Shanghai welcomed me with heavy fog and humid air. The city resides by the sea and enjoys relatively mild weather, which reminds me of Vancouver. Shanghai is the largest center of commerce in mainland China; there are more international companies with offices here than in Beijing. I was especially amazed at the historical architecture of buildings in downtown Shanghai where many financial institutions have set up their headquarters.

Shanghai is a popular tourist destination and although I was there for the World Expo 2010, I had to see the city’s modern and luxurious Pudong district with its beautiful skyline, which includes the Oriental Pearl Tower. Even though the fog made the day less than ideal for picture-taking, I couldn’t have asked for a better time in Shanghai.

This was my first time there, but I’ll definitely be returning soon.

Pudong and downtown Shanghai: