(The location of Shanghai in China, source: China highlights)
Shanghai (Chinese: 上海; pinyin: Shànghăi), Hu for short, is a renowned international metropolis drawing more and more attention from all over the world. Situated on the estuary of Yangtze River, it serves as the most influential economic, financial, international trade, cultural, science and technology center in East China. It is one of the four direct-controlled municipalities of China, with a population of more than 24 million as of 2014.
In addition to its modernization, the city’s multicultural flair endows it with a unique glamour. Here, one finds the perfect blend of cultures, the modern and the traditional, and the western and the oriental. Shanghai is renowned for its Lujiazui skyline, museums and historic buildings, such as the ones along The Bund, the City God Temple and the Yu Garden, It has been described as the “showpiece” of the booming economy of mainland China. New skyscrapers and old Shikumen together draw the skyline of the city. Western customs and Chinese traditions intertwined and formed the city’s culture, making a visitor’s stay truly memorable. (Source: Travel China Guide).
(Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower, source: University of Oxford).
As for the public transport in Shanghai, it has an extensive public transport system, largely based on metros, buses and taxis. Shanghai’s rapid transit system, the Shanghai Metro, incorporates both subway and light railway lines and extends to every core urban district as well as neighboring suburban districts. As of 2014, there are 14 metro lines (excluding the Shanghai Maglev Train and Jinshan Railway), 329 stations and 538 km (334 mi) of tracks in operation, making it the longest network in the world. Shanghai also has the world’s most extensive network of urban bus routes, with nearly one thousand bus lines, operated by numerous transportation companies.
(The Maglev with a top speed of 431 km/h (268 mph) exiting the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, source: Wikipedia Shanghai).
Shanghai boasts several museums. Like the Shanghai Museum, the China Art Museum, China Pavilion of Expo 2010, the Shanghai Natural History Museum and the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and so on.
(World Expo Shanghai China Pavilion, source: Wikipedia Expo).
In addition, there is Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center which is a six-story building, with two basement levels, which displays Shanghai’s urban planning and development. The focus of the exhibit is a large scale model of the entirety of urban Shanghai, showing existing buildings and approved future buildings. Other exhibits relate to Shanghai’s history and planned development, including smaller scaled models focusing on particular areas of interest such as the Bund.
(Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, source: Wikipedia Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center).
