I like Shanghai - Part 2
I never realised it (often because I was too lazy to do any researching), but Shanghai came into contact with a lot of countries in the past. If anybody looked for Shanghai on the map, you would soon realise why.
Shanghai is on the Yangtze river (黄河), a river where ships go through to trade. Almost any city along that river has prospered greatly. Depending on the places you went to in Shanghai, you could see how each culture had their impact. One of the most famous places to go to in Shanghai is The Bund. At first I thought that the place was thought of as famous because of the view across the river - the view of the pearl tower and other skyscrapers that were beautifully lit up at night. What amazed people the most is that the patch of land that you see the in picture below was once swampland, and its transformation began in 1990, only a little more than 20 years ago! The transformation only goes to show how much a country can do with a large population, good organisation and hardworking people. However I digress.
What I failed to realise is that The Bund is famous partly because of this: if you were looking at the island across you would have failed to see that the main attraction is right behind you.
Turn around, and you are no longer in Shanghai. In fact, it will look as if you have stepped into London.
Shanghai is on the Yangtze river (黄河), a river where ships go through to trade. Almost any city along that river has prospered greatly. Depending on the places you went to in Shanghai, you could see how each culture had their impact. One of the most famous places to go to in Shanghai is The Bund. At first I thought that the place was thought of as famous because of the view across the river - the view of the pearl tower and other skyscrapers that were beautifully lit up at night. What amazed people the most is that the patch of land that you see the in picture below was once swampland, and its transformation began in 1990, only a little more than 20 years ago! The transformation only goes to show how much a country can do with a large population, good organisation and hardworking people. However I digress.
What I failed to realise is that The Bund is famous partly because of this: if you were looking at the island across you would have failed to see that the main attraction is right behind you.
Turn around, and you are no longer in Shanghai. In fact, it will look as if you have stepped into London.
I have a habit of taking panoramas when I travel - it beats having to take 10 photos for each place.
Each building is famous for their own different form of architecture, and there are about 30 of these European-style buildings along the length of The Bung, Of course, these were built by the foreigners, who had a huge influence on the country in the 1930s. These buildings are over 80 years old!
On my trip to Shanghai, I also saw the French Concession although I only got a picture of the coinfectionary itself, the surrounding area is just as beautiful. I felt like I no longer was in Shanghai - I was in a whole other world altogether.
This is another reason why I like Shanghai - if you don't like it, you can just go somewhere else, but stay in the city. Of course, I could say that for any country with a Chinatown but everything here is much more... genuine.
Comments
Post a Comment