Shanghai – New Activities in the City (701 views)

Release date:2010-05-21 13:43:47

Shanghai is located at the eastern coast of China and sits at the mouth of Yangtze River. Initially a fishing village further developed into a textile business town, Shanghai later grew as the commercial centre of China.

Attractions:

Being a happening city, Shanghai brings new attractions such as The River Bund, Expo City, and Chongming Island etc…to its visitors every time. The new area of River Bund with magnificent sculptures, monuments, and pathways was opened recently. Taking a walk at night in River Bund gives a wonderful night-view of Shanghai City. There are many restaurants and shopping malls in the magnificent ancient buildings nearby. The Expo City is situated on the either sides of Huang Pu River covering an area of 3.93 sq km in Pudong and 1.35 sq km in Puxi. The Shanghai Expo 2010 invited more eyes on Shanghai and a sudden change in the city skyline. Different countries showcased their ability by making many architectural wonders and thousands of people flock in to visit them. Each pavilion with its modern curve and wonderful angle-view seems to beckon you to the future and also remind you the importance of the greener earth. The famous and impressive pavilions include China Pavilion, UK pavilion, Singapore Pavilion, Canada Pavilion etc… The Chongming Island is the third largest island in China and is located at the centre of Yangtze River. It is only a few minutes drive from the heart of the city. Earlier visitors had to cross ferry but now you can reach the island by passing through Shanghai Yangtze River Tunnel or by crossing Shanghai Yangtze River Bridge. A true heaven of greenery with pristine forests, clean air and innocent villagers is the uniqueness of the Chongming Island. If you need a clean air or a stress-free day, this island is the quickest and the best getaway from the city buzz.

Food:

If there is a paradise on earth for foods, it right here in Shanghai. Shanghai as a hub of foreigners, offer myriad dishes of both local and foreign cuisines. You can hardly find any other place on earth where food becomes a reason to get together. From breakfast to dinner, people in Shanghai prefer to eat out. This growing eating-out habits quickly got into the system of foreigners and it became a pleasure to try different cuisines in every week. There are lots of food streets in Shanghai that are famous for international cuisines and western-style entertainments. People prefer eating on the street rather than going to an expensive restaurant.

Two such famous food streets are Xin Tian Di and Foreigner Street 101. Both North Block and South Block of Xin Tian Di offer great food and entertainments. While dining at Xin Tian Di you can appreciate both old shikumen style architecture and modern buildings. Though Xin Tian Di is a new food street, it is most preferred one in Shanghai by both locals and tourists. Another specialty about this food street is that many celebrities have opened restaurants or shops and that also attracts fans to crowd in to this street.

The Foreigner Street 101 is the old Hongmei Pedestrian Walkway, the old food street in Shanghai, which was established eight years ago. Most of the restaurants famous for international cuisine are owned by foreigners and hence the name. The Foreigner Street 101 is crowded even on weekdays as it is situated very near to Hong Qiao Pearl City, a mall where you can buy souvenirs, pearls, curios etc…

Other than these two food streets there are other small food streets that are scattered across the city. If you want to have an authentic Shanghai street food experience, it is best to visit any street during night time when it is active.

Transportation:

Metro is widely used to commute inside Shanghai City and has 10 metro lines connecting major destinations and attractions in the city. Metro line 2 connects Hong Qiao Domestic Terminal and Pu Dong International airport, which is a true blessing for the tourists. Taxi and buses are the other means of public transport though metro is mostly preferred in such a busy city like Shanghai. The fast pace of city in the day time and glamorous city life of Shanghai can be enjoyed by taking a ride in bus number 1. It starts from the River Bund and takes you for a city tour both day and night.

Shopping:

The best time for shopping is from December through March when there are sales in big malls all over Shanghai. Super Grand Mall in Pu Dong and Hua Hai Lu are few among them where you can purchase many international brands. Well, that is if you are interested only in international brands. To other people, who are not stubborn about brands, there are other places like Science and Technology Museum Underground Market, Chao Wang Lu, Qi pu Lu etc... These places can offer whatever you can think of and it comes in plenty for cheaper rates but only if you are good enough in bargaining. From paintings and curios to home furnishing materials, you can get almost anything in these places.

Shanghai, with its attractions, buildings, cuisine, and entertainments is a paradise for travelers.

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