Sightseeing

The next two weeks we toured everything Shanghai had to offer, seeing sights such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, the Yu Gardens, the Jin Mao Tower and Suzhou. Suzhou is a small city a few hours outside of Shanghai known for it’s beautiful gardens and stone bridges. My favorite part of Shanghai was our two-hour river cruise down the Huangpu River because we were able to see the spectacular architecture on the Bund. The Bund is known as the area alongside the Huangpu River, where Shanghai’s modern architecture lights up at night. It’s a very impressive place because the area was farmland just a few years ago. Offices, museums, restaurants and hotels were recently built and cover the entire area. I was blown away by the sight of the bund at night and couldn’t believe all the lights and activity that came with it.

After two weeks in Shanghai we flew to Beijing, the capital of China. Despite the mass amounts of people and visible pollution problems, the city appeared to be ready for the 2008 Olympics. Advertisements, shops and promotions were everywhere, including some of the nation’s most historical landmarks. We visited sites, such as Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and the Great Wall of China, all of which had some Olympic paraphernalia.

I was surprised at the amount of advertisements in these famous places because I felt that it ruined the historical feel of the monuments. For example, at Tienanmen Square, a place where thousands of students died in protest of the communist takeover, it didn’t feel as powerful with a 2008 Olympics countdown clock overhead. I found the Great Wall, one of the oldest historical sites in the world, less effective because of the “One World. One Dream” billboard right next to it. It all felt too commercial.

I don’t think the Chinese were bothered by this because they are so excited to host the Olympics. Many of the people I talked to feel the Olympics are a way for China to prove itself to the world. The Olympic advertisements and promotions are only temporary and therefore, many do not mind. Since the announcement of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, the city has done major reconstruction and clean-up, which has also pleased many of its residents. They view the Olympics as an opportunity to show the world what they are made of.