Who is taller now?

At the park I also took a shot at the Jin Mao Tower and the World Financial Center (WFC) Tower which under construction. These two buildings are now the same height. But the WFC Tower's height will surpass the height of Jin Mao Tower when it is completed by next year.

The two towers side by side. On the right is the World Financial Center and on the left of Jin Mao

This is the artist impression of the two towers when WFC is completed next year (2008)

The designs of the WFC. The actual design upon completion would be number 3.

Lujiazui

I was looking out of the office windows to the park and saw a long white limousine making its way into the car park. I could also see a lady in bridal gown and his groom. Since it was lunch time, I decided to go to the park and have a look at what is going on.

At the car park leading to the park, there were 6 cars that were decorated for wedding ceremony. The brides and grooms came to the park for a photography session. I wipe out my phone camera and snap some shots of the limousine.

The long Lincoln stretched limousine used by one of the wedding couples

I managed to snap a shot of one of the wedding couple at the park

Mind Your Language 6

The Shanghai Composite Index has been shooting higher and higher for the past 2 months. Yesterday (9 May), it broke the psychological barrier of 4,000 points to close at 4,013.09. I was interested to know how the index was doing today. I decided to take a visit to the Stock Exchange building which is very near to my office in Shanghai.

I was amazed, the Index went up again by another 40 points for the morning session. By the time I came back to my hotel, the news said that the Index was up by another 0.9% to 4,049.70. That make it the 4th straight record breaking day for the stock exchange.

While walking back to my office, I noticed the signs that were written at the car park entrance of the stock exchange building .

The sign read "ENTER WITH CARDS. CARDS CANTBE LENT"

The sign read "NO PARKING TO THE OUTSIDE'

A lovely day in Shanghai

The weather today in Shanghai reached a high of 30 degree celcius and it was a lovely day with the sun shining brightly. I decided to take a stroll to Nanjing Road and back.

Pudong Avenue, just outside my hotel

As usual, Nanjing Road is packed with people plying up and down the shops. There was even a concert in the centre of Nanjing Road. Here are some shots taken during my short stroll of a lovely day in Shanghai.

A opera singer at the concert in the middle of Nanjing Road

Nanjing Road under the bright sunlight

More photos at my Flickr photo album.

At Shanghai

The flight from KLIA to Shanghai was on board an Airbus A330. This is the first time I have taken a Business class seat on this plane.... I was disappointed. Why? Because the seats were lousy as compared with the seat of the Business class of a Boeing 777. The seats in a 777 is electrically operated where it can be reclined from a sitting, eating and bed positions. In the A330, the only function the seat can do is just a slight recline and a lift from the leg rest.

The plane took off as scheduled at 1.40 a.m. Only one meal was served.. supper. OK, I ordered the supper which was 4 sticks of satay, chicken breast and a cheese cake desert. By the time I finish my meal it was already about 2.30 a.m. After a shut eye, I fell asleep and was awaken at about 5.30 a.m. by the pilot's announcement that we are approaching Pudong Airport and was about 15 minutes ahead of schedule. The plane landed and I was picked by the by the airport bus which transport me to the airport terminal.

After going through the immigration and baggage pick-up, I went out of the arrival hall looking for my taxi pick-up. I was surprised to see that the same taxi driver who picked me up at the airport in my previous trip to Shanghai was already waiting for me.

I reached the hotel about 8.30 a.m. but was unable to check into the hotel because the check-in time is 10.00 a.m. To kill time, I went over to a cafe across the hotel to have breakfast.

I have asked for the same room that I stayed during my last visit but it was not available. I wanted the same room because I was able to get a free wi-fi access. The staff were able to get a room a floor above my previous room and luckily the wi-fi access is still available.

Without finishing my unpacking, I plunged into the bed and fell asleep until I woke up at 2.00 p.m.

Thus time around, the weather in Shanghai was perfect. No more cold weather. It was sunny with cool breeze. The temperature was a cooling 24 degree celsius. Let hope that the temperature stay perfect in this way for the duration of my stay in Shanghai.

More stories to come.

People's Square

At the end of Nanjing Road, there's a place called People's Square. This is crowded with people. I found out why today when I made a trip there:

1. It is the interchange for the busiest Metro Line 1 and Line 2.
2. It is where the most of the shopping area are located apart from the other stores that are located at Nanjing Road.
3. Located not far from People's Square are two big exhibition and cultural halls. There are events happening through out the year.
4. The Shanghai Museum is located there.
5. There is actually a park in People's Square.

