Top Ten Most Beautiful Lakes in Tibet

NO. 1  Yamdrok Tso -  The Most Beautiful Water in the World

Situated 100 km southwest of Lhasa with an elevation of 4441 m (14570 ft), Yamdrok Tso (Yamdrok Lake, Tibetan: Yamdrok Yumtso; Chinese:羊卓雍措,羊卓雍错,羊卓雍湖) is one of the three most sacred lakes in Tibet (the other two are Namtso and Manasarovar).

On the old road between Gyantse and Lhasa, coiling Yamdrok-tso Lake can be seen from the summit of the Kamba-la pass (4700m). The lake lies several hundred meters below the road, and in clear weather is a fabulous shade of deep turquoise-blue. Far in the northwest distance is the huge massif of Mt. Nojin Kangtsang (7191m). Nangartse is a small town along the way that has some basic accommodation and a couple of restaurants. A 20-minute drive or a two-hour walk from Nangartse brings you to Samding Monastery, a charming place with scenic views of the surrounding area and the lake. Yamdrok-tso Lake is also the site of Tibet’s largest hydroelectric Power Station.

NO.2  Namtso – Heavenly Lake in Tibet

About 240km northwest of Lhasa, Nam-tso (Heavenly Lake in Tibetan, Chinese:纳木错,又称纳木措,那木措,那木错, 腾格里海, 腾格里湖) is the highest saltwater lake in the world at 4,720m (over 14,000 feet) and one of the most beautiful natural sights in Tibet. It is over 70km long, reaches a width of 30km and is 35m at its deepest point. When the ice melts in late April, the lake is a miraculous shade of turquoise and there are magnificent views of the nearby snowcapped mountains. The wide open spaces, dotted with the tents of local drokpas (nomads), are intoxicating.

Lake Namtso (Namco) is one of the three holiest lakes in Tibet (the other two are Lake Manasarovar and Yamdrok Tso) and an important centre for pilgrimage. The lake plays sanctuary to many species of migrating birds and other local birds. One attraction of a trip to Nam-tso is the opportunity to get a peek at the otherwise inaccessible life of Tibet’s drokpas (nomads), seminomadic herders who make their home in the Changtang, Tibet’s vast and remote northern plateau. Most travelers head for Tashi Dor Monastery (elevation 4718m) in the southeastern corner of the lake. There are some fine walks in the area, as well as a short but pilgrim-packed Kora.

The best season for trekking in Nam Tso Lake is late May to October, however you must be prepared at all times for wet weather, snow and cold winds.

NO. 3  Lake Manasarovar – The Most Sacred Lake in Tibet

Tucked away in the southwest corner of Tibet near Mount Kailash, Lake Manasarovar or Lake Manasa Sarovar (also spelled Mansarovar and Mansarowar, Tibetan: Mapam Yumco or Mapham Yutso; Chinese: 玛旁雍错; 4560m/14,957 ft) is the highest freshwater lake in the world and one of its most beautiful natural sights in Tibet. With its sapphire-blue waters, sandy shoreline and snowcapped-mountain backdrop, Manasarovar is immediatedly appealing, and a welcome change of venue from the often-forbidding terrain of Mt Kailash, Tibet’s holiest peak.

The most venerated of Tibet’s many lakes, Lake Manasa Sarovar is a place of pilgrimage, attracting religious people from India, Nepal, Tibet and the neighboring countries. Manasarovar has been circumambulated by Indian pilgrims since at least 1700 years ago when it was extolled in the sacred Sanskrit literature the Puranas. Legend has it that the mother of the Buddha, Queen Maya, was bathed at Manasarovar by the gods before giving birth to her son. Gandhi requested that his ashes be scattered beside this sacred lake. Just 20km from Mt. Kailash across the Barkha plain, Manasarovar can be circumambulated in four or five days. Five of the original eight monasteries have been partially rebuilt.

Manasarovar is linked to the smaller Rakshastal (known to Tibetans as Lhanagtso) by the channel called Gang-chu. The two bodies of water are associated with the conjoined sun and moon, a powerful symbol of Tantric Buddhism.

The best time to make a tour to Mt. Kailash & Lake Manasarovar region is between mid-May and mid-October. During this time the weather in Mt. Kailash and Lake Manasarovar is generally stable and clear, with warm temperatures during the days and cool nights. July and August are usually warmer, but this is when the monsoon pushes beyond the Himalaya. Swelling the creeks and coating the valleys with greenery and wildflowers.

Mansarovar lake and Mt. Kailas can now be accessed by air as China inaugurated a high-altitude Ngari Gunsa Airport (Ali Kunsha Airport) in western Tibet’s Ngari Prefecture near the two holy places in July 1st, 2010. As Shiquanhe (Ali) is only a one-day bus drive (about 330 km) from the settlement of Darchen situated just north of Lake Mansarovar, facing Mount Kailash. It is expected to benefit pilgrims to these two sites.

NO. 4  Lhanag-tso Lake – The Ghost Lake

Despite its close proximity to Lake Manasarovar–over the road to Purang County, Lake Rakshastal (Lhanag Tso, Tibetan:ལག་ངར་མཚོ་ ; Chinese:拉昂错) does not share the lore of worship with its east neighbor. Named ‘lake of the demon’, Lake Rakshastal is considered to be the residence of Ravana, the ten-headed demon king of Ceylon in Hindu myth. In Buddhism, Lake Manasarovar, which is round like the sun, and Lake Rakshastal, shaped as a crescent, are respectively regarded as ‘brightness’ and ‘darkness’. Its salty water, a stark contrast to the fresh water of Lake Manasarovar, produces no waterweeds or fish and is considered poisonous by locals.

However, despite its notoriety, Lake Rakshastal bears no less beauty than other lakes in Tibet. Originally joined with Lake Manasarovar and later separated by geological movements, it is still connected with Lake Manasarovar by a natural channel, Ganga Chhu. It covers a total area of 70 sq km (27 sq miles), at an altitude of 4,752m (15,590 ft). Though absent of nearby grasslands, the white cobbles, the hills and the island colored with dark red, and the deep blue lake water present another distinctive picture absent from many of the places more frequented by visitors.

NO. 5 Pangong Tso – A Paradise For Migratory Birds

Situated at a height of 4,350 m (13,900 ft) in the Himalayas and spanning like a finger from India into China with two-third of its length in Tibet, Pangong Tso (Pangong Lake, Tso means lake in Ladakhi,Chinese:班公湖,班公错,班公措) is noted for its crystal clear blue-brackish water which keeps playing tricks on your eyes changing colors in seven distinct shades of blue, green, purple, truquoise and violet depending on the angle of your view.

