Eric and Mandy Wright: October 2010

Shanghai is modern-day China. The city of over 15 million people is nothing like Beijing or Xian. It is a combination of European and Chinese influences. The city is split by the Huangpu River into the Pudong and Puxi. We stayed on the Puxi side of the river in the famous area called The Bund. The Bund is the city's Wall Street. The buildings look like nothing we have seen in China and remind us of European architecture. On the other side of the river, Pudong has some of the world's most fascinating skyscrapers. The Oriental Pearl Tower is the most recognizable. The Pearl Tower is a pink tripod TV tower. The Shanghai World Financial Center opened in 2008 and was the world's tallest building then. Now, it is the world's third-tallest building. It literally is in the clouds most of the day. The buildings in Pudong were amazing to see. We also attended the 2010 World Expo while we were in Shanghai. It was an interesting experience to visit each country's pavilion. (Interesting fact...the Bay area is petitioning to have the 2020 World Expo here.) The sites in Shanghai were beautiful. Here are a few pictures from Shanghai.

Once we arrived in Shanghai, our first mission was to find the steamed buns.

The steamed buns with crab were delicious!

Eric in the market after dinner

Early the next morning looking at Pudong from The Bund

Pudong's skyscrapers

The Wrights in Shanghai

In Pudong, Eric with the Shanghai World Financial Center

It is 492 meters high!

Me at the observation deck in the Oriental Pearl Tower which is 468 meters high

See the Financial Center in the background.

Eric is sitting on the observation deck in the Pearl Tower!

This was so high! He made me nervous.

Beautiful landscaping near the Pearl Tower

The Pearl Tower

Cruising on the Huangpu River we saw more interesting buildings and architecture

The Wrights and The Bund

My breakfast

At the 2010 World Expo

We visited Rwanda in China just for Anna!

We were curious to see the USA pavilion.

Eric showing where we live.

Eric went back to Costa Rica. He was speaking Spanish in China!

All of the pavilions were different. Here are a few of my favorites.

Great Britain- looks like millions of pins

I believe this was Germany. It was made from interlocking, curved wood.

China

Beijing inside China's pavilion

After dinner our last night in China

Eric is wearing the hat we bought for his father.

We found the art stone store that was featured on the Amazing Race last season.

Pudong at night

Strolling on The Bund at night

The Maglev

This is a bullet-fast train that connects the airport to Pudong.

Eric was so excited to ride it. Its top speed is 431 km/hr!

Flying back home to San Francisco

Our trip to China was an amazing cultural experience! Each city was an adventure, and we had the time of our lives. Until next time...

From Beijing we flew directly to Xian. Our main reason to visit Xian was to see the "eighth wonder of the world"...the Army of Terracotta Warriors. The Terracotta Warriors were not discovered until 1974 when a peasant farmer was drilling a well and discovered the underground army. It is considered one of the most famous archaeological finds in the world. The thousands of warriors are believed to be built to protect Emperor Qin Shi Huany in his afterlife, where he believed he would still be the ruler. The most interesting fact of the Terracotta Warriors is that no two soldier's faces are alike. It is truly a unique site, and we were glad to experience this part of history.