Beijing to Shanghai. A trip from the old imperial capital of Beijing to the capital of Chinese Modernism: Shanghai. On the way there is the town of Qingdao. And Tianjin makes a nice side trip from Beijing. Less than an hour by high speed rail.

Beijing

Beijing was geared up for the then upcoming Olympics. The center had grown dull in comparison to the old days. No street vendors, the remaining Hutongs a tourist attraction. McDonalds was very visible and the remaining food courts were in basements. In the center little remained of the old Beijing of the nineties and even the zero's.

Tianjin

Beijings harbor sister. Little known but a municipality with 14 million inhabitants. Only little more than half an hour by train from Beijing. Where Beijing begins to look finished the center of Tianjin is still under major construction. Old alleys and newly created Ming architecture Chinatowns, highrise construction, fake renaissance architecture, colonial art deco and a quarter that makes you feel like you are in Europe.

Qingtao

An old German concession. Home of the most famous brewery in China. Some old German styled churches and buildings and also China's version of a Spanish costa, so don't visit in summer.

Shanghai

Once held the most prominent European concessions and the most impressive row of art deco architecture in the east. The place where Chinese rebellion against the Colonial powers originated and the birthplace of Chinese communism.

Now becoming the spearhead of modern China. The largest port in the world and since the year 2000 an average of three 200+ meter skyscrapers is finished each year. Industry, traffic and pollution, but also plans for ecological satellite cities and a science museum with a large section devoted to ecological education. Check out the museum of City Planning to see the cities ambitions, and Pudong and the Millenium park to see the future world capital, a crown that someday will be taken from New York.