Lake Pangong (Palgon) is home to a variety of migratory birds including brown-headed gulls, cygnets, yellow ducks, bar-headed geese and black-necked siberian cranes. The pangong lake can be reached from Leh, the capital city of Ladakh in India or from Shiquanhe (Ali), the capital of Ngari prefecture in western Tibet. The trip from Lhasa to Shiquanhe has been much easier with the opening of Ngari Gunsa Airport on July 1, 2010, the journey has been shortened from three or four days by car to only 100 minutes by air.

NO. 6  Draksum-tso – an alpine lake with a fairy-tale island monastery

The beautiful alphine lake Draksum-tso (Basum Tso,Pasum-tso, Chinese:巴松错,八松错)  is located in Kongpo Gyamda County in eastern Tibet’s Nyingchi Prefecture, 400 kilometers away from Lhasa. It is the sacred lake of Nyingmapa (Red, tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, monks wear red hats) as well as the largest fresh water barrier lake in the eastern part of Tibet.

The holy lake, more Swiss Alps than Tibetan plateau,is beautified by its surrounding landscapes from forested mountains to snow capped peaks.The site has strong connections to Gesar of Ling, the semi-mythical ruler of the Kham region and Guru Rinpoche, the Indian sage, both of whom are said to have resided at the lake.

The highlight of the Basum lake is the Tsozong Gongba Monastery (Chinese:错宗工巴寺), a small sacred chapel of the Nyingma  sited on a photogenic island just off the southern shore. The Zhaxi island is an organic fusion of dozens of types of flora and a springkle of holy sights.

NO.7 Rawok Tso Lake – The Little Swiss of Tibet

A perfect blend of the Swiss Alps snow peaks and the streams in Jiuzaigou (a photogenic town in central China), Rawok Tso (Ranwu, Ranwok tso, Chinese:然乌湖,然乌错) is the largest lake in southeast of Tibet’s Nyingchi Prefecture.

The Ranwu Lake is surrounded by the Gangrigabu Mountain in the southwest, the Azhagongla Glacier in the south and the Bosula Peak in the northeast, with the famous Lagu glacier extending to the lake from the north. The melted snow and ice supply the lake and rivers such as Yalu Tsangpo. Many of the peaks surrounding the lake are over 5, 000 meters high and thus permanently locked with glaciers. The foot of these peaks, however, is green with pines and cypresses. The browsing herds of cattle and sheep, the barley paddy, bean and cabbage field form an oil painting that can be seen no elsewhere.

NO.8  Tangra Yumco – The holy lake of the Bon believers

The holy lake of the Bon believers, Lake Tangra Yumco (Dangra Yumtso, Chinese:当惹雍错) is located in the Wenbu District in northern Tibet. It lies at the bottom of a deeply sunken basin, surrounded by mountains on three sides. On the eastern bank of the lake stand red cliffs and the seven peaks of the Darguo Mountains.Beside the lake there is a monastery, Yubon Monastery, built in the scarp cave. It is said that Yubon Monastery is the oldest one in Bon Religion.

NO.9 Lhamo La-tso – The Oracle (Vision) Lake in Tibet

Lhamo La-tso (Lhamo Latso, Lamu Lacuo, Lamuna Lake, Tibetan:ལྷ་མོའི་བླ་མཚོ།, Chinese:拉姆拉错,拉母那错), the small oval ‘Oracle Lake’ around 115km northeast of Tsetang in central Tibet, is where senior Tibetan monks go for visions to assist in the discovery of reincarnations of the Dalai Lamas. Other pilgrims also come to seek visions. It is considered to be the most holiest lake in Tibet. It is also known as “The Life-Spirit-Lake of the Goddess”, the goddess being Palden Lhamo, the principal Protectress of Tibet. The gateway to Lhamo Latso is the dramatic, but mostly ruined, Chokorgye Monastery, wedged between three mountains.

NO.10 Siling-tso – “Devil Lake” where the arch devil lives

Siling Tso - The Devil Lake in Tibet

Siling Tso (Siling co, Chinese:色林错) Lake is the second largest saltlake in Tibet, after the Namtso Lake.

Siling is an arch devil who used to live in Duilongdeqing County, west of Lhasa. He greedily devoured thousands of lives everyday including both human beings and animals.One day, the Padmasambhava found Siling and asked him to stay in the lake forever and confess. From then on, people called the lake “Siling-tso” which means the “Siling Devil Lake.”

Pangong Lake – A Paradise For Migratory Birds

Pangong Tso Lake - A Paradise For Migratory Birds

Pangong Tso (Pangong Lake, Chinese: 班公湖, 班公错, 班公措; Hindi: पांगोंग त्सो；Korean:반공호; Japanese: パンゴン湖), the largest brackish lake in Asia, is situated at a height of about 4,250 m (13,900 ft) in the Himalayas. The lake was once divided between Ladakh and Tibet as early as 1684 under the Treaty of Tingmosgang. As of today it is shared by India and China. The eastern part of the lake, in Rutog County of Ngari Prefecture in Western Tibet, is the world’s highest freshwater lake, and its western part is a saltwater lake straddling the China-India border.

The crystal clear sapphire-blue water of the Pangong lake against the bleak brown, towering mountains is dazzling

The Pangong Lake is noted for its crystal clear blue-blackish water which keeps playing tricks on your eyes changing colors in seven distinct shades of blue, green, purple and violet depending on the angle of your view. Its white shores are actually strips of deposited sand. The iridescent, hypnotizing blue of the lake against the bleak brown, towering mountains is dazzling, as is the sheer solitude here.

Brown-headed gulls at the Pangong Lake of Ngari Prefecture in western Tibet

Bar-headed geese fly over the Pangong Tso of the Rutong County in Western Tibet’s Ngari Prefecture

A beautiful donkey (Tibetan Wild Ass, known locally as kiang) on the banks of Pangong Tso

Pangong lake is an ideal site for bird lovers as well. The lake acts as an important breeding ground for a variety of birds including a number of migratory birds. During summer, Brown-headed gulls, cygnets, Brahmini ducks, bar-headed geese and black-necked Siberian cranes are commonly seen here. The region around the lake supports a number of species of wildlife including the kiang (Tibetan wild ass) and the Marmot.

