Mon 7 Apr 2025 - Tue 8 Apr 2025
74 °F
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2025 Around The World
on Susan Mercer's travel map.
Our next destination was Shanghai, China—a megacity with a population of 24.9 million, featuring the Huangpu River flowing through its heart. Thanks to our small cruise ship, we had the unique chance to sail and dock directly on the river, a key transportation route in the city. The docking schedule was unusual; we were set to arrive at 11:30 PM and leave two days later at 11:30 AM. Curious about this timing, we later learned from the Captain that vessels like ours can only navigate the Huangpu River during high tide, which occurs exactly at 11:30 AM and 11:30 PM. Suddenly, everything made sense!
Our tour commenced with a tunnel trip under the river to the Pudong New Area to see the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. This futuristic landmark, constructed between 1991 and 1994, was the tallest building in China until the Shanghai World Financial Center was completed in 2007. Today, it remains a significant tourist attraction. We chose not to enter, but simply admired its exterior.
Next, we took an escalator to an oval-shaped elevated walkway that provided excellent views of a beautifully designed roundabout, along with sweeping vistas of the city skyline. From there, we proceeded to the Jin Mao Tower, an 88-story skyscraper finished in 1999. It includes an observation deck on the top floor that offers panoramic views of the city. We took a high-speed elevator that whisked us from the basement to the 88th floor in just 45 seconds. The views were breathtaking—we could even see our cruise ship from above.
We then drove through the former French and British Concessions—historic districts created between 1840 and 1842, following China’s defeat in the Opium Wars. These neighborhoods are among Shanghai's oldest and still feature a strong European architectural influence.
Our final stop was People’s Square, a lovely park with a circular musical fountain in its central plaza. We were fortunate to catch one of its colorful light, music, and water shows. Shanghai is a stunning city, with green spaces and flowers adorning the surroundings.
Fun Fact: In Shanghai, blue license plates signify gas-powered vehicles, while green ones are for electric cars. To promote electric vehicle usage, the registration fee for a gas-powered car is about $15,000 USD, whereas electric vehicles have no registration fee at all.
We departed precisely at 11:30 AM, cruising along the Huangpu River while taking in the magnificent views of the city. The blue dot on the map signifies our docking location. We then sailed north towards the open sea. It was an incredibly beautiful experience.
Another two amazing days on this extraordinary adventure around the world.
29.03.2025 - 29.04.2025 18 °C
I can't recall when I first learned about the Canton Fair, but I finally had the chance to attend as a "buyer." I had to bend the truth a bit and claim I was shopping for electronics to bring back to Canada. It's an enormous trade event that takes place three times a year in Guangzhou. When I attended, it was the electronics segment. I went on another river cruise and then returned to the hostel. A German guy generously shared his Lithuanian vodka with me, and I ended up a little intoxicated. When I returned to the room, I caused quite a stir upon seeing all the clutter on the table that I wanted to discuss with them. I scattered their belongings throughout the room, and they called the police. I stayed up all night and left for home in the morning. I received a refund for that terrible hostel (Lazy Gaga hostel; avoid it, as it is filled with homeless individuals rather than backpackers).
28.03.2025 - 28.03.2025 20 °C
Gazing at the stunning temple nestled at the base of the Songshan Mountain range in Henan province, southeast of Luoyang, I had finally reached a destination I had dreamed of visiting for many years. I found myself captivated by the legendary Shaolin temple, renowned as the residence of the esteemed Indian monk Bodhidharma, who is recognized as the founder of Zen Buddhism and Kung Fu martial arts. The temple's historical architectural complex, notable for its remarkable aesthetic appeal and deep cultural significance, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. After capturing my usual photographs of the temple, I settled in front of a statue of Bodhidharma and entered a state of deep meditation. As a practitioner of transcendental meditation, it was easy for me to transition into dhyana, despite the occasional noise from tourists wandering around the temple, primarily known to the general public as the birthplace of Kung Fu. My personal connection to this temple, shared with many of my fellow natives from my home state of Tamil Nadu, India, is through the great Bodhidharma, who journeyed from our city of Kanchipuram in 520 AD to promote Mahayana Buddhism in China. He spent nine years residing in the Shaolin temple, and I plan to share his story as recounted by Tsutomu Kambe, a former Physics Professor at the University of Tokyo, in his book 'Bodhi Dharma and Oceanic Silk Road.' I have long desired to write about the remarkable Bodhidharma for my blog readers ever since my visit to this region in 2003.
Mon, April 7, 2025 - Tue, April 8, 2025 74 °F See 2025 Around The World on Susan Mercer's travel map.