This is the Japanese version of SHANGHAI CITY NEWS⇒ http://blog.goo.ne.jp/taichou-san2014/e/3f93ebc0ec12d3a90acc100e9d013a0d
This article is only the text. I could send the PDF file including pictures if you would send a message to me.
【2 years separation】
From May 29th to 31st, after two years separation I’d been to Shanghai. The purpose of visiting this time was to observe the Expo. Since I’d lived in Shanghai, I terribly wanted to visit Shanghai Expo. Because I believe the Expo accelerates Shanghai’s development.
The first time I visited Shanghai was 1985. That’s time there was neither Highway nor Subway. Except the Band, there was no skyscraper. 18 years later in 2003 I started to reside in Shanghai. That time the city had already started the subway service, but only three lines. In 2007 before starting the construction of the Expo, I climbed the Lupu Bridge. From the top of the bridge, I observed the site of the Expo. There was no construction, only the existing shipyard at that time.
This time I visited the Expo and re-noticed the development of Shanghai. The highway extended, the city already had 12 subway lines. There were unbelievable skyscrapers. The place of the Expo was equipped.
【Procession, procession】
However the visiting the Expo was miserable! I thought just after the opening the Expo, many people visited. In July, August, September, the period of the summer holiday, I expected many people come to The Expo as well. In October before the closing the Expo, I thought there was diving people. I expected there were not so many people to visit the Expo the end of May and the beginning of June. Therefore I decided to visit the Expo the end of May. My plan was collapsed.
Around 11 am on the first day I arrived in the Expo. It was very convenient to come to the Expo from the hotel by the subway. I planned to observe China Pavilion in the first day, and the second day Japan Pavilion.
Just after entering the gate, I rushed to come to China Pavilion. Reached the pavilion I was extremely surprised. There were very long lines in front of China Pavilion, Hong Kong Pavilion and Macau Pavilion. Also there were the long lines in Taiwan Pavilion.
It was said that the entrance ticket for China Pavilion was distributed at the gate after the opening in the day. However there was already long line in the gate on 6 am. Of course there was no ticket when I visited. I gave up observing China Pavilion and rushed to come to Japan Pavilion. Jesus!
There were very long lines in front of Japan Pavilion as well. Also there were long lines nearby Korea Pavilion. Finally I gave up the Asian district. I thought to sit down the free round bus for European district. Unbelievable! The buses were full of passengers. At long I could come to The European district. As you can guess, there were long lines in the district.
When I came back to the hotel at that night, I knew by TV news that it was the record of the visitors 505,000 after opening. TV news also said it were 5 hours waiting for Japan, Korea and Germany Pavilions. Also it took half hour to use toilets.
【In the moonlight】
Lastly I waited two and half hours to enter Swiss Pavilion. After Swiss, I observed relatively short waiting lines of the Netherlands, the Luxemburg, the Angola, and African Coalition Pavilions.
At night I also watched Malagasy show. They dance and song. The most emoted show was the song of Miss Teresa Teng “The moon knows my broken heart”. Under shinning Moon in Shanghai the black people song Taiwanese singer’s song. No borders in the World! Visiting the African Coalition Pavilion, I realized there are very tight relations between China and African countries. Regrettably there were not such tight relations between Japan and African countries.
【Second Day】
The second day I came to the entrance gate around 9:15, but there were already long lines in front of the gate. After one hour later, I could start to join the lines in front of Japan Pavilion. It took two and half hours to enter Japan Pavilion. After Japan Pavilion, I only visited Vietnam Pavilion. I was really tired because of two days making lines. Therefore I left the Expo around 3 pm of the day.
It was the story of my miserable experience of Shanghai Expo.