Best time to visit pangong Lake is between June and August

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Pangong Tso is between June and August when the average temperature in these months is about 12 degrees celcius (67F).

Getting to Pangong Tso

From Leh, India

Chang La pass, en route to Pangong lake from Ladakh, India

Pangong Tso is about five hours drive from Leh, capital city of Ladakh, a province of state of Jammu & Kashmir in India, most of it through rough and spectacular valleys. The road passes through some of the most beautiful places in Ladakh – the Changla Pass (The worlds 3rd highest motorable road) and the Shey and Thiksey Village among others. A special permit is required to visit the lake. Spangmik is the farthest point you can go on the shores of the lake.

From Ali, Tibet

Pangong Lake is about 3-4 hours drive from Ali, the capital of Ngari Prefecture in Tibet

Pangong Tso can also be reached in a three-four hours drive (140 km) from Ali (aka Shiquanhe in Chinese, 狮泉河镇, Senge Khabab (Town of the Lion) in Tibetan), the capital of the Ngari Prefecture in Western Tibet. The Road (China National Highway 219, 新藏公路 in Chinese) is bumpy, winding and treacherous. Taxi hire is recommended. The transportation cost is around RMB800-1000. The road passes the new Chinese town of Rutok Xian (Ritu Xian, 日土县), a modern army post and about 8 km south of Pangong Lake.

Bird’s Nest tightrope walker sets record

A Chinese tightrope walker Adili Wuxor secures a place in the record books for longest time walking on a wire, suspended high in the National Stadium in Beijing (aka Bird’s Nest stadium). In order to break the record, Adili had lived in a 9-square-meter cabin on the roof of the Bird’s Nest stadium during the past 60 days, walking five hours per day on the 3cm thick steel cables, which were hanging a perilous 60m in the air.

But his Guinness world record claimed last week was not actually recognized by the London-based Guinness World Records. Instead, the certificate he so proudly received came from Shanghai Great World, which is not part of Guinness World Records.

Guinness said the record was held by Jorge Ojeda-Guzman of the U.S. state of Florida, who spent 205 days on a wire 11 meters (36 ft) long and 10.7 meters (35 ft) above ground between January 1 and July 25, 1993.

The Bird’s Nest was the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies and the track and field events for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Wuxor, an ethnic Uighur from the far western region of Xinjiang, says he’s ready to take on a new challenge in October: to walk on a tightrope from an island off the southern city of Xiamen to the shore.

Chinese clone of Apple 4G iPhone is Here! (w/photos)

Chinese version of iPhone 4G has came before the actual one.

Chinese version of iPhone has been released before the real version is available. The device was sent to pconline.com.cn for test review. It is named as GPS-PHONE, and features TV antenna, mini USB interface, camera flash, and a front facing camera.

TV antenna - iPhone 4G Clone GPS-Phone

Mini USB interface - iPhone 4G Clone GPS-Phone

Front camera

Even the interface of GPS-PHONE looks pretty similar to the leaked iPhone prototypes. The device also supports JAVA apps. So you can at least use Opera Mini or eBuddy on it.

4G iPhone Clone GPS-Phone comes with its own iPhone-like interface

GPS-Phone supports installation of Java apps.

Unfortunately, there are no words about the prices and release date of GPS-PHONE.

If you’re interested in the real deal, the iPhone 4G is expected to be unveiled on the 7th of June at Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2010 which is only two days away.

via Macrumors and PConline

En china se adelantan y presentan un clon “decente” del iPhone 4G

GPS-PHONE
La copia barata del iPhone 4G tiene por nombre GPS-PHONE. Una vez que se enciende el móvil  podemos comprobar que el sistema operativo también ha sido objeto de copia. Por supuesto no tiene nada que ver con el original, ya que éste está desarrollado en Java y solo se asemeja en el estilo de los iconos grandes y alineados en filas y columnas de los que hace gala iPhone OS. Respecto a su hardware, han transcendido unos cuantos detalles como la cámara con flash, conector miniUSB o la integración de un sintonizador DVB-T para ver la televisión. Para su correcto funcionamiento cuenta con una antena que se retrae y se guarda en el cuero del teléfono. También incluye conexión inalámbrica WiFi, GPS e incluso una cámara frontal. Por el momento no sabemos precio de esta pieza, pero es de suponer que muy por debajo que el verdadero iPhone de Apple.

IPhone 4G/HD : pas encore sorti, déjà copié !

L’iPhone 4G/HD n’est pas encore sorti qu’il a déjà été contrefait. Le GPS-Phone, c’est le nom de cette copie, a lui aussi sa caméra en façade et son capteur numérique avec flash ainsi qu’une batterie amovible (toutes choses que l’iPhone 4G/HD doit gagner), mais il dispose d’un port mini-USB, d’un slot micro-SD, et d’une jolie antenne pour la TV.

Клонофон GPS-PHONE – iPhone 4G еще не анонсирован, но уже скопирован

Китайский клон получил название GPS-PHONE, у него имеется фронтальная камера, выдвижная телескопическая ТВ-антенна, mini USB порт и 3,5 мм аудиоразъем. Судя по фотографиям, на задней стороне корпуса GPS-PHONE имеется камера со вспышкой, а его название говорит о поддержке GPS навигации. Также у этой модели имеется аккумулятор емкостью 1200 мАч и слот для карт памяти формата microSD. Интерфейс GPS-PHONE тоже напоминает iPhone OS, только он выполнен на основе Java приложений.

I Kina sælger de 4G-iPhone

Du behøver ikke hænge ud i barer, hvor berusede Apple-ansatte taber deres mobiler, for at få fat i en ny 4G-iPhone. Nu kan du købe den i Kina. Den kinesiske 4G iPhone-klon kaldes “GPS-Phone” og virker absolut ikke på det kommende 4G-net. Ifølge pconline.com.cn har den kamera med blitz, tv-antenne (!), mini-USB-stik og en iPhone-lignende brugerflade.

6SENS – Maison Pourcel – 2010 Shanghai Expo French Pavilion’s culinary treat

Bonjour, Shanghai! Ni hao Laurent and Jacques Pourcel!

Twin-Michelin-starred chefs Jacques and Laurent Pourcel are back in Shanghai and the power houses behind 6SENS, the French Pavilion’s culinary treat. After closing their last Shanghainese project Sens & Bund, the Pourcel brothers are hitting the city again with 6sens, a temporary restaurant inside the French Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo, and permanent Maison Pourcel opening in June at the historic Hong Fangzi (Red House), which was, fittingly, once home to one of Shanghai’s first French restos.

