Emma's Place

This is Emma's Apartment in Shanghai. It's very nice and cosy, esp the couch.

She brought me to try an extremely nice fried dumpling, and it's very cheap. (3 for S$1) When i took a bite, the juices would fill my whole mouth... and the feeling was "hmmmm... delicious"!!!

Stayed here for one nite, before I moved to hotel.

The main highlight of this trip was meeting 6 different friends in Shanghai. It's amazing, as I didn't know that I have so many friends in Shanghai. The list:

1. Emma (Malaysian, NOC Friend)

2. Yunyun (Singaporean, NOC Friend)

3. Lili (Shanghainese, Sino-Singapore Exchange Friend)

4. Xinxuan (Taiwanese, Secondary Friend)

5. Maria (Indonesian, JC Friend)

6. Kevin (Singaporean, SIA Friend)

It was very heartening to meet friends in a foreign land, esp when you could continue your friendship from where you left off. =)

++++

Finally, I understand why some people don't like overseas business trip. Be'cos it can get really tiring (more work than usual), need to type reports, and it can get really lonely at night in hotel room.

Nanjing Dong Lu (Shopping District)

This shopping district is good for photo-taking only.
If you want a shopping bargain (like Chatuchak in Bangkok), you gotta go to "Qi Pu Lu".

Look at the Crowd

The neon lights reminded me of Las Vegas

Pudong, The Bund & Pearl Tower

A trip to Shanghai would never be complete without visiting the Bund.

Skyline of Pudong
(I foresee that in 10 years time, its skyline can compete with HK's one)

The Bund

Pearl tower

Streets of Shanghai (Mirror of its development)

Whenever I am in a new place, I take a lot of pleasure walking on the streets for hours. A lot of time, I do not know exactly where I am heading. I just follow my senses...

I believe that the streets will always tell you the story of the city/place.

Shanghai is definitely the fastest growing city in the world. Balancing the old and new is an art.

Despite its prosperity, lotsa pple are still living below poverty line. Income gap is widening. In any progressing society, there will always be a group of people left behind.

This is the epitome of current state of Shanghai.

Lotsa Cars, Lotsa New Buildings, Lotsa Constructions. Like any other asian cities - it is embracing the Globalisation, but with a bit of localisation. (i.e. Cosmopolitan with Gong Li)

Old vs New

Streets of Shanghai II

Still the same contrast of "Old vs New"

This is a common sight in Shanghai.

I like the building. It kinda reminded me of Industrialisation during the Mao's Era. The utilitarian way of life - no aesthetics to speak of. It looks depressing, sad and lonely, yet... there is some kinda sadness-beauty in it.

Colourful Banners

Kevin's Place (SIA Ex-Colleague)

Visited my SIA ex-colleague (Kevin) who is currently based in Shanghai.

Fantastic view of Huang-Pu River from his apartment.

His apartment

Sansan (Kevin's Wife), Kevin & Me.

I really like his apartment, esp. the view of the Huang-pu River. He is kinda living an expat lifestyle, which made me kinda envy him. I also wondered if I did not leave SIA, where would I be posted now?

Despite the perks, I know myself too well. If I don't like the job, I would feel miserable.

Hilton, Shanghai

Thanks to Yunyun who was my sugar mummy for 2 days.

This was my first time staying in a 5-stars hotel.

(Yah.I know.. such a loser. haha..)

Room with a view

Night View from the hotel room.

At the far end, you could see the Pearl Tower & the Jinmao Building.

Evening View.

Unexpectedly, the most enjoyable part of the trip was sitting by the window waiting for the sun to set. I was drinking a chilled coke, and singing along to the background music - the 80s chinese song. Feeling Nostalgic about the past. Reminiscing the past, enjoying the present & contemplating the future.

heavenly....