Exploring Museums

When visiting Waitan, travellers can tour Shanghai Museum, which was created in 1952 and has approximately 120,000 items. The facility’s exhibits contain paintings, ceramics, statues and old furniture. Moreover, the museum has ancient seals and texts that feature calligraphy.

Visiting Historic Buildings and Plazas

Positioned in the southern part of Waitan, the Union Building was constructed in 1916 and has an architectural style that originated during the 15th century. The structure currently contains a sizeable shopping centre and the offices of several financial institutions.
Many travellers visit Chenyi Square, which is positioned next to the Peace Building, the Bank of China and the Yangtze Building. The square is also connected to the Waitan Sightseeing Tunnel, which contains a railway and a myriad of LED lights.
Constructed in 1907, the China Merchants Bank Building once contained a medical facility and currently attracts thousands of visitors every year. With more than 220 rooms, the building has an architectural style that was popular in the 15th century.

The Neighbourhood’s Transportation

The walkway is especially close to the Fuxing East Road Ferry Station and this hub’s boats regularly transport visitors to Yangpu, Baoshan, the Yangtze River and the Gongqing Forest Park. Additionally, more than 15 bus stations are situated in Waitan.

Exploring Parks

The district is especially close to Gucheng Park, which features several picturesque streams, sizeable gardens, historic monuments, well-kept walkways and gazebos. When exploring Waitan, guests may also visit the Golden Waterfront Garden in order to tour several structures that were built during the 18th century.

Night Time

Night time at the Bund is the perfect setting for a harbour stroll. As night descends upon this area a certain buzz emerges that seems to change the face of Shanghai. You will be surrounded by an ambience of brightly lit buildings and boats that emit their glow over the now quiet river. Many say the Bund is a “must see” at night, as it becomes another experience entirely.
Sunset is around 5pm so it is advised that you arrive around 4:30pm to experience both the day and night views. This will give you the perfect opportunity to snap some photos of Shanghai’s skyline during sunset.

Choosing a Hotel

If you want to stay at a luxury hotel that is within walking distance of Waitan, you should reserve a room at the Radisson Blu Shanghai New World. This picturesque tower contains a state-of-the-art spa, a well-equipped fitness centre, indoor pools and a sizeable business centre. Furthermore, the building’s uppermost part has a gourmet restaurant that rotates slowly and provides a majestic view of Waitan.

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In March 2013, the U.N. announced that an estimated 2.5 billion people don’t have access to working toilets, and pledged to halve this number by 2015.

However, for the 4.5 billion people who do have access, it’s a very different story. It’s been estimated that we spend over a year of our lives on the loo. With this in mind, we’ve investigated ten of the best loos with a view.

The London skyline, with its landmark structures and skyscrapers, is one of the most famous in the world. Iconic buildings like the Gherkin and Big Ben rise from the bustling streets, attracting tourists from around the globe. At 306 metres, architect Renzo Piano’s Shard is the tallest building of them all. The 68^th floor of this incredible structure boasts the most exhilarating toilet view in London. Visitors are treated to a breath-taking view of the sprawling metropolis, from a ceiling-to-floor window.

Here’s another loo with an impressive city view. Workers at the Commerzbank tower – the tallest building in Germany – can look out over the rooftops of Frankfurt in this lofty bathroom. The architect of the building clearly had a sense of humour, as the location of the toilet makes it look like users are urinating on the building of Dresdner bank, who were direct competitors when the Commerzbank tower was built. (Commerzbank has since acquired Dresdner, completing the transaction in 2009).

Chinese city Chongquing is home to ‘Foreigner Street’, a theme park devoted to international culture. The park features replica Egyptian pyramids, a smaller copy of Christ the Redeemer, and what is claimed to be the world’s largest public toilet. The sprawling bathroom contains 4 floors, and over 1000 toilets.  If they can take their eyes off the novelty-shaped urinals, the uppermost floor provides guests with a view over the park.

The NamibRand nature reserve is one of the biggest privately-owned nature reserves in Southern Africa. The park is home to a plethora of wildlife, including cheetahs, vultures and jackals. It’s also home to this unusual toilet, which looks out onto a vast, sandy plain.

Kenya’s Meru National Park was made famous by Born Free, the 1960 book and subsequent film about a couple’s efforts to release a lioness into the wild. A luxurious safari lodge, Elsa’s Kopje can be found within the park’s boundaries. Guests are invited to enjoy the facilities, including this incredible bathroom, which comes complete with stunning views over the African plains.

This photo was taken from the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. The first thing you notice is the stunning view. Look closely, and you’ll see the best loo-with-a-view in Africa – a long-drop toilet provided for visitors to Shira Camp. Situated on Kilimanjaro’s Shira Plateau, this toilet sits at a dizzying 3,847m above sea level.

Alcatraz was notoriously difficult to escape – authorities maintain that throughout the facility’s 29-year history, no prisoner ever successfully broke out. Part of the prison’s success was down to constant surveillance – carried out in part from lofty guard towers. One of the towers was equipped with a toilet, providing a 360° view of the surrounding San Francisco bay.

