Taken from the Space Module at the 350 meter level of the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai spreads out as far as the eye can see in any direction. A city of over 12 million people, it bristles with modern skyscrapers and new construction is springing up everywhere. 
Shanghai's Huangpu River carries dozens of barges east and west through the city. Most of them are transporting materials for the construction that is taking place on almost every city block of this bustling metropolis.
The Bund was undeveloped land in the 1800's. The British set up their consulate and other buildings there after the Opium War. In the early 1900's the Bund was the site of buildings designed by architects from Britain, France, China, America, Russia, Japan, and others. Until more recent times Chinese were banned, and the Bund although protected as a cultural heritage site, remains a symbol of past imperialism.
This picture was taken from the waterfront pedestrian walkway known as the Bund (also called the Zhongshan Road) on the banks of the Hangpu river. The TV tower is the world's 3rd highest structure.
China's premier shopping street, 3.4-mile-long Nanjing Road, starts at the Bund in the east and ends in the west at the junction of Jingan Temple and Yan'an West Street. It has also been called China's first street, and boasts many other firsts: first department store, first drugstore, etc.
I arrived back in Kunshan for a nine day visit Saturday evening. The next day was bright and sunny andI took this photo showing new construction all along one of the main roads in Kunshan close to my hotel.
