The People's Republic - Shanghai (Commerce Capital of Asia)

Flag Map of The People's Republic Of China

Shanghai is a city few people haven't heard of. It is right on China's eastern coast, on the banks of the Huangpu River which empties into the South China Sea. Tall skyscrapers declare this the capital of Chinese commerce, a city that is overpopulated, yet vast and thriving; China's largest hub of civilization and the home of all things modern. Shanghai's appearance is strikingly beautiful. Across the Huangpu, the prosperous Pudong district with its many skyscrapers form the popular image of the Shanghai skyline. These include the 632 metre tall Shanghai Tower, the famous Pearl

The unmistakable Pudong District

TV Tower and numerous other important buildings to add to the look of the sleek and ultra modern city.

We flew into Shanghai's Pudong International Airport, one of the two serving the city on Spring Airlines' cramped A320, from the city of Xi'an. We had taken off from our origin airport long before sunset, but as we had flown in, the sky grew dark and there approached the night. A scatter of lights rose to welcome the arriving aircraft which touched down on a smooth runway and taxied off immediately. Through my window, I could see the lights of arriving aircrafts stacked one on top of the other as they approached the runways. Any inexperienced flyer would say this airport dealt with pretty much a lot of traffic. The aircraft taxied for about ten minutes before finally arriving at the gate, where we got off and entered the huge terminal.

We were in a group and Thomas Cook had booked us a coach,

The Pudong Airport mainly deals with international flights

which we got up into as soon as we exited the airport. As we were leaving, I noticed that the airport was not conventional from the outside. Bridges ran across the water leading up to its gates and the entire look was very surreal. This is what the airport actually looked like. As the bus drove into the city of Shanghai, the flashing lights on the skyscrapers greeted us. I watched, as the vehicle climbed through the smooth traffic, eventually arriving at an intersection in Shanghai where seven overlapping bridges criss-crossed each other. The total view was a show of lights, high rises and lots of traffic. I wondered if people at all walked on the streets of this city. Finally, the coach drove into a hotel which I have forgotten about.

In the morning, we were taken around the city to see the major attractions in Shanghai. This would technically be our first day of sightseeing. The trip began in the famous Pudong district, where we were

Tall skyscrapers define the prosperity of Shanghai

allowed to climb the Oriental Pearl Tower to get an amazing view of the city spread before us. Everyone had the best glimpse of their lives from up here. Ships and ferries on the Huangpu River cruised smoothly along, gliding through the calm. These contained the bulk of Asia's commerce, departing for ports in the distant lands of the West, where they would be sold. Descending from the views above, we headed to the Shanghai World Financial Center, where the Chinese commerce is originally based. Since its establishment as a Republic, China has achieved great success in terms of trade - it all happened from within the perimeter of this campus.

Having seen both, we were taken to see Shanghai's historic sights, all located in and around the Bund area. Here, there were a number of art museums, depicting Chinese history as we know it through the years. 

What came up next was the best part of the entire trip. We were taken to the Shanghai Maglev Museum, where we learnt about the history of the Maglev train. This was the fastest transport network in the world, before the Shinkansen Bullet Train in Japan took its title away for itself. Then, by popular request, we arrived at the

The tracks of the SMT are unlike any you have seen before

Tong Yong Station to take the Maglev bullet train. Waiting at the platform, the train soon arrived, with its aerodynamic swept back body and sleek finish. The letters SMT were scripted on its side. We entered and seated ourselves. The train left and in moments, accelerated faster than our imagination. The final speed on the digital board was 450 km/ph. Suddenly, we felt a sharp jolt as a Maglev train arriving from the other side crossed paths with ours and the sheer force between the rails pushed the train to a tilt. It was over in seconds and the journey continued. We pulled into Shanghai Pudong Airport - a distance of 40 kilometres was covered in a little span of over seven minutes. I won't forget this feeling too soon.

That evening, we returned to the riverfront, this time on the Shiliupu Marina, where the Shanghai skyline, consisting of the high towers looked brilliant in the dark evening sky. Cruises ambled on the river, lights on and people in merriment, all enjoying their time.

The Pudong skyline as I saw it

China's most popular city never fails to impress. Its beautiful backdrop, its historical past, its success as a commercial enterprise and its brilliance, clearly visible in the likes of the Maglev, seek to remind us how nice and advanced the human race is.

When we finally flew out on China Eastern's A330 to Kunming, I understood how much the country had, in the little span of time I had given it, managed to impress me. The prosperity of this great nation was etched in time and will be so in the years to come. The next time I return, I would like to visit the other regions in this country, the cities I haven't had the privilege of visiting - the ones that will wait before I pay tribute to them and their unique identities.