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Facts, figures, faces, places....
seen in one week in Shanghai.

The smoking fact: you can still smoke everywhere.
That is what they say.
Shangri-La just changed their policy when we were there,
and they lost one customer, Timo.

Brand new sculpture park in Jing'an,
the neighbourhood where our hosts live.
Walking distance to city center, cool.

Elevator with a view in Jing'an.

Chinese have it with the numbers.
They avoid 4 ... and 13, too.

They also believe that these coin things bring prosperity.

All that and much more to be found at the "antique" market.

Now I start to get used to these elevated highways in the city.

Shanghai winter can be warm but this decoration proves
that the temperatures really are the same as in Frankfurt ...!
Wintergemüse!

Violets decorate the parks, too.
In the background the highest house in Shanghai ca. 20 years ago,
the dark art deco brick building.
How funny is that. How fast builders are the Chinese nowadays.

This is the mixture of buildings in Jing'an.

Old town, Yuyuan Garden, this is where we had our tee ceremony 5 years ago.

My favourite high riser in the French Concession.

Sunday brunch smoking lounge.

Bund, the famous promenade.
Seen from our Sunday brunch table.

The highest ones, seen from Shangri-La,
Jinmao Tower, like an art-deco pagoda
constructed truly to Chines belief in the good fortune of number 8.
... the building's proportions revolve around the number 8,
associated with prosperity in Chinese culture.
The 88floors (93 if the spire floors are counted) are divided into 16 segments,
each of which is 1/8th shorter than the 16-storey base.
The tower is built around an octagon-shapedconcrete shear wall core
surrounded by 8 exterior composite supercolumns and 8 exterior steel columns.
Three sets of 8 two-story high outrigger trusses connect the columns
to the core at six of the floors to provide additional support. (Wikipedia)
Behind it the new Shanghai World Financial Center,
also known as the "bottle opener".

Love it or hate it, but this THE landmark of Shanghai,
the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

And here we are in the 91st floor of the "bottle-opener" bar 100 Century Avenue.

EXPO 2010. Missed it, too bad.
PS. Check the traffic sign for "no horns".
You see them everywhere but still the cars are noisier than ever!
It was a major World Expo in the tradition of international fairs and expositions,
the first since 1992. The theme of the exposition was
"Better City – Better Life"
and signifies Shanghai's new status in the 21st century
as the "next great world city". (Wikipedia)

The Chinese Pavilion is still open to public.

This is the most valuable thing to see ...
... at least the line was the longest!

Tivoli here we come! Well, not a spooky train,
can't really figure out what was the tour for...

Yes, a sunny day, a perfect washing day!
Walking to the M50, the ART modern art center in the city.

Typical busy crossing, next to the Jade Tempel.

Jade Tempel, no fotos inside. Walking distance to our pad.

Let these laughing buddhas lighten up your day!
Chinese for beginners:
笑佛 = Laughing Buddha

Have another foot massage!

Be happy!

Let your dreams fly ...

... and don't worry about the rain, you are sitting in a comfy car.

Here in the new sculpture park in Jing'an we end of our Shanghai tour this time.
Thanx so much to our hosts Qipa and T Mou.