Working hard

Foreword

Dear visitor, as you can see from the image of my natural environment, creative imagination and artistic vision were hardly stimulated in my day 2 day work. I decided therefore during the month of July 2001 to see what could be found on the other side of the Earth. Precisely in Shanghai, China. Here are some of the shots I took during this amazing period of one week of my life. For those bored enough to be interested in photo technology they were made with a crappy "Kodak DC210C+"

Bertrand Zidler

Pictures

Bund from Huangpu Park Pagoda boat The Yuyuan Gardens Renmin Square
Pudong and Jinmao Tower French Concession The North Temple Tongli
Zhouzhuang Sunset and the end  

 

The Trip

Shanghai is a city of about 16 millions people. It's name means "on the sea" and it is the biggest port of China. Shanghai is at the confluence of 2 rivers : the Wusong and the Huangpu.
 

The Bund when coming from the Garden Bridge
The Bund

The Bund (Waitan in Chinese) is the 2km promenade along the river, facing the high towers of Pudong. At one end of the Bund is the Pujong Hotel, formerly Astor House, the oldest of China, where Einstein, Chaplin, Scott Joplin and me have stayed and have their portraits (not me).



 The Dragon Boat
The Bund and Pudong

All along the waterfront you can start a cruise on the Huangpu river on funny boats such as this one.


Leaving the Bund after Renmin Lu you can enter a network of old streets still preserved from the urbanistic devastation. You can shop in the Yuyuan Bazar or visit the famous Yuyuan Gardens.


Inside the Yuyuan Garden
The Yuyuan Gardens
The Yuyuan Bazar and Gardens

The Gardens are small but you can still get lost


Carying on to the north you reach Renmin Square. You can find there the Shanghai Museum in the center of People's Park, and the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition on it's side.


Renmin Square
Renmin Square
The Renmin area and Nanjing Road

People's place can be considered as the center of Shanghai, where the 2 underground lines communicate


On the other side of the Huangpu river lies Pudong. Also called the New Area it is more than 6 times the size of the Docklands. It used to be boggy farmland before being redeveloped as Shanghai and China's economic powerhouse.


Pudong from Huangpu Park
The skyscrappers of Pudong
Pudong and Jinmao Tower

Oriental Pearl Tower, also called the hypodermic syringe, which has become the symbol of Pudong


Shanghai was divided into several colonial concessions. The French Concession is the only one that has kept this beautiful architecture, and probably the best area for walks.


Conservatory of Music
Conservatory of Music
French Concession

Nice house that can still be found in the French Concession


After 4 days in Shanghai it was time to investigate the surroundings of the city. A train from the main station can lead you to Suzhou, about 1 hour away. Famous for its silk production and its gardens it can be a first step before moving quickly to Tongli and Zhouzhuang.


The North Temple
The North Temple
Suzhou

It has the tallest pagoda of the Yangzi, with 9 storeys. Traditional music in the tea house when I was there


Tongli and Zhouzhuang belong to a set of towns forming what the Chinese call the Oriental Venice. As you can imagine there are a lot of canals in these towns. Tongli is probably less impressive than Zhouzhuang but it is also quieter and should not be missed.


Canal and light
Canal in Tongli
Tongli

Relaxing atmosphere with another sunny day. Perfect holiday.


Zhouzhuang is the ancient cultural town of South-China, dated back to over 900 years old. It a network of lanes, alleys, meandering steams, stone bridges and old residences with black tiles.


Water and boats
Traffic jam in Zhouzhuang
Zhouzhuang

Canals can be packed with tourists boats


Chinese girl at sunset
Sunset in Zhouzhuang

Time to leave Zhouzhuang and China has come.

Attention

1) If you enjoyed these images of Shanghai you can sponsor another trip to China for me, and I will send you more pictures from there :-)
2) Below are a few of the best links about Shanghai