After my satisfying tea break at Paul's, I set off for Shanghai's must-see, must-visit landmark, The Bund!
Alighting from the train station of 南京东路 and onto the busy shopping area of 南京步行街, the bund is just a short 10 minutes stroll away. If you do ever lose your way, ask anyone on the street and they will surely point you in the right direction. Try not to grab another clueless tourist!
I'm not good with history or describing architecture styles, but I do know that Shanghai used to be divided into many European territories, which accounted for the countless magnificant buildings scattered around the city.
The bund (known as 外滩), in particular, was an important place of banking and commerce back then. Today, these buildings are preserved and kept true to its roots, occupied by many banking institutions as regional headquarters.
Separated by 黄埔江, the two sides displayed very contrasting views of Shanghai. At 浦西, the historical buildings stood solemnly, reminiscence of the grand old dame, whereas over at 浦东, skyscrapers and mega structures showed the city's determination to be a leading world-class hub for living and working.
Perhaps I had seen too much of Shenton Way and Hong Kong's Central, as I was actually more in awe and admirable of the olden side. They just look darn good!
If you are able to plan your timing, do try to arrive at about 6pm. Whle you have sufficient time to catch the day view, the skies will darken and brighten up by spotlights at 7pm, giving way to the fantastic night scenery.
Pity about the construction going on along the side, else I would be able to capture a really good shot of the entire stretch.
With skyline like this, I blatantly shook my head as I thought of our own CBD. Then again, perhaps its the novelty that made The Bund so attractive for me. When planning a trip to Shanghai, this place ought not be missed!
Taken with Nikon D70
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