Shanghai Stadium (Day 3)

For a long time, I had a wish: to stand on the chair in a rock concert and dance and scream all night long. Today, I finally did it! In fact, I did more than that. I travelled 3,800km just to be at Shanghai Stadium tonight to attend Mayday's Jump concert and I was standing on the chair screaming for 3 hours straight!


疯狂指数:5


A stadium that could accomodate 80,000 people. My hotel room has a view of the stadium... it wasn't planned ok, was a pleasant surprise for me as well.


阿信 during the rehearsal

I have never attended a concert that is staged outdoor and packed with so many people. It is amazing to hear the echo of 80,000 people humming familiar tunes from Mayday. Can you imagine for someone standing on the stage, what it would mean to see/hear all these?

It was a great evening though watching the concert for the second time is less exciting as compared to the first.

Tomorrow, I head for Lhasa where my real vacation begins.

Before I could love you more, it is time to part... Goodbye Shanghai (Day 2)

My first impression of Shanghai is that this is a city in a state of chaos. The congestions on the roads, the motorbikes and bicylces that are moving haphazardly and sounding their honks, massive number of people everywhere. A particularly interesting sight is that on one road, you may find old Shanghai street with worn out houses and dirty streets; yet just within minutes, tall commercial and residential buildings are sprouting out everywhere. To add to the already chaotic city-scape, the designs of the skycrappers and their structures are completely unsynchronised.... so much effort put in city planning huh. It is as if the whole city is going through a "revolution". The city is crazy, this was my first thoughts... how about the people? Are they going to drive me mad too?


Exterior wall of the house is black from cooking smoke. This leads to the kitchen of a small eatery.


Bicycles, an important mode of transportation in China.


Street food, can't do without meat, can they?


Modern skyscrapper over looking Shanghai Old Street. Absolute contrast and confusion.

If you walked on a street and you thought you heard people quarreling, but only to realise that 2 simple folks are having a casual conversation, you are in China. If you go to a crowded place and ended up being pushed and banged into by someone more times that you can imagine, you are in China. If while you are admiring a chic and fashionable lady, you suddenly see her spitting along the roadside, no doubt about it, you are in China. This I think is what people call "cultural shock". Perhaps as a Chinese or Asian in general, it is easier to adapt. By day 2, I have become totally indifferent when I suddenly get pushed from behind because someone was trying to get ahead of me.

I went to Yu Yuan today. Shoe told me that this place is almost like Hangzhou. As you can see, historical Chinese architecture, lakes and rock sculptures, pretty much fits my imagination of what a garden built in 16 century should look like.








One thing to do at Yu Yuan (which I read from the guidebook) is to sip tea at Hu Xin Ting, a tea house. It is nice just to sit there and watch the crowd move around in Yu Yuan while also enjoying a good selection of tea.


The tea leaves are bundled into a ball initially and will blossom out into this beautiful "flower" when hot water is poured into the tea pot.

If I have to name one thing which I like best about Shanghai, it is how fantastic the city looks during the night. Whether it is The Bund or Pudong, the well lit buildings look gorgeous at night.




HSBC Building and Custom House


I can never have enough of Huang Pu River and the Oriental Pearl.


Peace Hotel, one of the oldest and first hotels in Shanghai.

So Shanghai has its own merits and charm which is probably why it has attracted tourists around the world to come visiting. I don't know why it took me so long before I decided to come to Shanghai... and if not for what I will be doing tomorrow, I might never come to Shanghai at all. I guess I am not that type who like to travel to modern metropolitan cities (which is probably why I have never been to the States) and I prefer mountains, lakes and breathtaking scenery... often involving long distance of travelling by bus, train, hike.... some call this hardship tour. Anyway, I have enjoyed my short stay in Shanghai.


This picture summarises it all. "A reflection of Shanghai City", where modernisation integrates with tradition and culture.


To be continued......

Hello Shanghai! (Day 1)

It's good to be back online. After struggling with Shoe's Mac for one whole night, I finally figured out how to resize photographs and surf the internet. I am sure glad that I have been practising my Mandarin lately. The Chinese language platform on blogspot does not intimidate me!

First day in Shanghai, I am Heaven's favourite child today.... there was good weather wherever I go which makes the photographs look extraordinay (from my point of view lah, I'm easily impressed).


