Shanghai travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

The REN building could be the Eiffel Tower of Shanghai, a landmark symbolizing the people-oriented pursuit of the Shanghai Expo 2010. The work of both architects is amazing. The first building, emerging from the water, is devoted to the activities of the body, and houses the sports and water culture center. The second building emerging from land, is devoted to the spirit and enlightenment, and houses the conference center and meeting facilities. The two buildings meet in a 1000 room hotel, a building for living, becoming a recognizable landmark for the World Expo in China.

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Atkins has won an international competition to design a five-star resort hotel. Set in Songjiang, China, the 400 bed resort hotel is uniquely constructed within the natural elements of the quarry. The innovative design of the 400-bed resort hotel stands two levels higher than the rock face of the 100 meters deep quarry and includes underwater public areas and guest rooms. It will incorporate conference facilities for up to 1,000 people, a banqueting center, restaurants, cafes and sports facilities.

Continue reading Can you imagine staying in a hotel that looks like this…

Dongtan is a new city planned for the island of Chongming, near Shanghai. The city should be open, with accommodation for 50,000, by the time the Expo 2010 opens in Shanghai. By 2040, the city is slated to be one-third the size of Manhattan. Dongtan is the first of up to four slated “eco-cities” to be designed and built in China by Arup, a British company. The cities are planned to be ecologically friendly, with zero-greenhouse-emission transit and complete self-sufficiency in water and energy.Ecologically sensitive design will be a key element of the masterplan.

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Yangtze River, together with the Yellow River, is the birthplace of Chinese civilization. Over 6,000 km long, the mighty Yangtze is the longest river in China and the third longest in the world. Along the upper reaches of the river lies the spectacular Three Gorges. To sail through the famous Three Gorges of the Yangtze is to feel the power, majesty and timelessness of China’s greatest -and the world’s third longest river. Imagine the sight as sheer cliffs of rock close in around you, drawing you deeply into a scene of almost unspeakable beauty. Fisherman brave the rushing waters to net their livelihood. Birds dart between clouds, eyeing their prey far below. As the ship turns at a seemingly dead end, a new world of wonders suddenly unfolds before you …

Continue reading Cruise through three spectacular river gorges in the heart of China

Valencia
All eyes will be on Valencia later this year when the Spanish city hosts the coveted America’s Cup, the world’s biggest and most prestigious yachting event. Valencia is the first city in Europe to stage the race, despite the event’s long history. Already a popular short break destination with savvy travellers, Valencia benefits from a great location a short hop from the resorts on the Costa Blanca and is well served by no-frills airlines. But it is a charming city in its own right, home to the original paella, and it offers an exciting mixture of old and new, with cutting edge modern architecture and traditional baroque barrios. Check out the futuristic looking Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (the City of Arts and Sciences) designed by local architect Santiago Calatrava, featuring Europe’s largest state-of-the-art marine park, complete with a 30m- (98ft-) long shark tunnel, a dolphinarium, huge fish tanks, a colony of Humboldt’s penguins, and a very surreal underwater restaurant . The harbour area, Europe’s largest urban regeneration project, will be at the centre of the action during the Cup.

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In the western part of Shanghai, a very modern and flourishing city, there is a venerable and famous Buddhist temple, Jade Buddha Temple. As with most modern Chinese Buddhist temples, the current temple draws from both the Pure Land and Chan traditions of Mahayana Buddhism. It was founded in 1882 with two jade Buddha statues imported to Shanghai from Burma by sea. These were a sitting Buddha (1.95 metres tall, 3 tonnes), and a smaller reclining Buddha representing Buddha’s death. The temple was destroyed during the revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Fortunately the jade Buddha statues were saved and a new temple was built on the present site in 1928. It was named the Jade Buddha Temple. The temple now also contains a much larger reclining Jade Buddha, donated from Singapore, and visitors may mistake this larger sculpture for the original, smaller piece.

At the time emperor Guang Xu in the Qing Dynasty (1875-1908) ruled China, Hui Gen, a Mount Putuo abbot went on a pilgrimage to Tibet via the two famous Chinese mountains Mount Wutai and Mount Emei. First he goes to Tibet and then he contiduen his jorney to Burma. By this time Mr. Chen Jun-Pu, an overseas Chinese resident in Burma, donated five Jade statues of Buddha to Hui Gen, who transported two of them back to Jiang-wan, Shanghai. Here Hui Gen had a temple built with collected from various sorces money, mostly of them donated, and died shortly thereafter. This temple was occupied during the 1911 uprising, and the statues were moved to Maigen Road.

Continue reading What a place to see – Jade Buddha Temple in Shanghai, China