Shanghai - Star Wars, Fembots & Croque-Monsieur
The Pudong district of Shanghai is really a set from Star Wars, but probably more futuristic. Whilst contemplating which tower is the lair of the evil cyborg, Darth Vader, one almost expects to see a Vulture Droid or Jedi Starfighter emerge from the cloud slipping past the sleek skyscrapers which poke the sky above.
In the midst of Pudong is the Jin Mao Building. The Grand Hyatt luxury hotel takes up floors 53 to 88 of the Jin Mao making it the highest hotel in the world. It is a monster with 555 rooms, 6 restaurants and 3 bars. 'Cloud 9' is situated on the 87th floor giving staggering views across Shanghai.
Vertigo sufferers beware. The rooms and suites have floor to ceiling windows. Don’t bother to close your blinds or curtains. No one is likely to peep in and the glass is so dirty I doubt you will even see a stray voyeuristic window cleaner. The room décor is an extension of the outside world. It is like no other hotel experience anywhere this side of space.
If you do venture out of your room it’s best to be on your guard. The hotel bars are full of 'ladies of the night'.
Any male, single or in a group, entering one of the bars is immediately ambushed by an onslaught of very dodgy looking women, flattening each other as they scrap to raid his wallet.
They are ugly, cold and ruthless. Even Austin Power’s “fembots” attempted charm and humour. These Chinese prostitutes don’t mess about with pleasantries. It's straight down to “buy me champagne and give me your money”.
Cross the river to the French Concession district for a further culture shock. This area was occupied by the French between 1849 and 1946 and remains relatively unchanged today in its ramshackle state making it a very popular haunt for tourists. There are some excellent bars, cafes, and restaurants. You’ll also see pretty much any recently released movie on DVD openly on sale. Piracy is an issue that does not seem to particularly trouble the authorities.
When it’s time to head back to the reality of planet earth the only way to leave the city for the airport is via train, but nothing so sluggish as the Heathrow Express. The 20 mile journey to Pudong International Airport takes 7 minutes 20 seconds, with the train reaching speeds of up to 220mph.
In the midst of Pudong is the Jin Mao Building. The Grand Hyatt luxury hotel takes up floors 53 to 88 of the Jin Mao making it the highest hotel in the world. It is a monster with 555 rooms, 6 restaurants and 3 bars. 'Cloud 9' is situated on the 87th floor giving staggering views across Shanghai.
Vertigo sufferers beware. The rooms and suites have floor to ceiling windows. Don’t bother to close your blinds or curtains. No one is likely to peep in and the glass is so dirty I doubt you will even see a stray voyeuristic window cleaner. The room décor is an extension of the outside world. It is like no other hotel experience anywhere this side of space.
If you do venture out of your room it’s best to be on your guard. The hotel bars are full of 'ladies of the night'.
Any male, single or in a group, entering one of the bars is immediately ambushed by an onslaught of very dodgy looking women, flattening each other as they scrap to raid his wallet.
They are ugly, cold and ruthless. Even Austin Power’s “fembots” attempted charm and humour. These Chinese prostitutes don’t mess about with pleasantries. It's straight down to “buy me champagne and give me your money”.
Cross the river to the French Concession district for a further culture shock. This area was occupied by the French between 1849 and 1946 and remains relatively unchanged today in its ramshackle state making it a very popular haunt for tourists. There are some excellent bars, cafes, and restaurants. You’ll also see pretty much any recently released movie on DVD openly on sale. Piracy is an issue that does not seem to particularly trouble the authorities.
When it’s time to head back to the reality of planet earth the only way to leave the city for the airport is via train, but nothing so sluggish as the Heathrow Express. The 20 mile journey to Pudong International Airport takes 7 minutes 20 seconds, with the train reaching speeds of up to 220mph.
Be Frank: agree or disagree? What do you think?