The Sixth Sense: French fine-dining from Jacques and Laurent Pourcel

The Pourcel brothers, who run le Jardin des Sens à Montpellier in the south of France,  are on a constant quest through the world of the senses for new concepts. They use produce from both the land and the sea but their trademark is their savoir-faire in contrasting tastes: hot-cold, soft-crispy, savory-sweet, mild-bitter, etcetera,” according to Laure de Carrière, Press Attachée for Groupe Pourcel.

The restaurant will offer a bistro menu on the terrace (seats 160) and a gastronomic menu in the indoor dining room (seats 120). The gastronomic menu theme is Mediterranean cuisine with dishes like sea scallops carpaccio with warm clementine vinaigrette and baby leek salad or compression of Maine lobster with duck Ham and melon. Bills for the bistro will average RMB 300, while the restaurant will put you back about RMB 500 per person.

The kitchen hopes not only to impress with its menu but also with its state of the art design, which all pavilion visitors can gape at, not just restaurant diners. “The pavilion is conceived somewhat similar to the Guggenheim in New York City,” says Gilles Bihi-Zenou, executive director of 6SENS, “so you start at the top on the fourth floor and you continue going down to the ground level. At the top, the first thing you see is our kitchen which is designed like a show: we have cameras all over the kitchen and you’ll see it on plasma screens, including one nine-square meter screen. It’s a multi-million yuan kitchen and only to be used for a few months! Basically it’s made to be part of the exhibition.”

We are going to be serving non-stop from 11am to 11pm and we are expecting very high traffic, especially with the price we have set which is going to be affordable to a lot of visitors,” says Bihi-Zenou.

If the thought of waiting in line for hours on a scorching hot day surrounded by the white cement of the Expo site doesn’t whet your appetite, even for a Jacques and Laurent Pourcel menu, you’re still in luck. The brothers will open a plush new restaurant this summer, Maison Pourcel, in the previous HFZ restaurant location in the French Concession.

6SENS

Address: Zone C, French Pavilion, Shanghai Expo Site
OPEN: 11:30am-10pm
Time Period: May.1st – Oct.31st 2010
Price: Y300-Y399
Contact: booking.6sens@gmail.com
Website: www.pavillon-france.fr

Maison Pourcel

ADDRESS: 8/F, 845 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Maoming Nan Lu, Shanghai
Chinese Address: 上海市淮海中路845号8楼, 近茂名南路
AREA: French Concession
METRO: 4 mins. walk from Shanxi Rd (S)

法式“第六感”

在Timeout的世博园区最佳餐厅中，法国馆的“第六感”餐厅榜上有名。米其林三星大厨劳伦·普塞尔推荐这样一份菜单——点一份含有西红柿、橄榄 油、沙丁鱼、甜椒或蕨菜的食物，配上普罗旺斯特有的香料和酱汁.

法国馆第六感餐厅提供的橙香醋汁调味超薄生牛肉配瑶柱、嫩葱色拉

“当你游历完整个法国馆，坐电梯上五楼的餐厅，会从视觉和味觉上体验到另一种法式文化。”说这话时，米其林三星大厨劳伦·普塞尔 （Laurent Pourcel）正靠在白色椅背中，端着一杯法国普吉奥酒庄的羊头干红。他身后是法国馆顶层的巨大露台，阳光透过屋顶栽种的绿色植被，星星点点落在木质地 板上。

劳伦·普塞尔说得没错。在人头攒动的法国馆欣赏完那些名画名作，穿过密集的人群，越过一座水桥，踏进电梯，升上五楼的“第六感”餐厅，你会觉得 立刻挪移到另一个世界——全球跨度最大的钢结构拱桥卢浦大桥近在眼前，黄浦江安静地铺陈于眼底，而那些密密麻麻的排队人群，则在无声无息地流动。喧闹、疲 惫和拥挤是上一秒的事情，法国馆顶层此刻是绿洲般的宁静风景。

景色当然只是这家餐厅吸引人的一部分。作为法国馆设计和布景的重要组成部分，“第六感”餐厅从建设之初，就肩负向人们宣扬法国美食精神和法式生 活的责任。每一位走进法国馆的观众，都会看到一堵奇怪的艺术墙，远看是几幅不规则的“画”，走近了才发现有人在“画”中移动忙碌。等你靠近这墙，才看清是 一些厨师，像真人秀节目中的参赛选手一样在你面前洗菜、切菜、烹饪、摆盘。他们在厨房中忙碌的每一个动作，都被摄像头从各个角度拍摄下来，作为法国馆文化 展示的一部分呈现给观众。如果你问起他们在做什么，法国馆的工作人员会告诉你，不妨到顶楼的餐厅去试试，这些大厨正在为“第六感”餐厅的顾客服务。

法国馆第六感餐厅提供的炉火慢烤糖渍柠檬鱼排

这真是一个绝妙的、只有法国人才想得出来的广告。相比日本产业馆中人均3000元/份怀石料理套餐的高贵与神秘，法国馆用了最直观、最诱人的方 式。日本产业馆“紫MURASAKI”餐厅的料理是世博会餐饮中最贵的，9道菜3000元，每天限20套。“第六感”餐厅则热情开明得多，这里人均消费只 有300元，且每天可接待500人次。

“这几年，我们在上海培养起人们享受法国餐的习惯。这次到世博会开餐厅，吸引了很多中国客人。”劳伦·普塞尔说。2004年11月在外滩18号 开出SENS & BUND餐厅以来，普塞尔双胞胎兄弟（Jacques & Laurent Pourcel）的名字，就成为上海法式大餐的代名词——而这对兄弟，是法国米其林三星大厨中最年轻的，由此，他们每道菜肴都创意十足。冷与热、软与硬、 酸与甜等不同口味的交错与冲突，是他们热衷的独特味觉体验。

驻足于法国馆展厅，摄像头实时拍摄大厨们的动态，彷如一部充满趣味的“法式大餐”纪录片。事实上，用美食来讲故事，也是普塞尔兄弟一直坚持的。

法国馆第六感餐厅提供的巧克力卡普奇诺冰沙

“我们希望在餐厅里给客人创造一种氛围，讲述一个故事。”劳伦·普塞尔认为，世博会的意义在于将全世界的科技、文化和未来生活理念聚焦在一起， 而美食则是其中必不可少的环节。“在世博会上，各个国家的厨师都把他们最好的手艺带来，实际上也是用美食来讲述他们国家的故事。”

