This is the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall, where I spent the first of two spare hours before I had to depart. It does a pretty good job of convincing visitors that despite the incredible pace of development, the city still cares about its heritage, is working hard to become an example of clean, green, sustainable urban living; and is definitely not bulldozing the homes of forcibly relocated workers to make way for it. There are plenty of models and displays to make the case.
With my final hour in Shanghai, I decided to race around the Museum in People's Square. It's designed to look like a local cooking pot, though I didn't find out why. Sorry.
Upstairs is a huge illuminated model of shanghai in the near future.
This is the old concert hall that was lifted up and moved 30m back away from the overpass.
The big draw here today was an exhibition of impressionist paintings from the collection of Sterling Clark. He was heir to the singer sewing company and after armed service in The Philippines and China started collecting art. I didn't have time for the huge queues so went instead to a side show of photographs of his post-army expedition across China a hundred and five years ago. The curator had taken contemporary photos from the same vantage points and hung them alongside, which made fascinating then/now viewing.
Then back to the hostel, and off to the airport. So long Shanghai! China, it's been a pleasure.
Shag-hai indeed.
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