However, that does not mean that cities have nothing to offer or are short of their list of attractions and furthermore, Shanghai is a city rich with history and civilization to reach her status of an international hub of commerce today.
One of such is the famous Huangpu river which separates Pudong from Puxi and is linked by the underground tunnel linking from one bank of the river to the other and both have her own attractions to seduce tourists to their side of their river.
Sitting on Puxi side is this hard to miss and unique skyscraper, which is also known as the Oriental Pearl Tower (Dong Fang Ming Zhu in Chinese; 东方明珠塔)
(Excerpt from Wikipedia.com)
The Oriental Pearl Tower (Chinese: 东方明珠塔; pinyin: Dōngfāng Míngzhūtǎ, official name: 东方明珠电视塔) is a TV tower in Shanghai, China. The Oriental Pearl Tower is located at the tip of Lujiazui in the Pudong district, by the side of Huangpu River, opposite The Bund of Shanghai.
It was designed by Jiang Huan Cheng of the Shanghai Modern Architectural Design Co. Ltd. Construction began in 1991 and the tower was completed in 1995. At 468 m (1,535 feet) high, it was the tallest structure in China from 1994–2007, when it was surpassed by the Shanghai World Financial Center. The Oriental Pearl Tower belongs to the World Federation of Great Towers.
To catch a better glimpse of the beautiful tower which is the pride of the nation (just like our local Twin Towers and KL Tower), you can take a ride to the opposite side of the Huangpu River to visit the famous coastal walk; The Bund (外滩 or also often linked to the famous title of a TVB drama, Shanghai Tan)
(Excerpt from wikipedia.com)
The Bund (simplified Chinese: 外滩; traditional Chinese: 外灘; pinyin: Wàitān) is an area of Huangpu District in central Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The area centres on a section of Zhongshan Road (East-1 Zhongshan Road) within the former Shanghai International Settlement, which runs along the western bank of the Huangpu River, facing Pudong, in the eastern part of Huangpu District. The Bund usually refers to the buildings and wharves on this section of the road, as well as some adjacent areas. The Bund is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Shanghai. Building heights are restricted in this area.
With my mentor; who is also now my best friend/sister =)
Host/Tour Guide from Shanghai
Our hosts from Shanghai
Another tourist attraction which is accessible via Metro is the famous Yu Garden
(excerpt from wikipedia.com)
Yu Garden (Simplified Chinese: 豫园; Traditional Chinese: 豫園; Pinyin: Yùyuán), located at 132. anren street in the center of the Old City next to the Chenghuangmiao in Shanghai, China, is considered one of the most lavish and finest Chinese gardens in the region. The garden is accessible from the nearby Yuyuan Garden station on the Shanghai Metro.
It was quite unfortunate that it was a rainy afternoon as we were traipsing the streets to enjoy these local attractions and I ended up soaked.
To make matters worse, the chill from the strong wind almost blew me off my feet (seriously, not literally).
I was shivering all the way and I don't recall enjoying most of the journey as I was too busy keeping warm.
The bad weather also prevented us from exploring the other sections in the garden which were mostly closed.
There were souvenirs to be sold as the smart traders actually made use of the buildings nestled within the famous garden to make a living from their crafts and skills.
Darkness came too soon as well, and the bad weather cut our trip short as we made our way back to Pudong for dinner.
I can't say I was not glad to be finally in the warmth of the restaurant which our hosts have made reservations in the shopping mall next to the Bund (unfortunately, they were unable to get the private room facing the Bund but we had a private room nevertheless)
It was truly an unforgettable evening for me as I was feeling so cold all the way....I welcomed the piping hot tea served in the restaurant and for the first time, I did not feel the heat from the teapot and I enjoyed holding it to keep my almost-numb hands warm!
To be continued...
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