What factors make cities "great"? I have my own thoughts but perhaps a more credible source is warranted here. This recent piece from the Huffington Post discusses many of the important indicators:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/localeur/what-factors-make-a-city-urban-planning_b_5511883.html
I'm going to focus on great food, art and culture, architecture (contemporary and historical), and the Transit systems. Here's how Shanghai stacks up:
Great Food:
Shanghai is a huge, international city with many great restaurants of all sorts. You will easily find foods from all over Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Staple foods from the United States are also easily found in restaurants all over the city. But the real treasure are the traditional "Shanghai-nese" foods. Famous dishes like the delectable Shanghai steamed buns are a must. Steamed buns are available throughout China but these buns are special since the Shanghai buns somehow contain hot soup inside of the bun along with the other, regular contents (vegetables, pork, shrimp, crab, beef). I'm not sure how they do this because the soup inside, although piping hot, NEVER seeps through the dough of the buns! It is an amazing feat and the taste is incredible! You can find these buns everywhere but the best spot that I found is the Nanxiang Steamed Bun restaurant near Yu Yuan Gardens. The restaurant is right in the middle of a busy shopping area right outside of the garden. You can't miss it because the long line that always streams from its take out (take away in China) window. The line seems to move at a decent pace but I always head up to the actual restaurant on the 3rd floor. I've never had to wait more than 10-15 minutes and I often have been seated immediately. Their small buns come in steamers that hold six buns (cost is approx 25-35 yuan or $4-$6) and they have large buns that are sold individually (approx. 35 yuan or $6). There are other great, reasonably priced appetizers on their menu (an English version is always available) so order an assortment of things with a pot of tea and enjoy!
Art & Culture:
Shanghai has so many great museums that it is impossible to adequately describe. But whether you are searching for traditional or contemporary art (Chinese and western); historical relics from China including their political history, or information regarding the explosion of growth, transportation, and technology in China, Shanghai has a museum to meet your need. I loved visiting many of them but I was most mesmerized by the Shanghai Urban Planning Museum and its HUGE scaled model of the entire city of Shanghai. You absolutely must see this model and, while there, remember to visit their virtual demonstration of their transportation system and the area containing the photographs detailing the major changes to Shanghai's landscape since the late 1980's. Chinese culture exudes from every street, park, and corner in Shanghai so be sure to move slowly and soak it all in. Visit the Nanjing Road Pedestrian area during the early evenings to see large groups of people (mostly women) doing synchronized dancing to music blared through a portable player. You will find hundreds of people (usually from the older generations) in every park in the early morning hours (starting around 5 am) exercising either individually or in groups. Tai chi, dancing, and other aerobic activities are going on everywhere every morning. The People's Park is also another wonderful place to visit as it is a beautiful park with lakes, trees and flowers and also another meeting spot for many Chinese families and groups. There are also venues for musical or theatrical performances, a wonderful zoo, water park and daily circus in Shanghai. Finally, there are endless great neighborhoods to stroll through. in order to get a feel for everyday life in Shanghai. Just check the web or any reputable travel book for neighborhood descriptions and locations and start walking! As I said, there is far too much to adequately describe so just wander around and you will run into so many interesting things and people.
Architecture:
Shanghai has a wonderful juxtaposition of contemporary and historical architecture. The buildings along both shores of the Huanpu River near its famous, waterfront Bund area perhaps provide the best example of this. The Pudong side skyline is comprised of amazing, modern skyscrapers, including the Shanghai Tower (the world's 2nd tallest building at 127 stories) and the Oriental Pearl Tower. The Shanghai city side of the river also has tall, contemporary building like the Westin Hotel with its famous golden lotus top, but it also is home to buildings in many other styles. You will see Gothic, Renaissance, Neo-Classical, and Baroque style architecture on this side. Most of the buildings on this side house financial companies or banks as this area is the historical financial center of Shanghai. You must visit the Bund when in Shanghai and you should go at night since the Pudong buildings all contain wonderful LED light arrangements that are used to create terrific photo opportunities (especially since the Huanpu is also full of well-lit, highly decorated river cruise boats at night). Be sure to go early enough because the lights are turned off and the area closes down at around 10 pm nightly. The Bund is only one of many areas where the mix of new and old architecture may be seen so wander around and enjoy the city's amazing views.
