The Bund of Shanghai
The Bund, which extends from Jinling Road in the south to the Waibaidu Bridge over the Suzhou Creek( the whole project of the cleanup of the Suzhou Creek is estimated to cost 20 billion yuan or 2.42 billion US dollar and by 2010 hopefully the river will once again be clean enough to encourage marine life back to the area) in the north, is on the western bank of the 114 kilometer long Hangpu River, a tributary of the Yangtze River.
The Bund is one of the most recognizable architectural symbols of Shanghai. "Bund" derives from an Anglo-Indian word for an embankment along a muddy waterfront and that is what it was in the beginning when the first British company opened an office there in 1846. It has been the epitome of elegance throughout its 100-year history.Now many attractions new constructions have been erected in addition. A 771-metre long retaining wall for flood control was built in a century. Atop the wall is a spacious walkway for sightseeing. Paved with colorful tiles and dotted with flower-beds and European-style garden lights. It is a good place for a leisurely stroll and a view of the Huangpu River.
The commemorative square at the crossroad on Nanjing Road (E) features a clear fountain and the statue of Chen Yi, the first mayor of Shanghai in new China. Opposite the Custom Building is an electronic clock that shows standard times in various world localities on a water-like curtain. All around are Chinese wisterias, gingko trees and azaleas. Buildings in Greek, Renaissance and Baroque styles can be viewed in the western part of the Bund.
The boatride on the River will take the visitors down to the estuary of the Yangtze River in 3.15 hours.