“我走遍了世界各地。每到一个国家，我所做的第一件事就是去当地的菜市场——只有食物能最生动地体现一个国家的生活和文化细节。”劳伦·普塞尔 说。作为一对在法国普罗旺斯出生的兄弟，他们一直将当地美食风味视为他们创作的核心，“地中海风格是我们的主题，但我们的创新也受到加泰罗尼亚、意大利、 西班牙、黎巴嫩等地美食的启发。”

在中国生活多年，普塞尔兄弟同样也受到了中国菜的影响。“我喜欢中国的大米。大米在日本菜里运用得最多的就是寿司，但这种材料被中国人运用得非 常巧妙。”劳伦·普塞尔认为中国菜与法国菜有很多相似之处，比如，地域性非常强、不同地区的差异极大、各有特色又都充满历史感。

专门为法国馆第六感餐厅设计的抹茶掼奶、Givara 脆心巧克力配榛仁饼干

“我喜欢粤菜。中国菜给我最深的启发就是色香味俱全。”劳伦·普塞尔笑称，他的餐厅每一件原材料都来自中国，“但它们在我的手中组合出来的，就 是地道的法国菜。”

在Timeout推荐的世博园区最佳餐厅中，“第六感”餐厅榜上有名。但是要让劳伦·普塞尔本人推荐一款最具餐厅特色的菜仍然是件困难的事， “我们的餐厅菜单每天都在更换，我们需要为客人们营造新鲜感。”

他唯一能确定的是这样一份菜单——点一份含有西红柿、橄榄油、沙丁鱼、甜椒或蕨菜的食物，配上普罗旺斯特有的香料和酱汁。这就是普罗旺斯最标志 性的食物。“这些食材都是地中海菜肴的基本特色。另外，法国普吉奥酒庄的羊头干红也是专供世博会的葡萄酒。”劳伦·普塞尔摇晃着酒瓶，在这款限量佳酿上， 清晰地印着世博会法国馆的标志性图案。拥有了这些，再叫上一份牛排或烟熏鸭腿肉，一份专属于世博会的法式大餐，就可以饕餮开动了。

If You Are The One: The Hottest TV Show in China

The young man had a simple question: “Would you often come riding with me on my bike?” It’s the kind of line that worked for many suitors in China, the kingdom of bicycles, during its austere decades under Chairman Mao. But Ma Nuo (马诺), a Beijing model, seeks loftier transport and wealthier dates.

When a bachelor contestant invited her to ride on his bike. "I'd rather cry in a BMW", said Ma Nuo.

Even if a date went bad, “I’d rather cry in a BMW” was her giggling, withering rejection, watched by millions on China’s top-rated TV entertainment show. Material girls such as Ma, 22, have rocketed If You Are the One (Fei Cheng Wu Rao, Don’t Disturb If Not Sincere,  非诚勿扰 in Chinese) and its rival dating show, Take Me Out （wo men yue hui ba, 我们约会吧 in Chinese) to the summit of Chinese television fame.

The programs, which both first aired in January, have generated discussion about money worship among China’s younger generation. Publicity-generating scandals include allegations of fake contestants and nude photos, posted online, of one contestant Yan Fengjiao (闫凤娇), who says she was coerced.

They also highlight how a perpetual human struggle, finding the right mate, presses harder than ever in the world’s most populous nation.

Audiences have been intrigued by the guests’ outspoken remarks and the occasional arguments that break out.

Flashpoints include issues such as household chores, whether a wedded couple should live with the husband’s parents, if car and house ownership matters more than love, and whether or not a career should be sacrificed for love.

Claiming to have $878,000 in the bank and three sports cars, 23-year-old Liu was voted off.

The 23-year-old male contestant Liu Yunchao (刘云超 ), claiming to be an “affluent second generation”, boasted about his 6 million yuan ($878,000) bank balance and three sports cars, but his wealth and arrogance was condemned and he was voted off the show. Liu later defended himself by saying he was being honest, while many of the girls were just being deceptive.

“The show is as dramatic as a TV soap opera,” says Liu Tingting, a married office worker in Beijing and regular viewer of the show.

“It reaches one climax after another every two or three minutes. It features a potpourri of hot topics such as mortgage slaves, the income gap between the rich and poor, and being single, which constantly prick people’s nerves.”

The shows’ popularity is easy to explain, says Tian Fanjiang, CEO of baihe.com, a matchmaking website. “There are 180 million single people in China,” Tian says. “They and their parents are all worried about the marriage problem.”

By the standards of the USA — which brought the world the hookups of The Bachelor and the smackdowns of Jersey Shore— China’s twice-weekly, hour-long hit shows can appear tame. For Chinese viewers, they have proved riveting, turning traditional matchmaking on its head and celebrating instant celebrity.

After more than 20 episodes of If You Are the One, Ma Yimi (马伊咪), 22, a music student, finally agreed to a date: a long-haired graffiti artist. The elegantly dressed Ma was as controversial, and popular, as Ma Nuo because she was cruel to male contestants and took so long to choose one.

Although dating programs have aired for almost two decades here, they didn’t look like this, where a glamorous and often intimidating lineup of 24 women can dismiss the male hopefuls, who appear singly, with the push of a button or a blunt critique of their appearance, attitude and accomplishments. If a man survives three rounds, he gets to choose his date.

“In the old shows, people just introduced themselves, and there was little mutual choice,” says Wang Gang, who produces If You Are the One for Jiangsu Satellite TV. Wang says his show offers confrontation, nerves and suspense. “Our style is new, and the mass audience has got bored of singing and dancing programs.”

That’s a not-so-subtle dig at the last big thing on Chinese television, Super Girl (chao ji nu cheng, 超级女声 in Chinese), the American Idol knockoff produced by Hunan Satellite TV, which also makes Take Me Out, licensed from British firm Fremantle.

“The Chinese family is unique in the world, as we have a one-child policy,” says Take Me Out producer Liu Lei, “but parents attach great importance to carrying on the family name, so marriage is a big issue.”

Liu insists that the money-worship of some contestants does not reflect mainstream Chinese society, but she concedes, “Many girls really love rich men.”

A wealthy catch

Matchmakers are rushing to cash in at matchmaking fairs and other events.

