China - Shanghai surprise

Shangha, China’s commercial capital, bristles with buildings, so be prepared to crane your neck out to visually feast on some of the world’s most spectacular structures.

The Oriental Pearl Tower, one of the tallest buildings in Asia, offers gasp-inducing views of the city and light shows. Jin Mao Tower – a staggering 88-story behemoth – is another impressive one. The one we’re whisked up in a high-speed elevator is the Shanghai World Financial Centre, which boasts the world’s highest observation deck (1,555 ft/474m).

The building is also known by another interesting moniker – the “bottle-opener” – due to its shape. Our ears pop several times during the ascent in a packed-out elevator. No matter. The panoramic sweep of the city – a legoland of blocks of concrete, swathes of green and much else – that greets us at the top more than makes up for it.

Commerce prevails at this vertiginous wonder too, pretty much like the rest of China. Shops hawking souvenirs, handbags, mugs, T-shirts and other touristy merchadise do brisk business. As do the photo shops. Our family strikes funky poses against a backdrop of Shanghai’s famed buildings while the photographer clicks away. The snaps are handed over to us in a nicely packaged, glossy finish in a trice!

Shanghai is a vertical city. So you’ll need to get to dizzying heights to enjoy its staggering vistas. The appropriately named Vue Bar, located on the 32nd and 33rd floors of the new Hyatt on the Bund, offers amazing views of both the historic waterfront and Pudong, the futuristic business district on the other side of the river.

The Huangpu River which splices the city into two is a vital tributary of the Yangtze River and a conduit for billions of dollars’ worth of cargo that passes through the city’s ports. The bustling riverfront underscores Shanghai’s role as China’s epicentre of commerce.

We cruise down the Huangpu in a gargantuan ship at night to capture the city’s nocturnal images. We’re far from disappointed. The river banks offer a moveable feast of Manhattan-styled skyscrapers. Apparently, the buildings didn’t even exist till 15 years ago – back then, this was all marshland. But the savvy Chinese have transmogrified it into one of the world’s spiffiest riverside areas.

Unfortunately, in the same period, the city has also ballooned six-fold and doubled its population to the current 23 million, including nine million immigrants, all eager to partake of Shanghai’s gold rush.

Shanghai’s relentless energy and progressive business environment have helped fuel double-digit growth. Furthermore, its proximity to Hong Kong and Beijing, and seamless connections from the US, have made it an irresistible magnet for multinationals. More than 300 of the Fortune 500 have investments in Shanghai.

The city’s modernisation is undoubtedly a result of unprecedented prosperity. It has experienced rapid growth since the early '90s. Foreign investment, private businesses and rising personal incomes have all fuelled an exponential construction boom. Apparently, there are over 4,000 high-rises in Shanghai, even more than in New York, and plans are afoot to build 1,000 more.

On the river’s western shore lie the stately buildings of the Bund, Shanghai’s Wall Street of a century ago, where Western tycoons dominated commerce in this open port city until World War II. To the east lies the Pudong New Area, where rice fields paved way for futuristic skyscrapers that house scores of multinational corporations.

Several stately towers loom over the Bund’s architectural treasures. At first glance, they all seem to coalesce into one gargantuan granite phalanx. But a closer inspection reveals that they’re actually a medley of different European architectural styles – Neoclassical, Art Deco, Gothic, Romanesque, Renaissance.

Skyscraper-studded skylines, historical sites and a splendid waterfront promenade – how could we not be charmed? The city also teems with great restaurants, shops, galleries, clubs, and discos, easily accessible via a clean and efficient metro system.

Has rapid modernisation compromised the city’s architectural heritage and unique character? Not really. Central Shanghai may be overly commercial – glass towers, chic hotels, glass-fronted office buildings, shopping centres, upscale stores, etc. But saunter into the innards, and you’ll find pockets of old-fashioned serenity.

The city’s municipal authorities have made a major effort to create “green zones” in the city wherever possible. There is always a park or traditional garden at hand. Fuxing Park, smack-dab in the colonial-era French Concession, proffers shady sycamore trees and stuccoed villas. Amidst its swathes of green, you’ll find children running wild, elderly people doing taichi or taking their caged birds for a stroll.

On Anyuan Road, we visit a Buddhist monastery, the Jade Buddha Temple – bright yellow walls, terracotta-tiled roofs, red lanterns and courtyards redolent with the smell of sweet incense. Inside the halls, devotees pray in front of gold-plated Buddha statues, the piece de resistance being the world-famous White Jade Buddha, a 2m-tall glittering statue.

The Old Town, in the south-eastern corner of central Shanghai, is where the Yu Garden and City Temple Market are located. Traditional Chinese souvenirs, pearls and reproductions of antiques – you’ll find them all here. The garden has five lovely acres of ponds, wooden pavilions and rockeries. Sit down, relax, breathe deeply. But be wary of the battalions of Chinese tourists that come marching through the greens (led by megaphone-wielding guides) that shatter the peace of this 16th century sanctuary.

Shanghai’s top tourist activity is retail therapy. The high end, with Armani, Rolex, Gucci and such, are all yoked together in a welter of highbrow malls. Nanjing Road is Shanghai’s version of Fifth Avenue, with a slew of luxury retailers – Gucci, Dior, Cartier – occupying the gleaming shopping centres.

Food heaven

Shanghai’s gastronomic landscape sizzles just as much as its retail. From Michelin-starred eateries to street food, there’s a bewildering array of dining options. Wander down the side alleys where local merchants ply their wares. Sample the infinite variety of street food, including sweet barbecued pork sold off greasy grids.

In fact, many of Shanghai’s joys are located at street level, where everyday life unfolds with staggering variety. A night stroll among the neon lights along Nanjing Road is a treat. Wander through the French Concession and windowshop at the endless array of shops lining the avenues. We enjoyed a delicious Chinese meal at Xintiandi, or New Heaven and Earth, a spiffy dining and shopping complex carved out of century-old lane houses.

Hengshan Road is another popular bar-and-restaurant district.

Oh, and don’t miss out on the soup dumplings or what’s called the xiaolong bao. To partake of this magic, we were guided to the unassuming Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, near Nanjing Road. A translucent dumpling skin is wrapped around a juicy pork filling (or, in luxe versions, crab) and then filled with a shot of hot, tasty broth. Close your eyes, place the dumpling in your mouth and let the flavours explode on your palate!

On the last day of our trip, we boarded the hi-tech magnetic levitation (Maglev) train to the swanky new Pudong International Airport. The train – apparently a great tourist attraction – reaches a top speed of 260mph (418kph) in eight minutes.

Of course, we feel a tad whiplashed when we’re disgorged at the airport station. But that’s hardly surprising, considering a sense of disorientation has all along been the leitmotif of this fast-paced city.

Neeta Lal

The Star

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