The Bund and Pudong
A spectacular view of the Pudong skyline across the Huangpu River awaits you as you reach the east end of East Nanjing Road and emerge onto the Bund in Shanghai, China. The Bund is actually an elevated promenade that runs north-south along the western side of the river following East Zhongshan No 1 Road for nearly a mile. According to the Lonely Planet travel guide of China, The Bund is ‘an Anglo-Indian term for the embankment of a muddy waterfront’. This boulevard was the financial center of Old Shanghai and is now lined with historic buildings representing various periods of Chinese history. All day and late into the evening crowds of locals and tourists stroll together along this famous walkway, taking in the stately buildings on one side and a view of the modern skyscrapers across the river on the other. I found myself going back many times to bask in this sensory overload and almost enjoyed watching others take in the ethereal atmosphere as much as I enjoyed experiencing it myself. At night colorfully lighted boats ply the waters between the two crowded banks of the river, adding to the spectacle.
The Bund and Pudong Skyline
China Pavilion, Expo 2010
On my second day in Shanghai I found the ferry boat going across the river to Pudong, albeit with some difficulty. Pudong is home to the Shanghai Exposition, the airport and some of the world’s tallest and most famous buildings. The most notable among them are the Oriental Pearl Tower with its stacked globes, the Jinmao Tower with its observation deck on the 88th floor and the Shanghai World Financial Center, reputed to be the world’s third tallest building. Just standing at the feet of these behemoths is awe inspiring. A short bus ride will take you to the site of the Shanghai Expo 2010, which officially closed on October 31. This huge exposition, which drew thousands of people from all over the world, covers many blocks and the trademark China Pavilion is destined to become a lasting symbol of Shanghai.
Ferry Across the Huangpu River
On the ferry ride back across the river to the Bund I realized that my three weeks in China was rapidly drawing to a close and it was finally time to start thinking about getting to the airport the next day for the long flight home. I was actually looking forward to the flight on Korean Air, which in my opinion is one of the best airlines in the world. Not only is the service superb, but it is difficult to take your eyes off the gorgeous ladies who serve as flight attendants. Looking back on my trip, I covered a tremendous amount of territory in those three weeks, visiting some of the most famous sights in China and meeting a good cross section of its friendly people. And all this without spending a lot of money! China is a big country, though, and I still have lots more to see on my next trip!
TRAVEL TIP:
Going between the Pudong Airport and most parts of Shanghai is easy using the high speed Maglev (magnetic levitation) Train which has a station in Pudong connecting with the metro. A one way ticket on the high speed train should cost about $7.00 and the connecting metro ticket is less than one US dollar. This is quick, convenient and considerably cheaper than a taxi and gives you an opportunity to ride on one of the world’s fastest trains at 250 miles per hour.
