It was a relatively clear day today, and I decided to take some pictures from my balcony and out of my windows. The top picture is a picture of the almost-finished Tibet Hotel. Construction companies have been working on this building for years, but each time they had to stop because of (I assume) financial problems. The hotel is as good as ready now, but I do not see much activity on the site. In the background you see the 262 meter tall Grand Gateway towers.

This picture is the outdoor swimming pool and little park with ponds in our compound. The pool is only open 3 months a year. Next to the pool is a high-end Balinese Spa, with private rooms with jacuzzi’s and sauna’s. Open to the public, and well worth a visit (but much more expensive than regular massage places like Dragon Fly).

The World Financial Tower, China’s tallest builing for now, is almost finished. It towers above the Jinmao Tower. To the right the Oriental Pearl Tower can just be seen.

The Xujiahui Cathedral, the largest church in Shanghai, built between 1905 and 1910, partly destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and now being restored.

Innovative advertising: a company erected a huge bottle in front of Grand Gateway during Chinese New Year. The bottle consists of LCD screens that show advertising or TV shows.

Some more pictures taken from my apartment this morning can be found here.