Shanghai, China (Travel)

The Magic of Shanghai, China

We visited 3 major, well-known Chinese cities on our recent trip with Viking Travel: Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. All on the eastern coast of China, they were surprising different.

Beijing is in the north and a bit inland. As the capital of the People’s Republic of China, it has the most political presence. Hong Kong is in the south on the South China Sea. It is the essence of Chinese Modern while maintaining its century-old British/European flavor. (More on my separate blog on Hong Kong)

And then there is SHANGHAI!

Shanghai

Meaning “above the sea,” Shanghai is midway down China’s eastern seacoast on the Yellow Sea. With a population similar the Beijing, it is also one of the fastest growing cities in the world.

I was immediately struck by Shanghai’s spectacular architecture! Grand colonial buildings line the riverside promenade of the infamous, grandiose “Bund.” The recent, modern architecture was especially impressive as it lit up the night skyline! The Shanghai Tower is the tallest tower in China, and currently 3rd tallest in the world! The YuYuan Gardens transported me into a magical place and time with its peaceful gardens, tranquil ponds with zigzag bridges, classic Chinese architecture and fanciful rockery.

Shanghai at Night

Shanghai at Night is magical, especially when the fog set in! It capped off a rainy day we enjoyed at the YuYuan Gardens and atop the Shanghai Tower. (More on these places below). Our ship was docked right across from The Bund so that evening we embraced the spectacular view.

A great view from our ship, the Radio and TV Tower with the colorful ball (below) gave us a great light show. Lost in the fog and providing a eerie perspective were the Shanghai World Financial Center and the Shanghai Tower. (Photos and more on these unique buildings in the sections below)

On the Huangpu’s east bank, the Pudong is Shanghai’s newest district, home to some of the world’s highest commercial buildings.

Shanghai Tower

The Shanghai Tower brought us quickly into 21st century China! The high speed elevator took us to the top of the 3rd tallest building in the world, the tallest in China! The view was breathtaking, even on a rainy, cloudy day. A LEED Platinum, green, smart, cultural vertical city, it uses the space between the outer shell and inner rooms to maximum efficiency, adding to its interest and intrigue.

Shanghai is filled with “new meets old” as seen in this photo (below) of the tall, modern Shanghai Tower from within the Chinese classical YuYuan Gardens earlier that morning!

We took the world’s fastest elevator to get to the 119th floor Shanghai Tower Observatory. The elevators move at 46 mph, or 87 feet/second. Interestingly, our ears did not pop! Pretty sophisticated system.

The breathtaking observatory was open to the public in 2016. Shanghai Tower also houses grade A offices; deluxe 5-star hotel; cultural, banquet and conference facilities.

The infamous Shanghai Bund can be seen across the Huangpu River, even on a rainy day. The building in the middle (photo below) with the red ball near top is the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Radio and TV Tower. I can only imagine the view on a bright, sunny day!

Seen from Shanghai Tower observatory is the grassy Mingzho Park far below. The Jinmao Tower is in the left and center. The Shanghai World Financial Center building is at the right.

The Shanghai World Financial Center is dubbed the “bottle opener.” Metal replicas of the building that function as actual bottle openers are sold in the tower’s gift shop.

The TMD (Tuned Mass Damper) at the top of the Shanghai Tower serves to stabilize the building. A complex principle, it is fascinating in both form and function. The sculptural design is beautiful by itself. (FYI, the weird appendage off my back is Skip’s cap! LOL!)

A 15 minute mesmerizing multi-media sound and light show was incorporated to add to the experience and maximize the visual impact of the TMD,

YuYuan Gardens

Shanghai YuYuan Gardens, a classical Chinese garden in Old Shanghai, was a magnificent stop, even (or especially?) in the rain. Commissioned by the Ming Dynasty over 400 years ago, it is 5 acres of pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters. After a colorful history of ownership, they were opened to the public in 1961 and declared a national monument in 1982. It is one of my favorite places in China, despite being rushed by the tour guide, and hampered by the rain. See more at my separate YuYuan Garden blog.

Shanghai Museum

The Shanghai Museum includes a vast collection of Chinese cultural relics from the neolithic period to the Qing dynasty. Established in 1952 the museum opened in 1995. The design of the building is symbolic representing the Chinese concept of “a round heaven and a square earth.”

Acrobatic Show

We were privileged to experience a spectacular Acrobatic Show while in Shanghai. Built on thousands of years of Chinese tradition, its origins can be traced to the Han Dynasty, 2,000+ years ago. Over time, the performing acrobats became known worldwide as they developed their identity along the Silk Road.

Scenes and performers in the show moved so swiftly that it was impossible for me to get a good photo of them, but I managed to get a couple photos of the spectacular, ever-changing sets.

Today’s highly skilled, rigorously disciplined, artists have trained since childhood. Over time, they have added new thrilling stunts and techniques to their ancient repertoire. Seamlessly blending tradition and modernity, their gravity-defying stunts were mesmerizing. Acrobats pushed the boundaries of human agility, movement and strength in daring maneuvers and captivating choreography. Beyond the traditional shows, they included stunts on bikes and motorcycles.

Visit Shanghai

Shanghai holds so much more to see and do than these few highlights. Our tickets for all of these Shanghai opportunities were included with our booking of a Viking excursions. My online research revealed a variety of other opportunities for booking independently or with a group for these and other Shanghai experiences. I’d recommend starting your exploration with an online search and/or with a reputable, trusted travel agent.

Sources

• Viking Tour guides on site and printed excursion descriptions for all of the above
• DK Eyewitness Travel: China – on above related topics
• Onsite information provided at Shanghai Tower, Shanghai Museum, and the Acrobatic Show

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