Shanghai

Shanghai

They say that Shanghai is the Paris of the East.  In reality, however, New York is probably a better comparison.  Shanghai has many of the characteristics we often attribute to the Big Apple. The skyscraper office buildings of the Pudong reminiscent of Wall Street, flashing lights and jumbo screens like Times Square, the high-end shopping on Nanjing Street you might find on 5th Avenue, and even a good touch of historical buildings in the Bund to even it out. The streets around the Bund were packed with excited Chinese and foreigners enjoying the cool air along the river.  A short boat cruise on the Huang Pu River between the Pudong District and the Bund gave us incredible views of both areas, including the Pearl Tower, the convention center, and the nearly completed Shanghai Tower, which will be the tallest building in China.  We have all been trying to decide on our favorite city in China now that we have had a good taste of three very distinct areas.  Each city has its own unique character that has made it a great place to visit.  Beijing with its ancient and political history and great markets, Chengdu with the laid-back lifestyle and surrounding rural communities, and Shanghai with its impressive skyline.

Shanghai seems like the center of the world with its vast blend of eclectic flavors, all mixing to give an incredible experience.  The city has so much to offer and beckons to all throughout the world to join its blend of nations.  The majority of foreigners you see around the streets of Shanghai don't appear to be the usual tourists like you find in Beijing or even Chengdu.  The foreigners in Shanghai don't seem out of place at all. They appear to belong there, an integral part of the city's character. These foreigners are businesspeople or ex patriots who have claimed Shanghai as a new or second home. The city has enveloped them and made them its own.  This is Shanghai, its beauty, and its character.  A place everyone should experience, because seeing could never be enough.

Sean Larsen
26 May 2014