sojourns to the far east / day four / shanghai

what a beautiful morning.

the big golden orb in the sky was shining ever so brightly, the vast azure dome above our heads is so vividly clear, the ether we religiously breathe into our bodies is pristine, and the continuous canopies of verdant foliage are green. oh, so lusciously, lusciously green.



and i walk the streets of shanghai.

this is my final day here in this high-powered eastern metropolis. after having completely been rejuvenated from fatigue brought on these past few days from being at the expo, i can honestly say that every inch of me feels revitalised and im all geared up.

today i spend the day marveling at the towering skylines that define the silhouettes of the city. i scrutinize every road i walk on, every component connected to its infrastructure and every garden and park i come across. ive got to make the best of final day here in the city, and there isnt a moment to waste in my hotel any longer.



and i appreciate what comes my way.

endless colonnades of perfectly groomed trees, partially shading clean, unobstructed pedestrian pathways, and a lively musical surprise comes into view. memories are made of these.

now, even though i had planned to take the day easy, and go where the wind blows, literally, there were a couple of places i wanted to visit, specifically the shanghai world financial centre, more humorously knows as the can-opener, the shanghai oriental pearl tower and the areas surrounding this part of the city.and it wasnt hard to decide on which direction i needed to go. they were both easily the most imposing buildings within walking distance and all i needed to do was to muster the strength to keep on walking. and as i walk i began to notice how thoroughly concurrent and western everything around me looks. the urban setting was eerily clean in appearance, strangely and uncomfortably devoid of any perceivable sense of native culture or history.

the relentless onslaught of modernism has completely revamped this part of the city, so much so, i didn't even feel like i was walking in china anymore. i may as well have been walking on the roads of some north american city, being blinded by gleaming towers of glass and steel everywhere i go, and the only thing that really made me feel i was still in the country was of course the presence of the local populace and the occasional reverberations of communicative mandarin in the air.

i sometimes cant help but wonder, when we, as asians, in our mad dash to modernize almost every aspect of our existence, from our lifestyles to our buildings, do we loose part of our soul every time we reach a particular milestone? do we slowly loose the essence of who we are and where we come from every time we bulldoze another significant piece of history to construct another soulless shopping complex? do we not feel a sense of belonging to our motherlands and all she holds dear to us as a people, and find ways to reconcile and hold on to our beloved traditions in the modern, while not having to sacrifice our identity in the pursuit of marching forward?



philosophical ramblings aside, it wasnt long before i arrived at my destination, which of course was the shanghai world financial center.

an elegant super tall tapering tower reaching the sky, completely covered with reflective glass at every inch, with a trapezoidal opening at the top, this was the financial heart of the city. and the equaly impressive buidling next to it was the jin mao tower consisting of high end offices and the world famous grand hyatt hotel.

at about 1pm, i enter the financial heart first.



and as soon as i did, two long lost old friends were waiting for me. unexpected surprises, but pleasant nonetheless.

these two old comrades were part of an exhibition on the ground floor of the tower showcasing anime / manga figures from japan. i admire the workmanship and detailing for a while and proceed to walk about having a look around. my concern here however, was to get to the top, where the observation deck was situated, which was what i had expected for such a towering edifice to house at its summit. i would be able to witness shanghai at unprecedented heights, enjoying a full 360 uninterrupted view of the metropolis from the heavens itself. and let me tell you, getting there itself was quite a challenge, from the moment i booked my ticket to the moment i snapped my first shot.



it took about 45 agonizing minutes to get to the top from the ground floor, after having to pass at least 4 checkpoints, waiting at about 15 - 20 minutes at each stop. eventually though, i do get to the top and all that waiting had suddenly paid off. i step off first into a primary observation tunnel and the firs thing that greets me the hordes of people that are pushing each other all over the place.

this country truly is a sea of humanity. even here and everywhere you go, this was an undeniable facet of its reality.



as soon as i settle in after walking around for a bit, i take out my camera and start shooting away. and this was my first view of the city from the tunnel above ... everything looking so plastic, toy-like and fragile.



my eyes are slowly directed across a circular sweep of the city. again, every element in the landscape below me looks so frail and insignificant, juvenile even.



after about 20 minutes, i then proceeded up to the secondary observation deck to further take in all that i see around me, thankfully here though, for whatever reason, the crowd was considerably less, making the space feel less claustrophobic. the clean lines of the design of the tunnel start becoming noticeable and its modern shape and form lend an air of sophistication to the surroundings.



and more views from where i stood.



and that's my second destination.



after spending some time here, i walked into this hall, a lounge of sorts, where some kind of exhibtion was being held. nothing too interesting i thought, and i walked along, passing by a sky cafe as i took the elevator down.



and once i exited the building, i immediately saw the next point of my journey.



and thankfully it wasn't as far as it looked. and i walked. along the modern networks on roads and paths in front of me, i walked ...



