Shanghai Day 2

Wednesday 27 October

I can't believe i'm at the Shanghai World Expo again!!!

My colleagues were kind enough to make the German Pavilion our first stop, despite the 3.5 hours queue, since i regrettably missed it during my last trip. Thanks guys! Lots to see inside so i guess it was worth the wait huh!



Um the queue kinda drove us nuts... sort of, ha ha.





Oops no photos of the exterior since i'd already posted them in the previous Shanghai World Expo entry.














Little girl feeding carrots to a virtual rabbit. Kinda creepy if you ask me.


I don't know if you remember the Cabbage Patch Kids? Uh-huh?



I thought it was a pity my colleagues didn't make it to the Spanish Pavilion. Well at least they made it to the Spanish restaurant. The tapas didn't quite make it though... as in the tapas was not good.







We kinda split up after lunch and i went off on my own to check out other pavilions i didn't visit the first time around.

Sweden Pavilion




I kinda like the porosity of the facade from inside looking out as i rode the up-escalator.


Ikea's dandelion lamps!

Thought this exhibit was pretty clever. Viewed from one side you see an image of Stockholm's shame (picture A), industrial pollution and waters around Stockholm that were heavily polluted household wastewater and view from the other side you see an image of Stockholm's pride (Picture B), where water sanitation and strict environmental policies have made Stockholm's waters clean enough to swim in.


Picture A


Picture B

Then i popped over to the Turkish Pavilion, since i'd just been to Turkey earlier this year and totally loved the country. The interior was dark and showcased the ancient archaelogical sites of Turkey like the Ephesus bibliotek where i posed for a picture not too long ago.



I wondered if the queue was already so long, did buying a turkish ice-cream here include the show of fancypants trickery by the ice-cream seller like it would in Istanbul.



Not sure what made me walk into the Polish Pavilion but i didn't regret it one bit.





The multi-media projections of rain falling on the white cut-out rainforest backdrop accompanied by rainforest sounds were delightful. This is kinda like the sort of experiential exhibition i was talking about in my earlier post that the French Pavilion had and the Singapore one didn't.


I kinda like how the amorphous 2D rainforest morphed into a plan view of a grid-like lattice network of a city.

After that i hopped into the Belgium-EU Pavilion cos i fancied some belgian waffle, fries and chocolates. Except the queues for the food were longer than the queue to get in so i copped out.




I just can't get enough of ultra large moving multimedia projections that surround me and transport me immediately to that country. I'd stand in the middle just to be surrounded by the projections of the different cityscapes and vicariously soak up the atmosphere.


Heh i've seen the real thing. Uh... as in the real Manneken Pis statue in Brussels earlier in March this year. It's tiny. Uh, I mean, he's tiny.

Finland Pavilion



Interesting how once inside, you're engulfed by the inner walls of the huge bowl. Then you kinda walk up this ramp that's sandwiched inside the thickness of the facade walls of the bowl.





We left the Expo when it got dark around 6pm and went to 田子坊 on Tai Kang Lu, where we contemplated between Balinese and Thai for dinner, amongst other choices like New York pizza, Vietnamese pho and something else i can't remember. Oddly enough none of the eating places featured Shanghainese or Chinese food. Settled for Thai and it was a good choice.













Dessert and drinks and Consumme where Howe Choon took us the last time we were here. The menu kinda looked different and neither the chocolate nor cheese cake was any good. We were also amused by the huge cup, or rather bowl that contained our hot chocolate.







Next: Shanghai Day 3

Shanghai Day 3

Thursday 28 October

Today we decided we'd cover the national pavilions of the countries native to my colleagues.

First up, Australia, which i'd visited the previous time, so no photos except maybe just one of Chris standing outside.



Then Singapore, where i finally made it to Stages 2 and 3 of the Urban Symphony. A multimedia video showing MM Lee's speech on ensuring water supply to Singapore and how to prevent people from peeing in public lifts. And a rooftop garden which was pretty nice. People were taking 'couple' photos with the flowering shrubs as backdrop.





Next up, Indonesian Pavilion for Aristo and i must say i was very impressed with the interior of the Indonesian Pavilion (p.s. Naga, are you listening?) Firstly, i thought the lofty entrance space held up by bamboo poles evoked a nice high volume tropical architecture feel. I liked the proportions. Then going up the ramp you notice the fairly intricate ceiling pattern also constructed out of bamboo i think. There was this band performing folk songs in 3 languages that for some reason transported me for a minute to Hawaii, good or bad. Different exhibits grab your attention constantly going up the ramp, unlike the Singapore Pavilion where you kinda view the metal backside of the facade as you waited to move up the ramp. Then at one point, you get a nicely framed view of Indonesia's neighbours, the Singapore Pavilion and Malaysia Pavilion. Good job!





















The Theme Pavilion, which i liked the asymetrical prismatic roof/facade so i photographed it again. But for some reason we didn't quite think of going in.



I thought i'd go to the China Pavilion this time around but it turns out you need to queue for entry tickets in the morning to get in in the afternoon.



And last but not least, the Vietnamese Pavilion for Long. The structures for the interior was pretty reminscent of the interior of an old church, with the arches and all.





Headed to Xin Tian Di after we each declared we were done with the Expo. The place looks the same on each of my 3 Shanghai trips but something tells me i'd still visit if i were to come back to Shanghai for a fourth time.






The interior of Ye Shanghai where we wanted to have lunch at but we arrived only at 4pm and they were closed.


Had dim sum in Zen Dim Sum Restaurant instead.

Crossed over to H&M at Huai Hai Lu where i finally found replacement shoes. Then took a long walk along Mao Ming Nan Lu, stopping to check out the Jin Jiang Hotel, continued on along Chang Le Lu to the intersection of Ju Lu Lu and Fu Min Lu where Shintori was located. It's been 5 years but i still remember the feel of the hidden away entrance and bamboo lined path to the restaurant. And the confusing toilet signage.






My deliciously succulent cod with miso! i never knew miso other than the soup!


Caught up with Wei Loong who literally just got off the train from Hangzhou cos he came to meet us with his luggage and all. Brought us to this cosy chocolate place called HoF back along Huai Hai Lu where i believe one or two of my colleagues got high on can you believe it chocolate. Thanks for the treat!

Next: Shanghai Day 4

Shanghai Day 4

Friday 29 October

1933 老场坊
Old Slaughterhouse in Shanghai,
intersection of Hai Ning Lu and Li Yang Lu.

As with 田子坊 on Tai Kang Lu, I was fascinated by the resurrection of this place so didn't mind revisiting.

Plus we ate at the yummy beef place this time around.





























For more on the Shanghai Expo, click here.