Fifteen thousand women applied for a chance to date a wealthy man at an event May 1 organized by matchmaking website jiayuan.com, says Zhang Guoyu, director of the company’s Southwest China branch. In June, 50 of them will meet the men who paid $14,650 for the service.

Most people misunderstand the rich, says Zhang, whose company supplies contestants to Take Me Out. “They may be very successful in business, but they are very lonely when they get home,” he says.

Money worshipers and their brash targets help draw viewers, but producer Wang nominates a modest contestant as his favorite for a stirring, Susan Boyle-like moment. Vocal teacher Lu Yuanlong (陆元龙) “is not good–looking,” Wang says. “Your belly is terrifying” was one contestant’s reaction.

(Vocal teacher Lu Yuanlong sings Nessun Dorma from Puccini’s opera Turandot at 4:32)

All the women switched off their lights except the one who, unknown to her, Lu had selected. Then Lu took a microphone and brought the house down with a stunning operatic aria.

“They are a perfect couple and are still together,” Wang says.

No TV show can fully reflect social reality, says Yin Hong, a Chinese television scholar at Beijing’s Tsinghua Univeristy. He prefers If You Are the One because “It’s more controversial.” Why so popular? “China’s social environment is changing, as people dare to express their private life and love values in public,” he says.

Shanghai unveils ‘stronger’ version of Wall Street charging bull

Italian-US artist Arturo Di Modica's Charging Bull statue is seen at the Bund after its unveiling in Shanghai

Shanghai unveiled a new landmark on its Bund waterfront over the weekend, a bronze bull sculpture inspired by Wall Street’s “Charging Bull” representing China’s rising financial ambitions.

American artist Arturo Di Modica — the sculptor behind the New York bull who also created its Shanghai sibling — was at the unveiling on Saturday.

The "Charging Bull" statue, sometimes called the Wall Street Bull by Arturo Di Modica in New York

At 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) tall and 2.5 tons (2.7 tons), the Shanghai sculpture was the same size as the Wall Street version, but “redder, younger and stronger, It’s a mixture of Western and Chinese cultures,” said Di Modica, adding he was inspired by both the “Charging Bull” and the Chinese Zodiac’s ox.

The animal’s confident stance represented a bullish and prosperous future for the rising financial center, he said.

The Shanghai officials who commissioned the sculpture had previously said they wanted their bull to weigh twice as much the one on Wall Street.

The city requested a bull that was younger and stronger than New York City’s bull to symbolize “the energy of Shanghai’s economy, that’s why the head of the Bund’s bull looks up while the Wall Street Bull looks downward,”said the head of Huangpu district

In the early 20th century, the neo-classical buildings along the Bund were known as the “Wall Street of Asia” and giants born there include the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corp., or HSBC, and insurers American International Group, or AIG.

Visitor’s Guide to The Bund: Shanghai’s Newly Opened Waterfront Landmark

“金融牛” 现身上海滩

5月15日，有着“远东华尔街”比喻的上海外滩，迎来一位特殊的“客人”――高2．5米的铜雕“外滩金融牛”。这头牛略呈红铜色，尾巴高高翘起，线条深 邃、肌肉结实，年轻、健壮，且活力四溢，体重达2.5吨。由国际著名雕塑大师阿图罗・迪・莫迪卡设计 的这尊铜牛，成了建设中的外滩金融集聚带的一个新“符号”。莫迪卡说，他特意选用了红色作为作品的基调，因为在他眼中，红色象征着中国拥有的无穷力量。莫迪卡也是著名的“华尔街公牛”的设计者。伫立在华尔街中 心的那座铜牛，20多年来默默见证着国际金融市场的风云变幻。

金融牛“扎根”于面积近5000平方米的上海外滩金融广场，在这里，除了新添“金融牛”这一文化符号外，未来还 将设立金融信息屏，发布世界各地主要金融市场的信息。此外，周围2.6平方公里区域正发起新一轮吸“金”攻势，打造外滩“金融集聚带”，以重塑外滩金融功 能、再现昔日“远东第一金融街”风采。

One not to miss – Italian Pavilion at the Shanghai 2010 World Expo

Italian Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010

The hype may be all around the China pavilion, but the Italian has got plenty in store for the 2010 World Expo, and there really is something for everyone.

Designed by Giampaolo Imbrighi and his associates at Iodice Architett, the Italian pavilion embodies a mini Italian city with the architectural structure of the Chinese construction game called “Shanghai”. Strolling in the pavilion, visitors may feel like walking in a city boasting narrow streets, plazas, courtyards and lanes with an Italian flavor. Luxury cars, fashion and famous paintings are featured.

Here’s our comprehensive guide why this one is going to be worth standing in line for.

The uniforms worn by the Italian pavilion staff at the Shanghai Expo were designed by Prada

For the ladies

… and budding fashionistas, this really is the one for you. Because not only will your favorite top designers be there showcasing their latest designs on regular catwalks (Prada and Salvatore Ferragamo having confirmed their participation), but there will also be the opportunity to win designer goods by top names such as Bulgari, in regular draws.

An eye-catching red dress by Versace at the Italian Pavilion

A huge black Dolce & Gabbana gown in the exhibition hall of Italian pavilion

Dresses of leading Italian brands are dispalyed on the background wall

At the main square of Italian Pavilion, the four 3.5-meter-high plastic models were dressed in Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Zegna and other large dress; 18 m high background wall hanging displays  more than 10 well-known Italian brand of evening dresses.

One giant red shoe at the Italian Pavilion

Two giant high heels striking the same — a muffin sandals, gold shoe soles accompanied by colorful stripes; the other is only a meter high red shoes. Even the pavilion reception staff uniforms, all from Prada (Prada) hands. “Good luxury clothing.”

For the gents

… be on the lookout for the ‘motion’ exhibition room, which is showcasing a rare and luxurious ‘90s Isotta Fraschini with a value of 5 million Euros, as well as Ferrari’s latest hybrid model 599 HY-KERS soon to be on the road.

Isotta Fraschini - the most luxurious car in history

Ferrari HY-KERS Hybrid at the Italian pavilion in Shanghai Expo – This green Ferrari concept is already an automotive icon. Not just for the symbolism around environmental responsibility, but for the knowledge that green is good.

For the kids

… there’s an indoor play area sponsored by chocolate company Ferrero, where children can indulge in their two favorite pastimes: watching cartoons and eating chocolate!

