Shanghai: My New Favorite City

I’m back from Shanghai but wishing V and I were still there!  It’ll be hard to summarize my two-week trip in a couple paragraphs, but I’ll give it a shot…

There were two main, but very different, aspects of the trip.  First, there was the family aspect.  When I left for Shanghai I thought to myself how cool it was going to be to suddenly gain a new family.  One that was on the other side of the world no less!  Sure I had talked to V’s parents via Skype and seen other relatives in pictures, but meeting someone in person is always different.  And when I got there I was not disappointed.  Boy did they treat me well on the trip.  Countless meals and rides; kind gestures and warm welcomes.   All highlighted by a very nice wedding reception at Jin Mao Tower.  After just a short while they felt like more than just my hosts–they truly felt like family.  So much that I miss them more than I miss the city of Shanghai.  And as I’m about to write next, the city of Shanghai rocks.

The second aspect of the trip, of course, was sightseeing in one of the fastest growing cities in the world.  The best description I can think of for Shanghai is that it’s like New York–only more modern and fashionable.  In fact, Shanghai’s Pudong Financial District (pictures 2 and 3 above) is so modern it’s almost futuristic.  I had no idea Shanghai was home to the largest building in the world and I didn’t find out until the day that V took me up 474 meters above the ground to the observation deck of the Shanghai World Financial Center Observatory (opened in 2008).  And there’s two more towers nearby that are almost as tall, with the Oriental Pearl TV Tower being one of the most interesting looking towers I’ve ever seen.  Needless to say, I spent most of my time in Pudong looking up.  The views from up in the towers were spectacular.  But just as spectacular were the views from the nighttime boat tour we took along the Huangpu River, which divides Shanghai in half.  The tour showed off Shanghai’s waterfront skyline, which is lit up elaborately every night. 

Below is a list of sites that I visited on the trip and of course links to pictures!    The photoshoot for the professional wedding pictures was quite an experience and–no joke–lasted roughly from 8am to 8pm!!  As you’ll see, we changed locations and outfits several times. 

Shanghai Highlights/Points Visited:

Boat Tour along the Bund (The Bank of the Huangpu R.), Pudong Lujiazui (Financial District on the East Side of the Huangpu R.), Puxi Historical District (West Side of the Huangpu R.), Nanjing Road (pictured above), Shanghai World Financial Center (Tallest building in the world), Jin Mao Tower, Oriental Pearl TV Tower, People’s Square, Waibaidu Bridge, Lu Pu Bridge, Yang Pu Bridge, East China University of Political Science and Law St. John’s and Songjiang Campuses (V’s University), Duolun Cultural and Historical Road, Huaihai Rd, Richards Hotel, Lu Xun Park, Hongkou Football Stadium, Sun Yat-sen Park, Shangri-La Hotel, Yu Garden, Xin Tian Di, and Chenghuang Temple Marketplace.

Sightseeing Pictures and Professional Wedding Pictures:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=340587&id=705640598&l=2737d9724f

http://picasaweb.google.com/scott.miller.0217/ShanghaiWeddingPictures#