Transit System:
Transportation in Shanghai is "other-worldly"! Its metro system is one of the two largest in the world (the Beijing system is the other) whether you consider total route length, number of stations, or annual ridership. The trains and stations are immaculately clean and safe. The tracks are completely shielded by glass thereby preventing both the accidental or intentional entry on to the tracks by any passenger. The train doors align perfectly with sets of sliding glass doors which open once the train stops in each station. The trains are ALWAYS on time so you may feel confident when looking at a timetable that you will arrive promptly as described. It is a distance-based fare system with single ride fares ranging from a low of 3 yuan to a high of 15 yuan ($0.50 - $2.50). Most rides will cost between 3-7 yuan. I suggest purchasing a public transportation card from ticket booths inside of any station. You add a yuan total of your choice on to these cards and they work like debit cards in the system. You may also use these cards to ride buses and taxis in Shanghai. They may also be used in certain convenience stores and banks (very handy card). One final thing to note about the metro is the fact that Wi-Fi service is somehow available on the trains. People talk and surf the web while riding on the trains regularly. It is amazing to witness. The metro system links directly to both Shanghai airports and both of it two railway stations. The airports are huge and busy and you'll be able to fly anywhere that you like. A word of warning, there are often delays and sudden gate changes with flights so be aware that your plans could be altered significantly when flying. A better choice is the high speed train system. The Hongqiao Station is larger than many American airport terminals and is Shanghai's high speed train service hub. Like the metro, these trains run on a tight schedule so be sure to arrive at least 45-60 minutes before the scheduled departure time so you may easily arrive at your gate on time. Trust me, the train WILL leave at exactly the time listed on the ticket and schedule. It can be very difficult to make your way on to a subsequent train if you miss yours as many people use these trains so they can be very crowded. But they are immaculately clean and each row of seats has electrical outlets for passenger use.
As you can see, Shanghai is an amazing city with something to offer to every visitor. Hope that you can make it there soon!
Power to the Purple! Happy Travels!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/localeur/what-factors-make-a-city-urban-planning_b_5511883.html
I'm going to focus on great food, art and culture, architecture (contemporary and historical), and the Transit systems. Here's how Shanghai stacks up:
Great Food:
Shanghai is a huge, international city with many great restaurants of all sorts. You will easily find foods from all over Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Staple foods from the United States are also easily found in restaurants all over the city. But the real treasure are the traditional "Shanghai-nese" foods. Famous dishes like the delectable Shanghai steamed buns are a must. Steamed buns are available throughout China but these buns are special since the Shanghai buns somehow contain hot soup inside of the bun along with the other, regular contents (vegetables, pork, shrimp, crab, beef). I'm not sure how they do this because the soup inside, although piping hot, NEVER seeps through the dough of the buns! It is an amazing feat and the taste is incredible! You can find these buns everywhere but the best spot that I found is the Nanxiang Steamed Bun restaurant near Yu Yuan Gardens. The restaurant is right in the middle of a busy shopping area right outside of the garden. You can't miss it because the long line that always streams from its take out (take away in China) window. The line seems to move at a decent pace but I always head up to the actual restaurant on the 3rd floor. I've never had to wait more than 10-15 minutes and I often have been seated immediately. Their small buns come in steamers that hold six buns (cost is approx 25-35 yuan or $4-$6) and they have large buns that are sold individually (approx. 35 yuan or $6). There are other great, reasonably priced appetizers on their menu (an English version is always available) so order an assortment of things with a pot of tea and enjoy!