For art and music lovers

… it’ll be a first-time opportunity to see two masterpieces by Renaissance painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, “Basket of Fruit” and “The Boy with the Basket of Fruit”. You can also expect classical performances of Puccini’s classic opera La Boheme performed by Turin Royal Theatre, music scores by Oscar winner composer Ennio Morricone, pop singer Giorgia Fumanti, Roberto Bolle ballet and Piazza Vittorio Orchestra.

On loan from Galleria Borghese in Rome, "Boy with a Basket of Fruit" by Caravaggio Will be displayed at Italian Pavilion during the Shanghai World Expo. c. 1593. Oil on canvas, 67 cm × 53 cm (26 in × 21 in).

On loan from Biblioteca Ambrosiana(Ambrosian Library) in Milan, Still life painting of "Basket of Fruit" (c. 1599) by Carvaggio will make their debut in China to mark the 400th anniversary of the artist's death.

For food connoisseurs

… expect great things, there’ll be a different fortnightly menu by Florentine company Relais Le Jardin in restaurant Caravaggio, in sync with rotating exhibitions on Italy’s different regions, as well as regular food and wine tasting.

For football fans

… We haven’t forgotten about the World Cup in all the Expo excitement, and neither has Italy. In late July, First Division teams Inter Milan and Totti are set to come out to the World Expo site to sign autographs, and we don’t need to tell you that they’re kind of a big deal.

Italian football champion Inter Milan will arrive at the Italy pavilion in Shanghai in August and friendly matches against local Chinese teams will be organized.

Shop till you drop – Shanghai Shopping Guide

Shanghai is often touted as a shoppers’ paradise – however you can expect hours of pavement pounding, foraging and bargaining before reaching true retail Nirvana. The good news for those who persist is that the local markets and boutiques can reward the dedicated shopper with awesome finds at prices to suit any wallet.

Like many fashion capitals, the city’s two main boulevards – Nanjing West Road and Huaihai Road – are lined with some of the best Shanghai shopping malls brimming with luxury brand stores and high street labels. Due to heavy import tariffs, the few found fondling the inflated price tags here are usually wealthy domestic customers. For your Dior, Chanel and Armani – best head to Hong Kong. If you don’t mind Pardas and Calvin Keins, there’s always rip-off Qipu Road Clothing Wholesale Market (168 Qipu Rd) or the back alleys surrounding Shaanxi Road (recommended only for the stout of heart).

Of more interest, are the retail enclaves scattered around the vibrant streets of the former French Concession and behind the Bund. Here, local designers present their wares – everything from handmade silk slippers and modern ceramics to organic cotton baby kimonos – offering trendy updates on classic Chinese styles. Other good buys in Shanghai include Oriental rosewood antiques, freshwater pearls and custom-made garments from the city’s legendary tailors.

Shanghai's top street to shop has always been Nanjing Road (Nanjing Lu). Evern more popular among locals, however, is Huaihai Middle Road (Huaihai Zhong Lu).

• Shanghai shopping – Nanjing West Road and Huaihai Road

High end Shanghai shopping and the glossiest malls are clustered along Nanjing West Road, between Jing’an Temple and Shimen No. 1 Road. Next door to the working Buddhist temple, Jiuguang City Plaza (久光百货 in Chinese, 1618 Nanjing Road) houses Tiffany & Co, Omega and Kate Spade, as well as excellent Japanese supermarket Freshmart in the basement. Opposite this, rising above the interchange of three metro lines, Park Place (越洋广场in Chinese) opened in 2009 offers seven levels of international designer boutique shopping and dining.

Plaza 66 (恒隆广场 in Chinese, 1266 Nanjing Xi Lu, metro line 2 Nanjing Xi Lu Station) is chock full of luxury brands – Louis Vuitton, Dior, Prada, Cartier – on five marble-clad levels. Next door, Citic Square (Zhongxin Taifu guangchang, 中信泰富广场 in Chinese, 1168 Nanjing Road) includes Armani, Bally and Marc Jacobs, while neighboring Westgate Mall (Meilongzhen guangchang, 梅龙镇广场 in Chinese, 1038 Nanjing Road) features Burberry, Ermenegildo Zegna, Coach and an Isetan department store. Between these are more moderately priced fashion outlets, such as Zara, Promod and Marks & Spencer.

Running parallel to Nanjing West Road through the former French Concession, Huaihai Middle Road is populated with European fast fashion flagships H&M, Zara and Mango along with clothing brands from China, Korea and Japan.

In the southern part of the French Concession, Taikang Lu, home to a bunch of art galleries and trendy clubs, also has some fashionable boutiques selling everything from designer handbags to pricey silks.

• Funky shopping around Taikang Road

What started with a few artists and design agencies moving in to abandoned factory warehouses on quiet Taikang Road, has become Shanghai’s funkiest shopping district. The rabbit-warren of cobbled Shanghai ‘longtang’ (lanes) are flanked by traditional stone-gated residences housing an eclectic collection of fashion, furniture and lifestyle boutiques, craft workshops, jewelers, photography galleries and alfresco cafes. Amongst all this, elderly residents of the alleyways steadfastly go about their daily life, which presents eye-popping contrasts often as fun to observe as the goods on offer in bohemian shop windows. Most of the top Shanghai local brands now have a presence here – following are several good ones not to miss.

Nuo Mi (Lane 274, 12 Taikang Road) by young Chinese-American designer Lin Wen creates cross-culture women and children’s fashions in eco-friendly bamboo, cotton, soya and raw silk that feel as soft and slinky against the skin as they look. Urban Tribe (Number 14, Lane 248 Taikang Road) is a rustic-chic collection of fashion, pottery tea sets, handmade silver jewellery and black-and-white photography inspired by China’s hinterlands, Burma and India.

Japanese model turned designer Maki Hayazono’s two-story boutique  Rou Rou (Number 19, 155 Jianguo Middle Road) fuses contemporary streetwear with European tailoring and Asian detailing. The store’s two labels – Rou Rou basics and the high-end Lotus Room – are frequently updated.

Deke Erh Art Center, owned by local photographer and author Deke Erh, Tibetan-themed oils as well as occasional photo exhibits and musical recitals.

Several photography studios include one of the street’s original tenants, photographic historian Deke Erh. The sprawling Deke Erh Art Centre (Number 2, Lane 210 Taikang Lu) presents his images snapped around Shanghai and rural China, as well as books he has published on the city’s fading architectural heritage. Gang of One is a tribute to the rags-to-riches tale of Wang Gangfeng, a former factory worker whose wonderful portraits of characters and street life around China now hang in the Musee de l’Elysee in Switzerland.

