Over Shanghai
Zooming to Shanghai via high-speed train – 200 mph, yo! – we were buzzing from our hutong experience in Beijing.
Little did we know that things were about to get even better in Shanghai before, unfortunately, getting worse. For now, let’s stick to the good news.
We’re both skyscraper geeks, so we knew that we wanted to splash out by visiting the observation decks of a few of Shanghai’s notorious towers. When we found out that Shanghai’s tallest building houses the world’s highest bar, we thought “why not” and scrapped the observation deck idea in favor of a new and improved idea. Bar hopping in the sky.
Yes, that would mean that Kent and Caanan were going to stay up past 10:00 PM. Someone call the police.
The plan we masterminded had us set to visit two sky-high bars on the Pudong side on the river (the “new” city w/ the tall tall buildings) before heading to the Puxi side (the “Bund” side with the shorter buildings). Our first stop was Cloud 9, located in the Jin Mao Tower. We had a tasty, expensive old fashioned and took in the view from the 87th floor. Not bad, right?
We knew things would only get better next door at the Shanghai World Financial Tower.
We took the elevators up and were blown away by the view we found waiting.
Even better, we scored a killer table. Yep, we’re looking down at the building we had just been in. We knew it couldn’t possibly get better than this, so we nixed the idea to go to the other side of the river, opting instead to lean into the thrill we were experiencing at the bar, 100 Century Avenue.
After finally dragging ourselves away from our once-in-a-lifetime table and back down the tower, we got one last shot from the street. Here are the two towers we had just been in and the next big thing, The Shanghai Tower, slated to be completed in 2014.
Aligning perfectly with our theme for October, we walked back to our hotel talking about how that had been one of the happiest nights of our couple-hood. We laughed because it’s easy to embrace our “choose happy” mantra when you have a night like that.
Too bad that just a few hours later that happiness would be severely challenged.
Meg is making me read the happy project, and it’s been strangely refreshing. It’s silly, but choosing happiness makes a difference. Hmmm… In other news, we hope to be in china in a few months! Whew! We are on your path!
Can’t wait to share China stories when we meet again.
The suspense. Ahhh the suspense! I read the whole article dreading the bad news, only to arrive at that ending.
I love those building and I look forward to going back to Shanghai once The Shanghai Tower is complete.
We’re excited to see it too. It’s looking like it will be incredible.
I don’t mind heights and I love getting a photo from a good view, but I’ve never understood paying extra for a drink because the bar is up high. Also, I’m super cheap.
It’s actually a smart move because it’s cheaper than the observation deck. And you get buzzed.
What a view!!! Wow!
Our faces were glued to that window.
I love a man on my schedule… Seriously, I’ll hang out with you guys whenever! I have a friend insisting on a later than 10 pm schedule this weekend, and I’ve had anxiety all week! And yes, the Bund is wild, no?
Work has up early with clients all over the world. Not a bad reason to have to go to bed. Plus, what I thought was a bad cold forced us to retreat a bit earlier than we would have liked to that night.
This sounds like a fun night! And the views definitely aren’t too shabby.
One of those nights where things just seem to fall into place.
I needed to hear this, right now. Because something just happened that just might tempt me to choose to be sad. But I am choosing happy. Gosh, I need to come out to Seattle sometime and just sit and chat with you guys. So glad you had an amazing night…well, at least half an amazing night! : )
Don’t choose sad – just don’t do it, Marsha
Yes, you do need to get back to Seattle for some K and C time. We’ll be positive and happy, I promise.
I didn’t realize you guys went to bed so early. That must mean we kept you out WAY past your bedtime in Rome.
Yes, that night in Rome DID rock NVR-land. But really only because we had to get up so early the next day (as usual). Well, well worth it though.
What a view from the Shanghai World Financial Tower! I lived in Shanghai a few years ago when they were in the middle of the several-year-long “almost finished” period where construction kept getting delayed, so I never got a chance to see the final thing. I really wanted to have a drink at the bar up there, too.
It was very cool, Daniel. The complex of restaurants and bars up top has a really great vibe. A fun place to splurge on a drink or two. How did you enjoy living in Shanghai?
Amazing view! And quite a cliffhanger…
Tune in for part 2 of the epic thriller.
Amazing views! You sure had some amazing experiences in China.
Yes, it’s been a bunch of extremes – mostly good!
Cool! I am going to Shanghai at the end of November. I hope I can go to this bar and stay up past 10pm too!
Plan on it! Two words: POWER NAP.
You guys crack me up! Love the views -definitely worth skipping bedtime for. But now you have me on the edge of my seat. Hope everything is OK….
Talk about edge of the seat reading… Now I’m going to read “What I REALLY Learned at TBEX Europe.”
Gorgeous nighttime shots! I’ve never had an desire to go to China, but lately I’ve heard some great Hong Kong stories that may be changing my mind. These Shanghai shots don’t hurt either!
We’d love to hear more of your thoughts on why you’re not that keen on China. We are now in a position to confirm or deny
As long as there’s glass enclosing these bars, I’m alright, but open air at heights like that, my legs start to get shaky! I was just in Kuala Lumpur and went to the top of the KL Tower (I think about 330 meters), and I was a bit freaked out to say the least. Amazing skyline and view, looks like a fun night!
Open air = hell no.
I used to work near the top floor of a skyscraper here in Seattle. When the weather would start to pick up, I’d be able to feel the building moving. It used to freak me out, and I always think of that when heading to the top of any building. A drink definitely helps
Love the views! That Cloud 9 building is crazy looking..
You may be looking at the Shanghai Oriental Pearl building. Not their best design moment.
Great shots. That was the highlight (pun intended) of my trip to Shanghai!
Cool! How long ago were you there?
Those are amazing views, almost unreal. What a country of contrasts China seems to be. And if no one at the hospital spoke English, what about the people who work at places like this? Did you find much English spoken among young people working in tourism/service?
Yes, but they were – for the most part – very limited in terms of what they could say in English. Anything “off script” (as we came to say), and you get blank stares.
Interesting. As you may know, I teach ESL in California and have many international students from China who arrive with very high English skills, but I guess they don’t represent the average person. And English is required from the 3rd grade for all Chinese…but yes, conversation skills are difficult, especially when they hear something “off-script”
You hear a lot of people say that no one speaks English. In our experience, it was very mixed. We struck up conversations with random people at restaurants, but – on the other hand – had difficulty at the hospital.
Wow, Shanghai looks AMAZING from above. I have to admit, I didn’t love the city (or China in general). But maybe that’s because I didn’t experience it your way (i.e. past 10pm!).
Did you notice the whiskey? That helped!
Those are some very serious views guys! The lights are so pretty! (Now moving on to part 2)
Part 2 = cue the doom and gloom music.
These views are amazing, guys! I love the building you’re looking down on from the second bar, and great luck on scoring those tables. Shame it went downhill after that. Lucky that there was no phlegm in the bars.
That was my favorite part too – looking down at that other monster of a building.
Mind blowing captures! Certainly way better then anything I could capture from the Tokyo Tower at Night!!!
Loved the post, a visual feast
Thanks… we love looking at these shots.
Guys, nice photos. I agree- Shanghai at night looks extraordinary. P.S. I had a dinner on the top as well
What?! You had dinner? We’re gonna save our pennies and do that next time.