Going to the toilet on the slopes can often be a chilly and unpleasant experience. However, this stunning Alpine view, found in a mountainside bathroom in the Austrian SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser, makes up for the cold. The SkiWelt is Austria’s largest interconnected skiing region, with 279km of runs, 91 cable cars, and a series of breath-taking bathroom views.

Standard aeroplane toilets rarely feature windows. However, they’re slightly more common in business and first-class cabins. This luxurious loo, complete with faux-wood panelling and a porcelain sink, features on some Emirates flights. Not only does this toilet offer far more space than the cramped cubicle most flyers are used to, it also provides flyers with a sensational view of blue skies and drifting clouds.

Hikers are usually reduced to doing their business in the woods. However, park authorities at Montana’s Glacier National Park have thoughtfully provided this toilet for passing ramblers. With over 1,000,000 acres to explore, this loo-with-a-view could be hard to find. Those who are lucky enough to stumble upon it can use the facilities whilst gazing at the vast Agassiz Glacier.

 This article was written  by Ben Wosskow of LoveHomeSwap.com, a leading home swapping site boasting over 48,000 properties across over 150 countries.

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To be honest I am not big lover of aquariums or zoo. My preference is to see animals in their natural environment.  According to the study done at Okinawa aquarium whale sharks live for only average 16 months in captivity. Naturally they can live up to 70 years. So personally I probably won’t be visiting any of these aquariums and would prefer to swim with whale sharks again or just go for whale watching tour.

7. Polar Ocean World, Qingdao, China

According Wikipedia it should be two whale sharks at Polar Ocean World, but I didn’t find any other sources confirming that and on their web page did see only pictures of Beluga whales, but nothing about whale sharks.

6. Yantai Aquarium, China

Yantai Aquarium is another aquarium with no much information, except huge concern from conservationists as there are 5 whale sharks in very tiny 27 meters by 16 meters (88 feet by 52 feet) aquarium.  It is hard to imagine 10-15 meters (30-50 feet) long adult whale shark in such “box”.

5. Kenting National Museum of Biology and Aquarium, Taiwan

At Kenting National Museum of Biology and Aquarium there is aquarium called The Open Ocean Aquarium. There is no information about measurements except it is largest aquarium in Taiwan and besides 13 dolphins it features one 16 meters (52 feet) long whale shark.

4. Ioworld Aquarium, Kagoshima, Japan

Because all official information about Ioworld Aquarium is in Japanese it is hard to find precise numbers. According online reviews the aquarium isn’t too big and presentations are in Japanese, but it is not crowded and features single whale shark.

3. Kaiyukan Aquarium, Osaka, Japan

The largest tank “Pacific Ocean” in Kaiyukan aquarium is 9 metres (30 feet) deep and holds 5.4 million liters (1.4 million US gallons) of water.  Besides whale shark you can see Manta ray, Bluefin tuna, Spotted eagle ray in the “Pacific Ocean”.

2. Churaumi Aquarium, Okinawa, Japan

The main tank at Churaumi  Aquarium called the Kuroshio Sea, holds 7.5 million liters (1.98 million US gallons) of water.  When the aquarium was opened in 2002 it had largest acrylic glass panel in the world measuring 8.2 by 22.5 metres (27 by 74 feet) with a thickness of 60 centimetres (24 inches).
There are 3 whale sharks in aquarium at the moment.

1. Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, US

At Georgia Aquarium is located largest tank in the World. Ocean Voyager holds 24 million liters (6.3 million US gallons) of water and was specially designed to house whale sharks, the largest fish species in the world.  At the moment there are 4 whale sharks in the aquarium and can watch them live on web cam or … you can swim with whale sharks in aquarium. A swim is guaranteed and you don’t need to worry about sea sickens.

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Do you know what is longest bridge in the world now? Here is the list of top 5 longest bridges in the world at this moment. I didn’t see them yet, but love to see one day.

#5 Beijing Grand Bridge

Located  in Beijing and it is a 29 miles (48 kilometers) long railway viaduct on the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway.

#4 Bang Na Expressway

Burapha Withi Expressway (official name of highway) in Bangkok, Thailand.

It was considered longest bridge in the world until 2010, but was excluded from the list because it doesn’t cross any water (except Bang Pakong River) of the most of its length. But still it is great 34 miles (54 kilometers) long structure.

#3 Weinan Weihe Grand Bridge

When The Weinan Weihe Grand Bridge was completed in 2008 it was the longest bridge in the world, but it was holding that title only for two years. The bridge is 49.5 miles (80 kilometers) long. It is part of high speed railway connecting Zhengzhou and Xi’an.

#2 Tianjin Grand Bridge

Tianjin Grand Bridge is also a railway viaduct bridge as most bridges on this list. The bridge is recorded in Guinness World Records book as second longest bridge in the world in year 2011. The length of the bridge is 71 miles (114 kilometers).

#1 Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge

And the longest bridge in the world for today is Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge. It was opened last (2011) year and it is 102 miles (165 kilometers) long and it crosses the second longest Tianjin Grand Bridge viaduct.

p.s. it is so hard to find right pictures of these bridges. May be it is because they are relatively new.

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