Who says Shanghai skies are never blue? I was lucky enough to witness clear blue skies and fluffy white clouds for the duration of my trip to Shanghai (One week!) in November 2010. The downtown city skyline completely blew me away. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like this on any of my travels.
Luckily, I had a business meeting in one of Shanghai’s iconic landmarks, Jin Mao Tower. After my meeting was over, I cruised up to the lobby of the Hyatt Hotel and took in a bird’s eye view of the city. The 88-floor skyscraper is located alongside a ring of other towering skyscrapers in the Lujiazui area of the Pudong district of Shanghai.
It’s almost impossible to fathom that this district of Shanghai was agricultural land in the 1980s. Today, it is blessed with wide sidewalks, beautiful landscaped parks, bicycle lanes, and underground tunnels.
This skyline, one of the most impressive in the world in my opinion, is a true testament to the genius of mankind.
BANK OF CHINA BUILDING – This is the building that Tom Cruise bungee jumped from in Mission: Impossible III.
JUXTAPOSITION
SHANGHAI WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER
JIN MAO TOWER
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Your pictures are absolutely stunning. I would love to visit Shanghai!!
Thank you, Mica! I hope you are able to make it there some day soon!
Gorgeous! I expected there to be hordes of bikes and people everywhere like in Taipei! It seems so peaceful.
Ava,
Me, too! The downtown area is quite clean, but the real stories lie in the suburbs. All of the old buildings are still there, and I love seeing old folks wandering the streets in their jammies.
These are stunning! The first photo looks so much like a mirage, like it will disappear the minute you reach out.
Neha,
Thank you so much! It was sheer luck having such great weather all week. My favorite one in this series is the Bank of China Building. I love how little the people look in comparison to that giant steel and glass tower.
What fantastic pictures! These buildings are great examples of modern architecture – the World Financial Centre is a favourite of mine. Thank you for sharing.
I was there in November 2010 as well, and I can attest to the same blue skies! Too bad we didn’t cross paths.
Hi James,
That is too bad. A meet-up would’ve been cool!
Stunning photo essay! I’m always amazed by the architecture of cities.
Beautiful pictures, it’s always nice when big cities have buildings that make the area more appealing.
Amazing photos, Carrie!!
Thanks Pam! The weather isn’t usually so accommodating.
[...] Shanghai is one of those cities that never fails to intrigue me. This is a city that I’ve visited for [...]