"The pearl of the Orient..." a Shanghai Travel Page by szabolcs

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<font color="#000080"><b><div align="center">I am having a hard time writing about Shanghai. This city is changing at a speed probably unique in the whole world. That's why guidebooks always need to note in their respective Shanghai sections that by the time the books hit the shelves Shanghai may already be a different city, with skyscrapers that at the time of writing were merely plans.

My first thought about the place as I headed downtown from the Hongqiao Airport was that unlike any other Chinese city I had seen before, this city appeared to be a possible place to live. Shanghai is bigger than Beijing but you still don't get frightened by impersonal monumentality that abounds on Beijing's streets. It is more elegant and is of humane proportions.

Shanghai has never been a traditional Chinese city. Ever since its foundation it was deeply influenced by mainly Europeans. No wonder that the major attraction, the world famous BUND avenue is lined by elegant colonial styled buildings that have nothing Chinese in them except for the flags waving at their tops. For decades the Bund was THE skyline of Shanghai that foreigners easily recognised. This is now being challenged by the Pudong New Area. A place of rusty warehouses and some farmland for growing vegetables a decade ago, Pudong is now the Manhattan of the Huangpu river. The riverside Bund meant the end of Shanghai, now it's facing the new city that is meant to display China's wealth and speedy development.
Pudong is the area of glitzy skyscrapers and its skyline is guaranteed not to remain the same for more than a few weeks. This area (which is a Special Economic Zone) houses office buildings and hotels in ever growing numbers. Most of the buildings are half empty yet, but this does not deter anyone from erecting more and more of them. Pudong is home to the new Shanghai Stock Exchange, the 88-storey JINMAO building (third tallest in the world) which houses the Hyatt-Regency from the 53rd floor upwards, the new and very high-tech Pudong International Airport and the ORIENTAL PEARL TV Tower (third tallest tower in the world) known for its unique shape and the breathtaking panoramic view it offers.

Back in the western part the city still has some treats for visitors. Among them is the old town with the very spectacular YuYuan Gardens. You may enter through a zig-zagging bridge that is to keep bad spirits away (they can only travel in a straight line). It is truly charming. Although most of the old buildings in the area now house huge department stores the streets themselves did not lose their authentic and old athmosphere. Still, Shanghai is not the place for 1000 year old temples and monuments. The famous Jade Buddha Temple is from the early 20th century but is worth a visit, although it is slightly off the centre. Look for the statues of Buddha made of pure jade. One of them is said to weigh about a 1000kg.
Some more sights include the Nanjing Road, People's Park and square with the Shanghai Museum and Sun Yatsen's Residence.

However, Shanghai is not simply about the sights themselves. It is a city where walking streets of no touristic value can also be an interesting experience, just to get the true feel of the city. Some say that Shanghai was put to sleep during the hardliner years of communism. It has definitely revived and is a bustling, colourful and lively place. Shanghai is a metropolis but is definitely not without character. And as the night comes you should not waste your precious time sleeping, but head out to the streets to see this beautiful city splendidly illuminated.
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