.. with a peculiar piece of public art i'd come across every once in a while. this pair of snails especially seemed curiously out of place in a such a fast moving town like shanghai, but maybe it was meant to be a statement by the artist to serve as a reminder, an sarcastic one even, to the citizens here to take life a little slower and not be in a lunatic rush all the time.

or maybe it was just something fun to look at. who knows.



every time i get closer to the massive citadel, i uncover even more amazing pieces of urban architecture, and this one was the central subway station just around the corner. again, thoroughly modern in its appearance and form.



and having public transportation powered by electricity really did make all the difference in the world where air quality was concerned. the almost complete absence of smoke, black or white, made walking here a splendid, asthmatic free experience, and it was almost hypnagogic to breathe in clean, unpolluted air in a bustling metropolis wherever i walked around.



and finally at about 4pm, i reach my journeys' end. this was the famed shanghai oriental pearl tower, which was the nexus of all electronic broadcasting in the city. this futuristic shimmering red-ringed citadel supported on a think concrete tripod, almost looking like a rocket, ready to blast off at a moments notice, was something i had seen a long time ago in various media, but again, standing here looking at its commanding structure was an experience that left me speechless.



that was the entrance of the tower, and i decided that i wouldn't go up into the building itself, simply because i had already had one full glance of the city from my previous visit to the financial center earlier on.



i had spent time here just gazing up mostly, till my neck was stiff, taking a few more shots and generally just enjoying the present, without a care in the world.



more public art catches my eye in the surrounding areas, and this time the artist paid homage to many a winged messenger of the insect world. ridiculously scaled up and motionless like a corpse, these sculptures nevertheless did attract my attention, albeit for a moment or two.



and as i walked on, a familiar sight greeted me. well, kinda familiar.



i recognized the opposite bank as being the Bund that i had visited my first night here in shanghai, and now i was standing at the opposite end. i was looking at the modern, while standing from the old.



and this kid looked at me just as puzzled as i was looking at him. i wonder what's going on his mind. i do, i really do.



walking along the same riverbank, proceeding to explore as much as i could.



nostalgic reminders of the past seems oddly appropriate here, and its presence reminds us of a simpler time in the past, while we stand in this era, far in the future.



but the present state of time, creeps back into reality pretty quickly, knocking me out of my trip back in time, imagined or otherwise.



i appreciate how cleverly designed and planned everything around me is. greens spaces abound, elevated pathways well maintained and well connected.



walking here was truly a wonderful experience and i wish i could go on for much longer.



my last shot of the evening was at about 6pm. and this last shot succinctly captures how far shanghai has progressed in recent history. a metaphorical visual statement seemed perfectly captured here showing where everything and everyone was reaching for the big, blue sky, without a moment to waste, reaching to greater heights with every step.

i wish you well, china but its clear, you're already there.

and its time for me to head back to my hotel.
a royal dinner awaits, and i shan't be late.

sojourns to the far east / day two / world expo _ part five

and so i arrive at the final night.

everyone's gone home and i'm all alone. happily and thankfully so.
and in the last few hours that have at the expo. my mission now was clear and concise.

take pictures!

now that i've seen as many pavilions as i could during the day, my only concern was to visually appreciate all these pavilions at night, lighted up in unique methods and arrangements to highlight certain architectural features in the dark. and so at about 8pm, i walked all over the place, starting with the ones in the european zone, which in my mind, was easily the most excellent in terms of design ingenuity, structural innovation and architectural inventiveness.



after coming out of the swedish pavilion and resting for a while, i walked first to the ones nearest to me, was the denmark and the finland pavilions.



as you can see, they were placed side by side.



but the denmark one was clearly the pavilion with the more attractive usage of creative lighting. these perforations on its white walls allowed light to filter out like thousands of little violet diamonds, and its presence created a visual delight to savour.



it was surreal. dreamily, surreal.

the entire double spiral structure resembled giant honeycomb - like ribbons of scattered points of purple light, floating gently above the earth, appearing still and motionless in the dark of the night.




and i looked behind me, and i see this pavilion with criss - crossing channels of bright reds on an irregular surface. this was the portugal pavilion, and it was just opposite the finland and denmark ones and its walls were covered with a brown fuzzy, short-stub carpet like skin and it seemed like the red channels were a web of drains with lava flowing through its grooves.



i walked on and i saw these 2 expo halls side by side showing other countries from europe that had participated on a much smaller scale, these countries were represented only through small kiosks and booths, and were not as ostentatious as the pavilions from the other countries were. i moved on quickly and went back to the main pavilions of this zone, namely to see the german, french, spanish, italian and the uk one.



