Random Other Shanghai Sights

In my morning strolls through Shanghai, I run across many random sights.  But, one that I see in every China city is the morning is the exercise group in the park

Morning exercises

Nearby, the trees are getting a good trim, while the the more tropically-related plants are not doing so well in the winter weather.

Trimming the trees, with spectators

Shanghai winter is not kind to the tropical plants

 People are using the sunny winter day to dry nuts on the sidewalk and we all walk carefully around them.

Nuts drying

 And the small parks that bring just a touch of color to a neighborhood have tiny statues to delight us as we walk by on the sidewalk.

  Along the sidewalk

 I'm looking for silk pajamas this trip and find the Jiangnan Silk Museum (and store) next to a hotel equipment store and across the street from the 3 small statues.  The museum provides a good overview of the steps of the silk production process and the associated store is large, with a great selection and good prices.  All about a 45 minute walk from People's Square.

Jiangnan silk museum

Walking back, I find a guard cat protecting someone's bicycle.  Later on, a different guard cat is off the job and, apparently, not afraid of being stepped on (as safe as the drying nuts).

 Guard cat on and off the job

A little further along, a great juxtaposition of old and new shows up, the Jing'an Temple nestled between the modern city buildings. The temple is located on Nanjing Road, above Xujiahui, about 45 minutes (3.4 km/2.1 miles) from People's Square.  The Jing'an Temple is a Buddhist temple, first build in 247AD and relocated to its current site in 1216.  During the cultural revolution, the temple was turned into a plastics factory, but returned to serve as a temple in 1983.  It fits perfectly into the modern structures that surround it.

Jing'an Temple

As we head back to the hotel, we end on a whimsical note, with a fast-food store sculpture, modern water delivery vehicles and with our lunch for four a little later that day.

 Fast food here

Bottled water delivery vehicle

 Lunch for four

I love wandering around Shanghai, I never can tell what I'll run across.  And, to have a mission, such as the hunt for silk pajamas takes me off into new parts of the city and new adventures.  But, it's time to move on.

Changshou Park

Changshou Park, on Changshou Road (between Xikang Road and Shaanxi North Road) is about a 25 minute walk (1.9km/1.2 miles) south of the Shanghai Railway Station and a 1 hour walk (4.7km/2.9 miles) west of People's Square.  The park was opened in 2001 and occupies a complete city block, surrounded by residential towers, with two concentric circles of walking paths and a central open performance area.

The park contains a sculpture garden, dominated by large-scale pieces set between the paths and water features.  The theme of the sculpture garden is "Harmony."

 Entrance to Changshou Park

 Circular paths and bushes frame the sculptures

 Central courtyard offers a great venue

 Sculptures nestled between the paths and the water features

Sculpture on Huaihai Road, Shanghai

Wandering down Huaihai Road, which starts just below People's Park and runs East-West across Shanghai, roughly parallel to Nanjing Road, but on the other side of the Yan'an Elevated Road, I find more great gardens and sculpture among the high-end shops.

As I walk down from People's Square on Huangpi Road, I pass the K11 building just before reaching Huaihai Road.  K11 is a 61-story office building and shopping mall, but what immediately catches my eye are the plantings on the wall of the building above the entrance

K11 building entrance

Then, as soon as I turn onto Huaihai Road, I spot a few random sculptures along the street.

Sculpture on Huaihai Road

And, larger ones in front of high-end stores.

 Sculpture outside Dolce & Gabbana

Sidewalk display outside Lane Crawford

Bird sculpture outside a mall 

And, at the Metro station.

Woman on phone outside Metro station

As modern Shanghai came together, there was lots of room for small parks, gardens and displays.  Here, among the shops and office buildings in one example.

 Small park garden and sculpture

 As I get a few more blocks from the city center, I leave the modern high-end shops and the street is lined with great shady trees.

 Huaihai Road is lined with trees

Then, after about an hour's wlak down Huaihai Road, I reach Baoqing Road, which I often take down to Xujiahui.  Here, I find another small park with more sculptures.

 Sculpture in a small city park

 And one more live sculpture!

Sculpture in another small park

I truly enjoy wandering around Shanghai - there is something new to see everywhere!