Stepping Into

44 INDULGE stepping into What comes to your mind when you good fortune and peace. Due to its hear the name “Shanghai”? For me, popularity, the temple has expanded it’s a retro scene of Chinese ladies into a sprawling commercial district, and gentlemen waltzing on the boasting hundreds of shops that dance floor to jazz music playing sell anything from local delicacies in the background. Often lauded and trinkets to the latest fashion as the “Paris of the Orient” and the apparels. Entering the temple was TEXT AND financial and cultural centre of China, like transiting into a world of serenity PHOTOS BY Shanghai prides itself as being one and calmness, and the fragrance of of the largest and most prosperous incense exuded an air of sacredness. Dr Chie Zhi Ying cities in the world. What’s more, it is the epitome of the east meeting the After exploring the temple, lunchtime Dr Chie Zhi Ying enjoys west, with colonial buildings lining beckoned and we were off to savour freelance writing and its bunds and yet retaining its unique the local signature delicacies! singing. She writes oriental identity. Shanghainese cuisine is one of for Lianhe Zaobao, the best cuisines in China, with Shin Min Daily News As my family members and I exited and Health No. 1. She mouth-watering dishes such as can be reached at the Shanghai Pudong International la mian (a type of Chinese noodle), chiezhiying@gmail. Airport, we were greeted by highways the delightful xiao long tang bao com. lined with lush greenery. The road (soup-filled pork dumpling), dim sum network was simply fascinating; and a variety of seafood like there were multi-layered highways crabs and lobsters. Legend intertwining at each juncture (if 1. The central altar at cheng you find it hard to picture this, just huang miao imagine your Lego train set with Exhilarating 2. Soup-filled pork multi-layered tracks). The Pudong dumplings are one of New Area flourishes with modern sights and sounds For those who love to shop, it Shanghai’s top delicacies skyscrapers and traditional Chinese is a must to visit Nanjing Road. 3. With its double sphere architecture – a testimony of China’s and sharp apex design, the With both international brands rapid economic developments in the Oriental Pearl Tower stands ranging from fast food restaurants last few decades. out among the rest of the to boutiques, and traditional buildings along the banks of century-old jewellery shops, the Huangpu River 4. Cheng huang miao district Experiencing local culture Nanjing Road is undeniably the at night One of Shanghai’s renowned cultural favourite haunt of local youths and 5. Nanjing Road is the main landmarks is the City God Temple of families. Traditional craftsmen can be shopping belt of Shanghai Shanghai, also known as the cheng seen hammering gold and silver into huang miao, where believers pray for little trinkets, as the clinking sound SMA News / NOV 2016 INDULGE 45 of the hammer echoes through the alley. The entire shopping belt seems 3 endless, and with colourful lightings and booming music, one is bound to feel the pulsating heartbeat of the city. 3 Next up, we were given a mind- boggling visual treat by a famous acrobatic group. One stunt featured multiple acrobats hopping in and out 2 of a giant wheel with ease despite its speed and height. Then, there was a beautiful couple who performed graceful gymnastic stunts with silk 5 ribbons from at least two storeys above the ground (oblivious to the audience’s apprehension). The most heart-stopping moments during the show, however, were when eight motorcyclists zigzagged each other 4 deftly in a confined space of a giant steel globe. If there was a moment of hesitation from any performer, the consequences would be unthinkable. I really applaud the team for their death- defying stunts and skills! It is said that if you haven’t taken the night cruise on the Huangpu River, you have not been to Shanghai. As we cruised along the river, the water shimmered gently in the night, with sophisticated skyscrapers dotting the east bank and charismatic colonial buildings brightly lit with its ever-changing brightness of sunlight. I gingerly on the west bank. Every LED lights. Its double sphere design, walked across the glass floor and building has distinctive coupled with a sharp apex, makes the view from such a dizzying height architecture and it hard to miss in the enthralling city was honestly a sight to behold. Giant lighting design – skyline. We also caught a glimpse of trucks and cars resembling toy cars it’s an enchanting Singapore’s DBS Bank building and zoomed in and out of the city and one sight. One of the could hardly contain our excitement! truly gets to have a panoramic view of skyscrapers that The cool and refreshing night air the city. What an experience! stood out was the further added to the magical feeling. Oriental Pearl Tower, All too soon, we had to bid goodbye to The next day, we visited the this beautiful and charming city. Going observatory of the Shanghai World back to the airport was fast and easy; Financial Centre, one of the tallest we hopped onto the Shanghai Maglev skyscrapers in the world, which Train, the first commercial high speed stands at a height of 498 metres. magnetic levitation line in the world 1 Before we ascended, our tour guides which travels at a neck-breaking speed told us that individuals suffering of 430 km/h. It was well furnished, from acrophobia should not proceed. comfy and quiet, and we reached As we ascended the skyscraper in Shanghai Pudong International Airport a super-fast lift, silence filled the in the wink of an eye. I will always enclosed space. The only thing we remember the vibrancy and vitality of could hear was the beeping panel, Shanghai. With its breathtaking sights which indicated the rapidly changing and colourful lights, it is indeed a city floor numbers. When we stepped that never sleeps. out of the lift at the 100th floor, I was momentarily blinded by the sheer NOV 2016 / SMA News.

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