and i see interesting trinkets here and there, scattered all over the expo grounds, like exotic geodesic domes that look like cocoons with triangular scales in an array of ever changing range of sensuous colours and hues.

after that, i had walked into the zone showcasing countries from the americas, most predominantly, mexico and canada and a host of others. the first one that i saw was the mexican one and it presented an interesting visual collection of soaring brightly coloured artificial tree-like towers.



however, at a closer glance, the trees appeared as a haphazard arrangement of simple - looking, vibrant kite-like planes, stuck to the tops of slender poles, trying to make thier way to the skies above but somehow got stuck, and was unable to complete its journey.



the analogy of an artificial forest of eye-catching "leaves", representing the explosive energy prevalent in mexican culture seemed more pertinent and significant though, and i can only assume that this amazingly rich cacophony of colours took its inspiration from mexico's various lively historical and cultural sources.



and i crossed the street, and i come across this blood-red collection of irregular shapes, mountainous as well in form, finished with fan-like random lines and gaps, supported on frames, radiating from all points and directions. its beautifully arresting display of deep reds, focused on some exterior walls and dissipating in others, created a wonderful drama of powerful captivating light, projecting a visual sense of passion and intensity.



i walked around for a while trying to identify this timber giant, taken aback by its powerful glow, and of course, eventually i find out.



canada. wow ... nice.

its form, material and structural concept was clearly inspired by the shapes and objects found on the vast natural landscapes of the great north, and it was clearly highlighted and celebrated here in this intense shade of deep, deep red.



there were several other latin american countries as well, and as colourful as they look, i didnt feel the need to stay and stare for too long. after all, europe beckons.

and the first one i saw once i arrived at my destination, was a colossal glowing lantern, with a divine permeation of light diffusing out of a concrete box. simply stated, it was magnificent.



this was the entrance of the italian pavilion, and the entrance was a crystalline clear glass enclosure with a collection of radiant golden pearls and jewels suspended from the top.



as mentioned before, this was the moment, in the black of the night, where the distinctive quality of transparent concrete became mystically evident. the walls were all made of this solid material, but the composition of its chemical structure was so unique, it allowed light to pass through it, like shoji paper on a japanese lantern.



it truly was an amazing sight to behold, to witness personally how the imposing solidity of this huge and fragmented concrete cube was softened by an eerie glow of golden light, transfusing through its seemingly impenetrable disposition.



and just next to it was the french pavilion, with its delightful jeweled lattice membrane clearly defining its presence, looking refined and elegant with its slender criss-cross of subtly curving frames, and intermediate points of emanating lights. splendid.

the next pavilion that i saw had a cold and unforgiving, machine-like feel to it, and i wouldn't have expected anything less from the german one. technically precise and vivid, it was bathed in soulless glows of white light, but was impressive nonetheless, looking like a jagged. geometrical mountain with a punctured envelope, wrapping its whole form.



its visually outstanding geometric protrusions and juxtapositions was visibly more pronounced at night, and had taken on a whole new sense of visual excitement and awe under the night sky.



and as i walked around, it was these interesting junctions and protrusions that keep catching my attention, and how, as chaotic as it appeared, seem controlled and sculptured skillfully.



and now, it was the spanish pavilion that i had come to. as previously mentioned, it was called the basket for obvious reasons, and light clearly diffused out of it as would i expect from an actual basket if, say if a candle was placed in it. this had a raw and fibrous visual feel to it, and its unorganized and unrestricted control of light ran wildly out of its skin.



the polish pavilion was next, and its punctured skin that collectively composed its irregular volumes was in essence a screen that allowed light to stream out of its flowery perforations.



and yea, it changes colours too from vibrant oranges, to bewitching purples to futuristic blues. it was a sensual slow-moving wave of changing colours and it brought the whole structure to life.



and the one next to it was the belgium pavilion, with what seems to be a powerful display of the most interesting symbiotic relationship between the organic and inorganic, between the structural and the natural among all the pavilions of the expo.



i could see this elongated semi - translucent, amoeba - like plastic organism with its poor tentacles tortuously stretched out across the interior reception hall through a glass facade. it seems that it was meant to represent the neurons of a brain cell within a space that prominently encourages communal activities and interaction.



and wow ... it changes colours too.

and after all of this was over, i head off to arguably, the most charismatic pavilion in the european zone. this wonderful piece of bedazzling art had wholeheartedly captured the imagination of the public the world over from the second it was unveiled, and it inspires awe, amazement and astonishment to everyone who is fortunate enough to visit its premises.

this was the UK pavilion, christened the seed cathedral, and i had waited this long simply to allow the crowds to considerably lessen and dissipate, which it did by about 10pm, so that i may have my opportune moment to visit and bask in its ravishing presence. this pavilion alone significantly influenced me to travel this far to the east and i must admit, from the moment i saw its resplendent form, i felt all my time and effort into making this moment come true had paid off handsomely.



