Ultra-Modern
Ultra-modern, Shanghai is a newer New York with innovative architecture, double decker streets, soaring bridges, and bullet trains that zoom over 400 kilometers an hour. In fact, it was called the Paris of the East and the New York of the West in days past. The historic junks and sampans on the Bund riverfront seen in films like Sand Pebbles are gone. They have been replaced with expansive walkways and are now packed with vendors selling souvenirs and snacks.
We even passed by the Marriage Market where every weekend parents whose adult children are still single gather and share pertinent information, hoping they’ll snare an eligible catch. Hmm, my son is single.
The odd geometric shapes of the newest skyscrapers mark the horizon from all sides. Most like the Shanghai World Financial Center shaped like a massive bottle opener are colorfully lit at night. This afternoon we were not able to completely view Shanghai Tower, the tallest skyscraper in China because it was literally lost in the clouds. Like Beijing, the air was breathable and the traffic somewhat dignified. It is even against the law to honk your horn except in emergencies.
This bustling international city has a secret oasis, a garden, in the center of the city called Yuyuan Garden which dates back to the Ming Dynasty. Peaceful pavilions, ponds, and twisty walkways which crisscross the grounds so surprises lurk around each corner. One such surprise is the Dragon Wall with its serpent like head and undulating body with tiled scales. Beyond the peaceful walls, we exited to the Yuyuan Bazar which awakens the shopping consciousness. Tantalizing food stands and souvenir stalls, along with department stores with silk pajamas, clothes, and duvets. Irresistible, the dumplings filled with crab soup needed to be slurped with a straw.
