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Published: August 18th 2010
你好
This past weekend we went into Pudong and up to the top of the Shanghai World Financial Center. Pudong was a swamp land 18 years ago and now has the third largest building in the world - The Shanghai World Financial Center (Dubai has the tallest - Burj Khalifa and Taipei the second tallest - Taipei 101). The Shanghai World Financial Center is 492 M tall and has the highest observation deck in the world (at 474 M). The building looks like a giant bottle cap opener and from the observation deck you can see through the floor to the sidewalk. The hole towards the top of the building was built for purposes of Feng Shui, specifically to allow Qi flow.
It is an absolutely amazing view from the observation deck and you're looking down at buildings like the Jin Mao Tower (421 M tall) and the Oriental Pearl Tower (468 M tall). Yeah... and did I mention it all used to be a swamp...
We then went to the Jade Buddha Temple, where pictures are prohibited (unfortunately). The Jade Buddha was donated by a previous Chinese resident living in Burma to Hui Gen during the end
Sidewalk through the floor
This is absolutely absurdly awesome...of the Qing Dynasty 1908-ish. The statue was carried from Burma to Shanghai and managed to survive during the cultural revolution.
Two teachers and I then broke off to go visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition. They have a model of the entire city of Shanghai and a few other neat exhibits. One exhibit was John Portman's life work, an absolutely amazing architect. He's designed buildings in Italy, China, South Korea, and The United States.
Then Monday after teaching, classes, and dinner, the head of the English department here and I wandered towards a nearby plaza in the old town of Jiading. It was Chinese Valentine's day and the plaza was hopping with smiling couples. They were all sending off sky lanterns into the night. These lanterns are made from oiled rice paper with bamboo frames. They're like miniature hot air balloons. There's a heavy oil brick that you light underneath it while you hold the frame. It takes a few minutes for it to warm up before lift off.
So, Robby and I bought one for 8 kuai (a little over 1 USD) and there were a number of Chinese who were fascinated by the pair
Jin Mao Tower
Has the highest bar in the world. of foreigners partaking in this event. Our lighter crapped out and we were getting close to lighting the sides of the lantern on fire. To my surprise 8 or so Chinese circled around us to help hold up the rice paper while it was lighting and one of them handed Robby a lighter. We thought it was ready to take off so they all let go and let me lift it up above everyone (not very hard when you're 6'2 in China). I let go and the wind blew it straight towards a tree. I managed to run through the crowd of people and catch the soaring lantern and there was a crowd of gasps.
Take off round 2 worked much better but nicked a tree on its way out. There was an applause for the foreign success from our Chinese helpers. Robby and I thanked them and just stood in awe of the ridiculous number of lanterns shipping off into the night. It was devastating that I didn't have my camera at this moment, but they send off lanterns during Mid-Autumn festival and I'll be prepared then.
In other news, I'll be TESL certified by the end
Pudong
yeah... it used to be a swamp.
but you already know that of the week and will be off to Ma'anshan on Saturday to start teaching in the beginning of September. I'm really happy to have spent this time in Shanghai and very excited to start teaching in a new environment soon.
Hope you get a chance to look at some of these pictures. I hope everyone is doing well.
在见
Greg
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Eileen (aka Mom)
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enjoyed reading your latest blog
Loved reading your latest entry! Please keep it coming-it's great to see what you are experiencing. Keep that camera around at all times :)