it was brilliant. unequivocally brilliant.

a transcendental box covered completely, with an ever moving succession of graceful waves of willowy rods of clear and pure acrylic glass, channeling points of light from the interior to the exterior, creating a almost spiritual temperance in its appearance. this was truly an architectural dream that had come true in a surreal physical manifestation, and i have never seen anything quite so beautifully arresting in all my life.

perhaps a little bit of an explanation is first in order, before i proceed, starting with its intriguing designation. the reason why it was called the seed cathedral was for actually a very obvious reason, and would be made perfectly clear once i entered the pavilion itself. in the history of the UK, it seems that the UK was the first country in the world in modern history that began to create botanical parks and public conservatories and greenhouses in a built urban environment, as a conscious effort to create sanctuaries for fauna on its soil for its citizens to appreciate and take pleasure in.

the seed cathedral is thus an extension, and more pertinently, an attempt to continue this legacy of botanical conservation on its shores and architecturally materialize this piece of history and heritage in an international setting in a contemporary style, and in this case the world expo here in shanghai.



each and every rod that forms its exterior membrane literally contains a living seed encapsulated in its transparent tip and can be seen in vivid clarity upon closer inspection. the seeds are placed at each end of the rod, can really be appreciated in the interior hall.



"what a beautiful idea, simple and powerful, in every sense of the word," i thought.



and as i walked in the pavilion, i followed the crowds, through a narrow pathway of jagged walls and ceilings, making my way to the main entrance.



this was the main entrance of the pavilion, and i could not believe what greeted me next. i had of course seen magazines and journals showing pictures of the inside, but the prospect of seeing it with my own eyes was for more exciting. just a moment more.

i hold my breath in anticipation.

and as soon as entered its mysterious hall, i was visually assaulted with the light of a billion diamonds, pricking my eyes from every inch, completely being drowned in the presence of a celestcial kind of radiance i had never seen before.



it was like being in aladdin's cave, surrounded by countless precious treasures and pristine white jewels, that incessantly and forcefully capture your gaze everywhere you look. i stood on an elevated platform and walked along a circular pathway, totally astounded by what i saw.



its interior walls were a composition of undulating surfaces, curving in on itself from one end to another, further reinforcing its identity as an object that took forms from nature as its design inspiration.



and the curved walls and wavy interior elevations provided a dramatic sense of continuity, as you visually direct your eyes along its axis and see no corners or ends that mark boundaries or definitions within a closed space.



and as explained earlier. these limitless collection of living seeds trapped for posterity at the tip of these slender rods were the key attraction in the pavilion itself. even within the pavilion itself, i could see graceful subtle movements that mimicked small waves sweeping over the interior walls as i got closer to scrutinize each rod.



indeed, this idea of continuing the UK's botanical preservation, displayed in this innovative way was the catalyst for the design of the pavilion itself, and proved to be a fantastic concept, materialized for the world to see.



i just couldn't bring myself to leave, but of course eventually i did, and as headed out, i walked long another path that led to an open space surrounding the pavilion.



my last precious moments spent on the vicinity of this piece of futuristic mobile architecture, culminating in this shot for the night. i had sat down on the surface just outside the pavilion, eventually lying down out of exhaustion, taking a few more shots for the night as permanent visual moments to keep for the rest of my life, as as graphic reminders of this amazing journey that had begun being planned months ago.



and what made this particular night even more spectacular than it already was, was the occasional emergence of a gorgeous full moon, shimmering in the universe above, amidst a scattering of thick luscious clouds, with a heavenly ivory glow resonating centrally from its perfectly spherical form. the night was significant for its auspicious date, for tonight was the night of the mid-autumn festival, and it carried cultural and religious significance in the eyes of the chinese all over the world.

how serendipitous for me to celebrate this divine moment here and now, in admiration of this dazzling edifice next to me, in an environment that exemplifies the power of creative design in an international arena.

how serendipitous indeed.

and at this moment, after so long, a deep sense of fulfillment began creeping in every fiber of my being. i could feel that i had emotionally arrived at a juncture where this spectacular journey of design appreciation and wonderful discoveries was coming to an immensely satisfying end, where nothing was left unexplored, and i accomplished all that i could within this brief duration of time that i had.

"parting truly is such sweet sorrow,"

it was now time to leave the expo, once and for all, while silently in my heart, i celebrated my full participation in this glorious international endeavor. i had of course one more day to explore this superb metropolis tomorrow, and i would be up bright and early to fully appreciate my last moments here, but for the time being, the day has come to end, and a well deserved slumber awaits me back at the hotel.

good night, shanghai.