May 28, 2013 Shanghai – Huangpu River Cruise and Jinmao Tower

May 28, 2013

Shanghai – Huangpu River Cruise and Jinmao Tower

Our tour today was to be decide by the weather. Our guide, Harry met us at 9:00 AM and told us that today was a good day for the Huangpu River Cruise and the Jinmao Tower. We were very happy as our visit to these places had been postponed because of the rainy weather. We started off by going under the Huangpu River in a long tunnel from the old section of Shanghai to the new section on the east side of the river called Pudong. This area has many very high rise office and residential buildings. The most outstanding one is the Shanghai Tower that is now being built and is slated for completion in 2014. It will be the tallest building in China with a height of 632 meters or 2074 feet. It will have 127 floors and have a total area of 380,000 square meters. It was started to be built in 2008.

We started with the Huangou River Cruise that took us by the skyscrapers on the new area called Pudong. Then we went to the west side of the river past that has many skyscrapers and the famous Bund that has a row of 20^th century buildings near the river.

After observing all these buildings at sea level, we were taken high up to the observation deck of the Jinmao tower where we had a spectacular view of the whole city. We seemed to be at the same level that Shanghai Tower has now reached. At the floor below we had an opportunity to walk on a glass walkway and see the ground underneath our feet. At first this was a little scary but after getting confidence that the glass under our feet would not break, we found this presented an even more spectacular view.

After we had lunch we went to the French Concession which is now preserved in the original way it was built. It really looked like a little bit like Paris with the outdoor restaurants and bars. In this area we visited the building where the first congress of the Communist Party of China was held. We saw the museum commemorating this great event and saw a wax replica of the meeting where Mao as a young man was addressing the congress.

Yes, we had another great day and were very thankful that we were fortunate to be here in Shanghai.

View of some of the many skyscrapers in Shanghai. The smog is showing on  this one and the following pictures.

View of the wide 4 lane plus one merging  lane street in Shanghai and some of the traffic holdups  occurring  in Shanghai with their 23 million people.

Entrance to the vehicle tunnel under the Huangpu River from the old  city on the west side  to the new city of Pudong on the east side.

The boat that took us on the river cruise of the Huangpu  River.

The Jinmao Tower.

The beautiful  World Sphere with the North and South America  displayed.

The Shanghai Tower under construction that will be 632 meters or  3074 feet tall when completed in 2014.

People enjoying the view of Shanghai from the top deck of the cruse boat.

A large pilot ship on the west side of Huangpu River.

The Suzhou Creek where it enters the |Huangpu River. This is the start of the Bund.on the west side of  Huangpu River.

The older style buildings in the Bund.

More of the buildings on the Bund.

More buildings on the Bund.

Dorothy and Con on the top deck of the cruise boat with the  Jinmao Tower in the background.

The ground floor of the Jinmao Tower with people on the balcony waiting for the elevator  to take them to the top of the tower.

The magnificent view from the Jinmao Tower even in the smog.

The skyscrapers on the east side of Huangpu River that is called Pudong.

Dorothy and Con are in awe with the view from the Jinmao Tower.

View of the skyscrapers  facing east from the  Jinmao Tower.

More skyscrapers with the Shanghai Tower in the background.

View to the south west of the Jinmao Tower.

View of the West side of  Huangpu River through some smog.

The Suzhou Creek and the start of the Bund.

Dorothy standing on the glass walkway with a view of Pudong  below her  feet.

Dorothy and Con on the glass walkway with skyscrapers in the background.

Looks like Dorothy and Con are standing on the buildings of  Pudong.

A remarkable view looking straight down the Jinmao Tower.

Entrance to the tunnel under the Puangpu River from the east side. 

A beautiful building in the French Concession of Shanghai./

Our Guide, Harry showing Dorothy one of the narrow streets in  the  French  Concession of Shanghai.

Dorothy and Con in front of a statue in a square in the French  Concession of Shanghai.

Dorothy and Con on a commercial street in he French Concession in Shanghai.

Dorothy and Con in front of the flag in the museum where the first  Congress of the Chinese  Communist Part y of  China was held.

The Peoples Republic of China written in Chinese.