Shanghai Expo 2010 Underway

The Shanghai World Expo opened its doors on 1 May so, if you haven’t made plans yet, there is still time to see this spectacle - which runs for six-months - until 31 October 2010. 

The theme of the Expo is ‘Better City, Better Life’.  The Opening Ceremony was a star-studded event, with many world leaders in attendance as well as stars such as Jackie Chan and Andrea Bocceli.  The evening included spectacular fireworks and lasers, and the release of thousands of glowing LED spheres into the Huangpu River – representing fish. 

The Expo will attract huge crowds to its weird and wonderful pavilions, so you’ll also need to pack plenty of patience to stand in queues for the more popular exhibits. It is estimated that 70 million people will pass through the gates.  More than 180 countries signed up for the Shanghai Expo and more than 50 major international organisations and corporations are involved.

World Expositions are held every five years.  In 2005 the venue was Aichi, Japan.  The next Expo (2015) will be hosted by Italy – in Milan.  The first Expo was held in London’s Crystal palace in 1851 and called ‘The Great Exhibition’.  

The national pavilions are the main attractions, with many unusual designs representing the various theme interpretations of the participating nations.  The pavilions cost many millions to construct and staff.  Many of the materials used in construction are reported to be planet-friendly and biodegradable. 

The China Pavilion is the largest – a huge, red traditional structure named ‘The Crown of the East’ representing an ancient Chinese crown, using traditional Chinese ‘Dou Gong’ (bucket arch) architecture.  The next largest are the Joint Africa Pavilion and Pacific Pavilion -representing the various nations and cultures. 

The U.S. pavilion is shaped like an eagle.  Japan has a silkworm dome – and is reported to be worth a visit for its amazing high-tech toilets!   Italy’s pavilion is constructed using translucent cement – which saves energy by letting in light.  The UK pavilion is a six-storey ‘Seed Cathedral’ nicknamed ‘the Dandelion’ and made up of thousands of translucent fibre-optic rods which produce interesting effects as the wind blows. 

Canada’s pavilion features touches by the popular Cirque du Soleil circus troupe. Spain’s is giant wicker basket; Switzerland’s a high alpine meadow – complete with chairlift.  The Australia pavilion features a façade of oxidised steel to represent the desert regions. Saudi Arabia’s pavilion resembles a huge oil tanker with hanging-garden oasis, date palm trees and Bedouin tents.  The UAE Pavilion is a giant sand dune constructed from gold coloured glass (which will be transported to Abu Dhabi as a permanent attraction).

The location of the Shanghai Expo is on the banks either side of the Huangpu River in central Shanghai.  It is believed to be the most expensive and largest Expo to date.  The huge exhibition area also includes a flying saucer-shaped performing arts centre, sculpture garden, and sports arena.  Preparations for the Expo have been ongoing since 2002 and involved millions of volunteers. 

Visit our Travel Gudie to China and follow the link on the page for the Foreign Office (FCO) for the latest, updated and important travel advice and information.   To obtain a quote for Travel Insurance click here. For Business Travel insurance click here.   Visit the Shanghai Expo 2010 website for full information.

Flickr cc Image:  Tokuriki  (China Pavilion)