Art & Culture:
Shanghai has so many great museums that it is impossible to adequately describe. But whether you are searching for traditional or contemporary art (Chinese and western); historical relics from China including their political history, or information regarding the explosion of growth, transportation, and technology in China, Shanghai has a museum to meet your need. I loved visiting many of them but I was most mesmerized by the Shanghai Urban Planning Museum and its HUGE scaled model of the entire city of Shanghai. You absolutely must see this model and, while there, remember to visit their virtual demonstration of their transportation system and the area containing the photographs detailing the major changes to Shanghai's landscape since the late 1980's. Chinese culture exudes from every street, park, and corner in Shanghai so be sure to move slowly and soak it all in. Visit the Nanjing Road Pedestrian area during the early evenings to see large groups of people (mostly women) doing synchronized dancing to music blared through a portable player. You will find hundreds of people (usually from the older generations) in every park in the early morning hours (starting around 5 am) exercising either individually or in groups. Tai chi, dancing, and other aerobic activities are going on everywhere every morning. The People's Park is also another wonderful place to visit as it is a beautiful park with lakes, trees and flowers and also another meeting spot for many Chinese families and groups. There are also venues for musical or theatrical performances, a wonderful zoo, water park and daily circus in Shanghai. Finally, there are endless great neighborhoods to stroll through. in order to get a feel for everyday life in Shanghai. Just check the web or any reputable travel book for neighborhood descriptions and locations and start walking! As I said, there is far too much to adequately describe so just wander around and you will run into so many interesting things and people.
Architecture:
Shanghai has a wonderful juxtaposition of contemporary and historical architecture. The buildings along both shores of the Huanpu River near its famous, waterfront Bund area perhaps provide the best example of this. The Pudong side skyline is comprised of amazing, modern skyscrapers, including the Shanghai Tower (the world's 2nd tallest building at 127 stories) and the Oriental Pearl Tower. The Shanghai city side of the river also has tall, contemporary building like the Westin Hotel with its famous golden lotus top, but it also is home to buildings in many other styles. You will see Gothic, Renaissance, Neo-Classical, and Baroque style architecture on this side. Most of the buildings on this side house financial companies or banks as this area is the historical financial center of Shanghai. You must visit the Bund when in Shanghai and you should go at night since the Pudong buildings all contain wonderful LED light arrangements that are used to create terrific photo opportunities (especially since the Huanpu is also full of well-lit, highly decorated river cruise boats at night). Be sure to go early enough because the lights are turned off and the area closes down at around 10 pm nightly. The Bund is only one of many areas where the mix of new and old architecture may be seen so wander around and enjoy the city's amazing views.
Transit System:
Transportation in Shanghai is "other-worldly"! Its metro system is one of the two largest in the world (the Beijing system is the other) whether you consider total route length, number of stations, or annual ridership. The trains and stations are immaculately clean and safe. The tracks are completely shielded by glass thereby preventing both the accidental or intentional entry on to the tracks by any passenger. The train doors align perfectly with sets of sliding glass doors which open once the train stops in each station. The trains are ALWAYS on time so you may feel confident when looking at a timetable that you will arrive promptly as described. It is a distance-based fare system with single ride fares ranging from a low of 3 yuan to a high of 15 yuan ($0.50 - $2.50). Most rides will cost between 3-7 yuan. I suggest purchasing a public transportation card from ticket booths inside of any station. You add a yuan total of your choice on to these cards and they work like debit cards in the system. You may also use these cards to ride buses and taxis in Shanghai. They may also be used in certain convenience stores and banks (very handy card). One final thing to note about the metro is the fact that Wi-Fi service is somehow available on the trains. People talk and surf the web while riding on the trains regularly. It is amazing to witness. The metro system links directly to both Shanghai airports and both of it two railway stations. The airports are huge and busy and you'll be able to fly anywhere that you like. A word of warning, there are often delays and sudden gate changes with flights so be aware that your plans could be altered significantly when flying. A better choice is the high speed train system. The Hongqiao Station is larger than many American airport terminals and is Shanghai's high speed train service hub. Like the metro, these trains run on a tight schedule so be sure to arrive at least 45-60 minutes before the scheduled departure time so you may easily arrive at your gate on time. Trust me, the train WILL leave at exactly the time listed on the ticket and schedule. It can be very difficult to make your way on to a subsequent train if you miss yours as many people use these trains so they can be very crowded. But they are immaculately clean and each row of seats has electrical outlets for passenger use.
As you can see, Shanghai is an amazing city with something to offer to every visitor. Hope that you can make it there soon!
Power to the Purple! Happy Travels!
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