JOIN USShanghai, China’s populous city, comes together wonderfully as a hub of buzzing commerce, distinct culture and serenity, writes DBN Murthy.
It was a 15-hour bullet train ride from Chengdu that brought me to Shanghai, the most populous city in China. I had to take a subway train to reach my hotel. It was a problem to buy the ticket and wait for the train at 10 in the night. It was confusing, too, as there was no indication of the metro stations we would pass through.
Finally, I got off at the People’s Square metro station. As there was no inter-stage transfer to subway station nearer to my hotel, I hired a cab. It’s universally known that most taxi drivers overcharge, especially at night, and especially so if you don’t speak their language. Fortunately for me, with the use of my hotel’s telephone number, we reached there. The driver demanded more money, but the hotel security dealt with him. So I paid as per the metre, saving valuable yuan.
I retired to my room for a well-deserved rest. My hotel had no restaurant and I had to make do with the electric kettle and tea bags provided in the room. The weather was cloudy, and it was raining off and on. I was determined to go out, hoping for a better weather later.
A surprise awaited me when I stepped out. I noticed that the subway station nearest to my hotel could be reached by crossing an intersection. I was drenched when I reached it and bought an umbrella for 10 Yuan (Rs 100).
Familiarity with the subway system now made it easy for me to buy a ticket, pass through security and board a train to People’s Square. I planned to go on the Big Bus hop-on-hop-off bus tour, which I had booked online from India. I craved for a hot cup of coffee before I could board it, which left from the People’s Square at 9 am.
After enquiries, I could reach the square and found, to my joy, that the bus was waiting with no one inside! The attendant issued me a receipt, along with ‘free’ coupons that were valid for two days. I found that using the Big Bus tour had its advantages as the three bus routes — blue, green and red — covered all the important tourist spots in Shanghai, with recorded commentary in English.
On the first day, I decided to go around the complete circuit of each route, which lasted for 30 to 45 minutes, with frequent stops. This is not only economical, but one can have a good look at the attractions at one’s own leisure. The wet weather made me spend more time inside the bus than on the streets. However, the Bund was an attraction I couldn’t resist. I got off and explored the Tunnel Discovery Walk with wall paintings of sceneries and personalities. A few machines had games that could be played by inserting coins/notes.
Using my umbrella, I covered the skywalk that led me to the Jin Mao Tower. The iconic Orient Pearl TV Tower, the symbol of Shanghai, was visible all the time. The ride to the Observation Deck on the 88th floor measured 45 seconds. It was at a height of 340 metres. The 360-degree view of the sprawling city below was good but also hazy due to the murky weather.
Ferry ride
Taking note of the souvenir shops and a coffee shop there, I wandered on the rain-drenched Bund, admiring the scene. At half past five in the evening, I boarded a shuttle bus to reach the ferry point, the last leg of the tour.
What arrived was a small cruise ship with upper and lower decks. It was full and everyone moved to claim their share of dinner. There was limited choice for vegetarians. The sight of the passing glittery high-rise buildings was mesmerising. The spire of the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower stood out on the skyline with its changing colours and patterns.
I had the morning to spare the next day before boarding a train to Beijing. My bus ticket was still valid, and so I visited Shanghai Museum, a treasure house of ancient objects. It’s housed in a modern building with three floors, connected by lifts and escalators. Most exhibits were described in both Chinese and English.
I visited sections Ancient Chinese Sculpture, Ancient Chinese Jade, Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Painting, Ancient Chinese Currencies, Ancient Chinese Seals, Chinese Ming and Qing Furniture, Chinese Ethnic Minorities’ Arts and Culture and fascinating details of Inner Mongolia’s Grasslands, its various aspects of life, culture and history. The Silk Route had a special mention for its culture and currency.
My next visit was to the Jade Buddha Temple. It houses monks. Worshippers give incense sticks as offerings to the Lord. I made another ticketed visit to a hall that staged the idol of a reclining Buddha, made of white Jade stone. This is a fine example of traditional temple built in 1882. These idols were brought from Burma (present Myanmar) by a monk. During the tour, we saw various well-maintained public gardens and parks. They offer citizens space to relax and unwind from a busy life.
The city takes pride in its policy of conserving heritage buildings of a bygone era. We passed through the French Quarter with strong-standing French mansions, and avenues of trees providing fresh air.
The city has attracted foreign offices, international companies and banks with good business, thanks to the infrastructure and ease of accessibility within the city. It is a shoppers’ paradise with many international and local brands’ offerings.
Public transport is convenient. Traffic bottlenecks persist despite underpasses and flyovers. There are 11 million bicycles in the city that have their own dedicated lanes. The excellent but crowded subway system transports lakhs of passengers in comfort and speed. I was impressed by their discipline and cleanliness at public places.
No tour of China is complete without a visit to Shanghai, a modern city that has kept its culture and traditions going.