What surprises me today is that not only that the crowd is located on the ground but there are alot more people located underground. There is big shopping mall underground. This the place where you can get all the latest fashions, ladies accessories, shoes and whatever you can wear outside and inside there.

At the park, I saw many elderly people crowding around. I went over there and I was caught by surprise by what was the event was about. It was a gathering of elderly people who were on the looking her their lost friends, relative or children. The people there will display who there are looking for by providing information such as date of birth, height, weight and a brief story of the person that they are looking for. Most of them will place the description of who they are looking for in front of them siting down and hoping that the person that they are looking for would also be walking around the park.

In search for lost love ones, these people will sit at the park's bench placing a notice of who they are looking for and hoping that the person would turn up.

Many more of the search notices that were placed on the grounds of the park

See how many people are there looking out for their lost relatives or love ones

At the park outside the Shanghai Museum, there were many people strolling around enjoying the weather with their children. There are many couples there too, some of them are very bold. These couples would hug each other passionately and at time you may catch them kissing too. Yeah right in front of everyone , broad daylight!!

Love birds at work in broad daylight

More photos are available at my Picasa Web Album or my Flickr Album.

Don't take my photo.. I am ugly and poor!!

Boring Sunday

I was awaken by the sound of my door bell. I look at my watch and it was 8.30 a.m. Damm, who the hell was it? It turned out to be the chambermaid who asked me for permission to make up my room. I agreed since they normally would come to make up the room at about noon where I would want to be in my room.

Today is the Malaysian Grand Prix and I would want to watch the live telecast. But the race will start at 3.00 p.m. I decided not to go any where but to be in my room resting, waiting for the telecast and the same time be at online at my notebook.

The weather was not too kind to me. The temperature today is about 15 degree.. that's cold. I have to wear my sweater and at the same time wear my track pants. The room heater was not too much of help to keep the temperature in my room warmer.

So the Formula 1 race started. Felipe Massa had pole position and Kimi was on the 3rd grid position. But both the Ferrari drivers blew their chance to win the race away as both the McLaren driver went pass them at the first corner at the start of the race. I was not too pleased that at the end of the race, the Alonso lead home with a McLaren one-two.

In the evening, I decided to go out, the weather was still very cold and I was shivering and hungry. I decided to go to the Lujuiazui area where the Super Branch Mall and the Oriental Pearl Tower is located. I wanted to have a photo shoot of the place at night. After my meal at Burger King (yes, Burger King is here) which was a Whopper set which cost me RMBY23-00, I went for a photo shoot and here are the photos.

Do check out my Picasa Web album and turn on the slide show option where you can see an animation of the light show up close at the Aurora and Citibank towers.

I was sitting in front of a mirror when I was having my Whopper. Since I have never shot myself with a camera, I thought to myself what the heck, I need that type of photos too. So here it is.

Hooters have two outlets in China. This Hooter is located at Super Brand Mall. I did not go inside to shoot the waitresses there, I managed to shoot two of them from outside. Look at the orange hot pants!!

The Beijing Olympic Games logo displayed on the Citibank Tower

The rolls of red lanterns that are displayed at the entrance of the Oriental Pearl Tower

A view of Puxi from Pudong. Notice the spotlight shooting from the roof the building

A day at the Century Park

The front page of today's new paper mentioned about the lovely flowers that were blooming at the Shanghai Botanical Garden. The photo in The Shanghai Daily that featured the story of the flower exhibition at the Shanghai Botanical Garden

I was looking at the map of the location of the botanical gardens, hoping to go there for a photo shoot. I found out that it is located quite far away from my hotel where the place does not have the Metro service.

So, I decided to take a trip to Century Park which is easily reached the Metro. There are so many people at the park since today's weather was cooling and sunny. I have to buy a RMB10 ticket to get into the park.

There were many families having fun at the park. The main activities are cycling, boating and kite flying. There are many families who had picnics there too. Need not to say, there are many couples there holding hands and strolling along the paths of the park.

I managed to take some photos during my short stay at the park. I have to rush back to the hotel to catch the live telecast of the Formula One qualification session of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Here are some shoots I have taken. More photos at my Picasa Web Album.

Spring is coming

A loving old couple at the park