• Shanghai! The place where the west and the east (successfully) met!
    This is Shanghai train station, this picture was taken when I was returning from Hangzou. I first arrived in Shanghai from Xi'an by plane.
  • Nanjing Lu - in the heart of Shanghai
    Nanjing Road runs west from the Bund. This is the main commercial street of the city.
  • Captain Hostel - you can not beat the location
    I was staying at the Captain Hostel both in 2005 and 2007; dorm beds were around Y50 and I can say that this hostel has perfect location.
  • Shanghai changing before your eyes: picture taken in September 2005...
  • ... and in May of 2007... can you see the difference?
  • Pudong  - the face of China in the 21st century
    When you come to China chances are you want to see "the real China", not this "New York of the East", however this is where China showcases her newly discovered economic might, so you may as well check it out...
  • Be careful...
  • The Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Pudong (park).
    View from the Bund (Bund or Waitan, means Enbankment). The Bund runs along the west shore of the Huangpu River, just across the street from the most beautiful European style buildings in Shanghai.
  • 'Wish Tree' next to the entrance to the Yu Yuan Garden
    These is what you do: first buy one (or more) of the red stripes attached to the replica of an ancient Chinese coin, then make a wish, then throw the stripe with the coin up in the tree branches. If it stays there your wish will be granted. If it falls down - well, then you will have to try harder...
  • Hangzhou (the West Lake) - just 2-3 hours (by train) from Shanghai
    Hangzhou is the southern terminus of the Grand Canal (which used to go all the way up to Beijing) which made the city very prosperous for over 1000 years.
  • Xi Hu (West lake) used to be a wide and shallow inlet off the bay 2000 years ago
    The legend has it that Qin Shihuang (the First Emperor) sailed in from the sea and moored his boats on (the present day) northwestern shore of the lake. After 4th century AD the inlet became the lake.
  • One of the Three Pools Reflecting the Moon
    These three small stone pagodas rise from the lake near Xiaoying Island. During the full moon nights candles are placed inside the stone pagoda and its openings are covered in paper to create reflections resembling the moon.
  • Boat ride on the West Lake
    passing through the bridge in the Su Causeway (along the lake's western edge).
  • MAGLEV train connects Shanghai and Pudong Airport
    Maglev (magnetic levitation) train operates daily from 8:30 to 5:30, every 20 minutes; board the train at Longyang Lu metro station; if you show a plane ticket for that day you will get discount and the ticket will cost only Y40.
  • So here it goes: at 12:58 the speed was 0 km/hr...
  • at 13:03 the speed was 431 km/hr... not bad for a train
  • Pudong International Airport - Boarding gate
  • After almost a month, it's good to be back home (Vancouver, British Columbia).
Panels:
Now Loading