From Shanghai

Business capital of China

Waibaidu Bridge

Back in February I spent Chinese New Year in Shanghai and, having eaten more than my fair share, decided that brisk walk was in order. Heading to The Bund we took a leisurely stroll along North Suzhou Road. Read more

This is Shanghai

Shanghai’s skyline got to show off it’s better side in last years Skyfall, but photographer Rob Whitworth and urban explorer JT Singh, have gone one better with this spectacular portrayal of the 21st century giant.

“In 1980 Shanghai had no skyscrapers. It now has at least 4,000 — more than twice as many as New York. ‘This is Shanghai’ explores the diversities and eccentricities of the metropolis that is Shanghai going beyond the famous skyline.”

For all its pollution and censorship I miss China.

Chinese Megacities Timelapse

Living inside one of China’s behemoth cities is a humbling experience, such is the enormity of their size and the human endeavours taking place there. The timelapse video above by zweizwei brings back fond memories of my time spent in mainland China and captures everyday life in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Shanghai extremely well – sunshine and smog included. Despite the endless sea of people streaming in from all over the country for the opportunities they provide, these cities can be strangely impersonal and isolating…

If you’ve not already seem it, 007’s latest outing in Skyfall features some spectacular shots of Shanghai at night also.

Kite Flying at Night in Shanghai

Walk through any park at the weekend in China and you’re more than likely to find groups of people flying wonderfully decorated kites high in the sky. This isn’t a pastime just for kids though, and as I found out in Shanghai a few weeks ago, aficionados of the sport have taken it a step further… Read more

Shanghai Museum of Glass

Two weeks ago when I was in Shanghai, a rainy afternoon provided me with an opportunity to visit a unique museum quite unlike anything you would expect to find in China’s capital of commerce. Built in a re-purposed factory in the little-known Baoshan District, Shanghai Museum of Glass (SHMOG – 上海玻璃美术馆) was opened in spring 2011 and is based around the theme of glass as both art and science. Read more

Shanghai vs Taipei Xiaolongbao

A recent article published by CNNGo on ‘40 Taiwanese foods we can’t live without‘ garnered over 90,000 Facebook likes and many passionate comments within a few days of being published, proving that if there’s one thing you can count on throughout Asia, it’s that people really like their food. I’d go as far as to say they’re even territorial about who makes what best so it can be a touchy topic of conversation! Read more

Shanghai Moments

Wrapping up my recent visit to Shanghai below is a collection of random photos I took while out and about. Despite having visited the city many times of the past few years I still don’t feel I have a good grasp of its geography. Perhaps this has something to do with the rate everything is changing or the hurriedness of each trip… Read more

Shikumen Residences in Shanghai

While Beijing may be famous for its traditional Hutong (胡同) courtyard residences, Shanghai has its own distinct architectural style of residential homes called Shikumen (石库门). During a recent trip to 1933 Shanghai I spied from its roof one of the few remaining Shikumen tenements and decided to take a look around… Read more