The Bund (photo by BRYAN B. GARCIA)

The land is vast and limitless. The horizon dissolves in a curtain of haze. The view is of skyscrapers, mono designed housing complexes, and stretches of spaces under construction.

Cruising through Shanghai’s elevated road network, one can see the full extent of a city in progress. Amid towering buildings, a lot more spaces are being utilized. While stretches of land still cultivate agricultural products, more and more land is developed to keep up with the global community.

There is however a lot more than meets the eye as the city itself is in the middle of a transition. A changing of the guard, the old making way for the new. Adorned along the city’s major streets are cutting edge facilities, innovative architectural designs, and endearing landscapes.

However, tinges of the old world can still be seen. Although Shanghai society is already dominated by the younger generation, remnants of the past still linger. From the high rises to city parks, two worlds define Shanghai’s character as progress is carefully balanced with preservation of culture.

Eco getaway in the city

In the middle of Pudong New Area, a district of Shanghai that lies east of the Huangpu River is a quiet recluse from the bustles of city life. Situated amid China’s commercial and financial hub is Shanghai Century Park, an eco garden that houses varying landscapes, clean cut lawns, lush forests, and vast lakes.

This 140.3 hectare expanse is Shanghai’s largest park where tourists and residents alike can unwind, enjoy a day of activities, and bask in the beauty of nature. The park is a center of cultural display, it houses a myriad of attractions like amusement rides, bird sanctuaries, and bonsai orchards.

Revisiting the old world

Across the river, on Huangpu’s west side, is a relic preserved in the midst of changing times. Yuyuan Garden offers a glimpse of ancient China with its classical archetypes that capture the imagery of the old world.

Yuyuan was built 451 years ago during the Ming Dynasty. The two-hectare sanctuary is a maze of ancient Chinese ancestry with traditional halls, rock formations and beautiful landscapes that glisten on top of streams and ponds. The relics and structures in the garden offer tourists a peek at the extravagant past of the Chinese empire. The ornate attention to the structure’s details and the history behind them magnify the aesthetic value of the landmarks.

It seems that the ancient fixtures preserved within the walls of Yuyuan Garden spilled over to its immediate surroundings as everyone around the area is encapsulated within levels of remarkably well preserved traditional Chinese structures. The edifices now house merchant shops and dining areas to accommodate the large number of tourists that visit the garden.

Busy people, busy street

Shopping districts in any city can be messy. Bargaining can be wild and sales can be unpredictable. While this is expected in every shopping center, it’s the people that ultimately define the mood of a public place. In Nanjing road, Shanghai’s main shopping street and major commercial hub, the magnitude of pedestrians who tread this avenue can reach up to hundreds of thousands on any given day.

Modern shopping malls, restaurants, specialty stores, theatres, and international hotels line this 5.47-kilometer-long road. Although filled with urban attractions, the main draw of this famed walkway is the people. Closed to all kinds of motor vehicles, the street teems with local and foreign shoppers and tourists.

From morning until night, a steady stream of people files in from west to east Nanjing and vice versa. However the contrast of night and day is clearly felt as night-time Nanjing comes alive with a multitude of neon lights, glowing building façade and, of course, more people. Residents and visitors alike crowd Nanjing like a long queue to a rock concert. The sheer volume of human traffic is simply overwhelming.

Old and new, face to face

At the eastern end of Nanjing road lies The Bund, a famous avenue that houses banks, hotels, and government buildings facing the waterfront. The Bund, which means embankment, lies on the west side of the Huangpu River and is often frequented by tourists for the dazzling views of both sides of the river.

From the Bund, the view across the Huangpu is that of the Pudong Skyline, a sight that characterizes Shanghai’s development with modern towers and skyscrapers. Among the towering structures seen along this skyline are the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Jin Mao Building. Opposite this modern skyline is another display of classical architecture. Remnants of the old Shanghai remain amongst the Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classic, and Renaissance archetypes present along the avenue.

Face to face, these two landscapes on the opposite sides of the Huangpu River feature a contrast of old and new Shanghai. A walk along the Bund will surely provide a clear picture of the city’s character, from its past to its present and the people in the middle of its transition.

Better city, better life

A sign of things to come for the city of Shanghai is its hosting of the 2010 World Expo. With the theme “Better City, Better Life”, the gathering recognizes the importance of improving the living conditions in future urban environments. This international congregation of ideas would not only boost Shanghai’s tourism but also benefit the city directly with the influences coming in from the Expo’s 242 participants.

The Expo, which runs until October 31, 2010, expects over 70 million attendees. The volume of people that will be coming in prompted the city to make massive improvements. Factories and shipyards along both sides of the Huangpu River were moved to make way for the 5.28 square kilometer Expo site. Aside from the site development, the city also upgraded its transport system by extending subway lines and by opening three additional lines.

The improvements on the city’s façade and function have shaped its people and conditioned them to look forward to a brighter future. Although there is still a major barrier in terms of language, the citizens are coping with unabashed enthusiasm. Their willingness to accommodate and share their abode with others is reflected in their warmth and eagerness to communicate.

Long has the country been reclusive and not until recently has it started to welcome the outside world. The sleeping giant is asleep no more and its cities are cashing in on the curiosity and eagerness of people to acquaint themselves with its mysteries. Shanghai is but another door, another city willing to accept the warmth of the rest of the world. The door is open and just like everything else in the city, it’s big and it’s grand.