The Bund (My impression of Shanghai Tang)


Oriental Pearl and Pudong View

Shoe and her sis brought me to a restaurant M on the Bund which offers stunning view of Oriental Pearl and Pudong. It is a western restaurant and the prices are reasonably expensive (Rmb 100 for a main course which was what I paid for my entire dinner for 2 later that evening). But for a chance to sit at the terrace and admire this fantastic views, I think it is worth it.


Someone ate rabbit stew!


New photography technique that Mr Heng taught me last weekend..... The picture is named: "The world passes by in front of my eyes" (SSR does this phrase sound familiar?)


After lunch, we went to the old French Concession. The main attraction of this place is the unique views of the back alley. And there are lots of cafes and bistros of a mixed Italian / French style. They seem ok but not enough to impress me to sit down for a cup of coffee.






Next stop, Xintiandi. Heard so much about it but turned out to be a disappointment. It is no more impressive than Lan Kwai Fong in Hong Kong, I think even Clarke Quay is better than this.


Look what I saw at Xintiandi!


I love buildings and towers if you had not yet realised. I have started on a collection of "Tall Buildings in the World" and I am happy with the way the collection is growing. This is Jin Mao Building, one of the 5 tallest buildings in the world. I am surprised with how this photo turned out, simply stunning! (it looks better in full view)


I hopped on to a river cruise on Huang Pu Jiang. For just Rmb70, this is a one hour cruise ride. Definitely worth while to try. Along the way, we saw Oriental Pearl Tower.


More of the river view and The Bund at night from on top of the cruise. So beautiful.... wished you were here.


Night scenery of Shanghai City from top of Oriental Pearl Tower (360m)


There is a sight seeing tunnel that connects The Bund and Oriental Pearl. It is a monorail ride with some laser light shows on while you cross the tunnel. Rmb35 for this short ride, which I thought is quite expensive though it saves you the walking. Alternatively, you can take a ferry which cost Rmb2 only to cross the river from Pudong to The Bund. The ferry is not bad at all.

Going away.... I am on vacation!

Here I am again, ready to embark on what one author describes as "this lonely dance to uncomfortable rhythms". And yes indeed, time and again I have put up with a lot more than I usually can endure, simply to fulfil my dream of travelling the world.

As I was packing my bag yesterday night, I suddenly remembered why I hate travelling to places with winter climate. Frozen toothpaste, shampoo flowing out of the bottle in slow motion, broken skin, chipped lips, a nose ready to elope (running nose).... yet I am doing it again! All these for the sake of the highest lake on earth, to be nearer to the stars above, and for a peek of the tallest mountain... Mt Everest! Tibet, the roof of the world, I am coming to you!

In less than 5 hours, I will board a plane and head for Shanghai (before heading for Tibet). It is not for no reason that I am flying to Shanghai, which I will soon reveal. I love travelling on night flights not just because I could save on accomodation but also for the scenery that is too beautiful to be captured on photographs. Imagine, a moon that is bigger and clearer which you have never seen, stars so brightly lit that you would have thought god built street lamps in the sky. Tonight seems cloudy but when the plane rises above the thick layer of pink rain clouds, nothing could spoil the beauty and serenity of the night sky.

Pray for me that there will be good weather in Tibet. Everest, save your tear drops for another day... let there be only sun and clear blue skies, and I will be blown away... by the beautiful scenery of course and not the wind!

让我照顾你

一首很浪漫的词。 谁说爱情一定要轰轰烈烈？ 这样静静的，暖暖的， 浪漫的。。。也能很陶醉。

* * * * *

By 五月天阿信

坐在我身旁你的心伤
不懂我也不想
但你的眼泪下在我心脏
回家的太阳红着眼框
心疼你的模样
影子的悲伤也变得更长
昨天谁让你受过伤
今天想要让你都遗忘

是你爱你让我变的更强
为你战斗永不投降
让我照顾你我要让雨停出太阳
我超越我自己的想象
风雨刀枪能为你挡
让我照顾你
让你未来放在我肩上

新的冷笑话巧克力糖
开始为你收藏
最近连睡觉手机也在手上
幻想着未来满头白发
公园的长椅上
你也许会说一声谢谢我
如果这一生到尽头
换你的这句话很足够

让我照顾你
为你失去生命也辉煌