Exhibition Freedom Trip with Must-See Pavilions

**Expo Strategy: A Day in Shanghai** **Date: June 10, 2010** — **Morning: Arrival and Initial Explorations** I arrived at the […]

**Expo Strategy: A Day in Shanghai**

**Date: June 10, 2010**

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**Morning: Arrival and Initial Explorations**

I arrived at the Tibet South Road entrance at 8 am, joining a queue that already had six bends. The park opened at 9 am, and by 9:15, I had passed through security and entered the park. My first destination was Area D.

**State Grid Pavilion:**

The State Grid Pavilion, with its flowing water-like appearance, was a sight to behold. My connection to this venue allowed me swift entry, taking less than 10 minutes. Inside, high-definition TVs introduced the intricacies of the power grid. The ‘Six-Sided Video, Suspension Experience’ was a 4-minute, 720-degree multimedia spectacle. Unique to this pavilion was the underground floor, powering the park and venues as the ‘Heart of Energy’ of Shanghai Expo, an intelligent substation and China’s first ‘Smart Grid Demonstration Area’.

**Spain Pavilion:**

From Puxi ferry to Area C, the Spain Pavilion was my next stop. Despite the crowd, the queue moved swiftly. After 40 minutes, I entered to find a mining site-like atmosphere, with a fireball projection and a Spanish dance performance. The dancers, with their slender figures, captivated the audience. I found myself at the front row, witnessing their performance up close. A large screen then showcased snippets of daily life in Spain, culminating in the giant baby doll that charmed the audience.

**Turkey Pavilion:**

Turkey, known for its mystery, was my next destination. After a 20-minute wait, I entered a pavilion filled with religious music and mysteriously hued items, all presented as models.

**Ireland Pavilion:**

A 10-minute queue led me to the Ireland Pavilion, surrounded by turf and bright with floor-to-ceiling windows. The exhibits featured high-definition televisions and large color pages, with Irish tap dance being a standout feature. The performance was presented on a large screen with a small stage, but I moved on after a brief observation.

**Ukraine Pavilion:**

The Ukraine Pavilion, less crowded and easy to navigate, showcased impressive clothing and pottery. The embroidered garments resembled cross-stitch, and a live pottery-making demonstration piqued my interest in comparing it to Chinese pottery.

**France Pavilion:**

Despite the long line, the wait was only 20 minutes. The pavilion’s design evoked a Versailles garden waiting area. Old French films and modern images projected on the second floor conveyed impressions of French cities. A Louis Vuitton model walk was projected onto a large glass screen, and the legendary seven treasures were on display. French-made robots, some in meditation and others greeting the audience, added an interesting touch. Live broadcasts of French cuisine preparation were a unique experience, though the chefs were all Chinese.

**Belgium-EU Pavilion:**

The ‘brain cell’ design of the Belgium-EU Pavilion, inspired by Belgium’s scientific and artistic achievements and its role in European politics, was worth the half-hour wait. The queue was enlivened by a middle-aged man with a noble demeanor, tirelessly shouting something.

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This account of a day at the Expo Strategy in Shanghai provides a glimpse into the diverse and engaging experiences each pavilion has to offer.Outside the Belgium Pavilion, there are many food stalls. Especially ice cream and fries are selling well. When I was thirsty, I went to buy water (as the drinking fountain was crowded). At the ice cream stand, a handsome foreigner was busy. I said, “I’d like a fruit juice,” and took out five yuan, waiting for change. However, the handsome man didn’t say a word. He took out a ten-yuan note and a five-yuan note from his cash box and said, “Fifteen yuan.” I was stunned.

Inside the Belgium Pavilion, they hand out a type of Belgian caramel biscuit at the entrance, which is very tasty. Entering, there’s a Belgian company with many small flags hanging. Many of them are well-known, such as Nivea, Philips, etc. Then there are some introductions, a display area with chocolate making, and diamond cutting performances, etc. I saw the world’s largest diamond. Uncut, it resembles rock candy. But once processed by humans, it shines brilliantly.

There is a tennis racket adorned with diamonds, crafted from 6 kilograms of gold and 1600 diamonds. Numerous diamond exhibits are also on display, truly precious. The live chocolate making is quite a spectacle. A female master crafted a chocolate resembling Haibao, which is quite adorable.

8. Monaco Pavilion: After waiting in line for about 10 minutes, just when I was about to give up as no one was being let in, a miracle happened and they started letting people in. The most impressive thing inside was the red Ferrari, extremely dazzling, and a photograph of a princess, seemingly Grace Kelly, very elegant. (Due to other pavilions such as Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, UK, Canada, Sweden, and Russia being popular venues with waiting times exceeding one hour, I moved on to Zone B after passing by).

9. Theme Pavilion: I entered the Urban Life Pavilion. It was truly a walk-in experience. The ceiling was made of artificial grass that danced wildly in the wind, reminiscent of my time on the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, quite beautiful. Inside, there wasn’t anything particularly special, just three carriages – one green-skinned train, one high-speed train, and another I can’t recall. There were three platforms, seemingly representing flights from various places, namely Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Next was a movie. Everyone leaned on the railings to watch a 360-degree screen, which introduced some very beautiful girls in Shanghai dancing belly dance, scenes of people commuting to and from work in Mumbai, India, a little boy in Hanyang, Sichuan, rebuilding after an earthquake and finding a buried box of chess pieces, Christmas in some place in America, and a young man in Africa with great passion finding drum skins and happily playing drums. It reflected the state of cities under different places, different people, and different cultures. Afterwards, I heard some people discussing where the life of a city is manifested. My feeling is that the life of a city is manifested in the daily life of different people under different cultural backgrounds.

The pavilions of New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore in Zone B were quite impressive, but unfortunately, there were also many people in line. I quickly took a few photos of the pavilions in Zone B and rushed to Zone C.