上海 Shanghai

With Expo 2010 under way, I think it's time to showcase my Shanghai photos from last Christmas. I planned this trip for the first half of 2009, but various trips got in the way and I had to defer and defer again to year-end. But I got wonderful weather and was very satisifed that the smog situation was not as bad as I anticipated.

The Urban Planning Exhibition Hall sits rather lonely in the heart of the city, but inside, the world transforms into an urban paradise.



Pudong has changed a lot again in a few years. This tower is new.



Is this sharp angle bad fung shui?



Laoximen is located south of the Bund and is at the crossroads of redevelopment. This neighbourhood is historic to begin with, but given its prime location, its surroundings are being razed for redevelopment.









Interested in art shopping in Tianzifang? Too bad carrying a piece of art onto a plane is so difficult.





Xintiandi is an example of drug overdose in a redevelopment. There isn't much about what this area used to be besides the historic buildings. Everything is now about modern shops and expensive restaurants. Beyond the appearance, it certainly

didn't preserve the heritage well.





A lot of toilet maps now dot the city centre. I find it a bit odd that there is a need to display so many of these.





Shanghai has a glorious history, and a big selection of historic buildings.









Shanghai Stock Exchange, home to a lot of IPO action these days.



Drying clothes in the sun is the environmental way to go.



The old, the new, and the manicured street.











Vehicles and pedestrians sharing a narrow alley. It's possible, and it can be safe.



Beware your head.



Lost and alone in this alley.











It is so much easier to capture a decent street scene under the sun in blue skies.


Tianzifang is an up-and-coming arts district. Its narrow alleys that spread out in a maze are very popular with tourists, although I think it's now a victim of its success.



Tomorrow Square has a very good cafe at its hotel lobby many floors above the city.



This is one of my favourite photos of Pudong.







One of the major exhibitions in the Urban Planning Exhibition Hall is about the Expo. This is not surprising at all.

















The maglev is still running, but depending on the time of day, the train may not reach the 430 km/h max speed. Some trains run in the 3xx km/h range.





I really hate these 'I Love New York' adaptations.























Would this place rather disappear or lose its heritage and transform into a high-class shopping hangout?





Full Photo Set : http://www.globalphotos.org/shanghai.htm