The small Duke Gallery (Number 8, 274 Taikang Road) presents a fun collection of contemporary Chinese art and sculpture. Stealing the show is Mongolian artist Guo Qipeng’s ‘Boy Scout’ series of chubby lipstick-red ceramic kid soldiers playing different instruments.

INSH (200 Taikang Road) carries the hip, streetwise fashions of designer Helen Lee,

Two of Shanghai’s most promising young designers, Jenny Ji and Helen Lee, also have boutiques at Taikang Rd. La Vie (Number 7, Lane 210 Taikang Lu), stocks the heavily tailored and deconstructed fashions of Jenny Ji, who studied fashion in Milan before returning to her hometown. INSH (200 Taikang Road, 021-6466-5249, www.insh.com.cn) carries the hip, streetwise fashions of designer Helen Lee, while her namesake boutique, further down the alley (Number 3, Lane 210 Taikang Road) showcases a more mature line.

If your Shanghai shopping diary includes sparkling accessories and baubles, three interesting jewelery stores worth checking out are Marion Carsten (Suite 106, Bldg 3, Lane 210 Taikang Road) by a Shanghai-based German jeweler whose striking contemporary designs use bold combinations of sterling silver, leather and pearls. Red Dawn (Suite 105, Bldg 3, Lane 210 Taikang Road) showcases beautiful baubles by homespun talent Dawn Zhu made of jade, pearl, coral and carved woods. For men, JIP’s smart collection of industrial-style accessories combining edgy tungsten, titanium and carbon fibre are designed by an international team of artists but manufactured in southern China, which keeps the line surprisingly affordable (Number 51, Lane 210 Taikang Road).

In the building that started it all – the International Artist Factory – Nest occupies an airy loft space where nine locally based clothing, home wares and product design companies have formed an eco design collective, championing cutting-edge design, sustainable materials and responsible manufacturing. For cottage industry in action, visit Harvest Studio downstairs (Suite 18, Bldg 3, Lane 210 Taikang Road). Here, Miao minority women from southern China gossip as they hand embroider ethnic-styled cushions and clothing. Also in the building, Cosmos Design (Unit 112, Bldg 3, Lane 210 Taikang Road) features contemporary home accessories by Cosmo Chan made from rich brown zisha ceramics, popular in the Ming dynasty.

When your Shanghai shopping binge gets too much for you, release you own creative energy with easel and acrylic paints at Jam Art Space or grab some excellent pho noodles at Pho No.1 Vietnamese Cuisine (Number 13, Lane 248 Taikang Lu).

About as classy and pricey as you can get in Shanghai shopping, this ritzy development "Three on the Bund" has a Georgio Armani flagship store and other not-too-shabby mouthfuls such as Ann Demeulemeester, Bottega Veneta, Vivienne Tam, Yves Saint Laurent.

• Prime Shanghai shopping – The Bund

The gentrification of Shanghai’s iconic riverfront Bund has seen luxury brands – Giorgio Armani at Three on the Bund, Dolce & Gabbana at 6 Bund and Cartier, Patek Philippe, Ermenegildo Zegna and Boucheron at Bund 18 – move into the former colonial banking HQs.

These are interspersed with local designer boutiques in the side streets, including Suzhou Cobblers (Room 101, 17 Fuzhou Road, 021-6321-7087, www.suzhou-cobblers.com), selling handcrafted silk slippers and shoes in updated colors and patterns, and Annabel Lee (Number 1, Lane 8, East No. 1 Zhongshan Road, 021-6445-8218, www.anabel-lee.com), whose range of embroidered silk decor and accessories are displayed in a museum-like flagship behind a large red door.

Design Republic’s retail showroom founded by Shanghai-based architects Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu showcases contemporary furnishings from top international designers, along with their own pieces that are currently all in the rage in many of the city’s high-end restaurants (G/F, 5 Zhongshan Road E1). Meanwhile, on the second floor of Bund 18, Gabbiani (2/F, Bund 18, 18 Zhongshan Road E1), sells hand-blown glassware by the designer of those iconic red Venetian chandeliers hanging in the Bund 18 lobby.

• Shanghai boutique shops in the French Concession

For more Shanghai designer brands and eye candy, cruise the leafy streets of the former French Concession that are lined with tiny boutiques by aspiring local talent. The best stretches lie along Changle Road (between Rujin Number 1 Road and Chengdu Road) and Xinle Road (between Donghu Road and Maoming Road). Julu Road and Jinxian Road contain a smattering of interesting boutiques, while Shaanxi Road is shoe heaven if you fit a size 37.

Streetwear fans will love Source (158 Xinle Road), The Thing (60 Xinle Road), Fly (704 Changle Road) and Eno (139-23 Changle Road). Hong Kong designer Joel Chen’s Pursue by Joel (142 Xinle Rd) offers trendy tailored menswear and women’s evening dresses using quality materials. Pursue’s larger location behind Xintiandi (365 Zizhong Lu) has a fitting studio on the second floor that can whip up custom pieces in around three weeks. Also on Zizhong Lu, is an outlet of Studio PI (Post Industrial), where European-trained designer Lu Min creates recycled daywear and unique party pieces with an almost-gothic feel (347 Zizhong Lu).

Shanghai Tang, the oh-so-hip store from Hong Kong fashion maven David Tang, has spawned several branches worldwide since it first opened in Shanghai in 2003. Besides his signature and pricey traditional Chinese shirts and qipao, you can also pick up elegant scarves, photo frames, bags, and candles.

• Shopping in Xintiandi lanes

The refashioned traditional lanes and shikumen houses of Xintiandi, on the corner of Huangpi Road and Madang Road, are very popular with travelers on account of the wide array of high-end shopping, dining and entertainment options. Luxurious fashion brand Shanghai Tang (Unit 15, Xintiandi North Blk, Lane 181 Taicang Road, two other branches: 59 Mao Ming Road; Shangri-La Hotel, 33 Fu Cheng Road, Pudong) features men’s, ladies and children’s apparel, home furnishings, accessories and novelty gift items with a colorful nod to Chinese culture. Exquisite cutting and inspired design are reflected in the high-end prices.

The massive flagship store of homegrown label Simply Life (Unit 101, 159 Madang Road), stocks pan-Asia furniture and house ware, including an exclusive range of hand-painted fine bone china from luxury local brand Asianera. Delightful Shanghai Trio (Number 1, Unit 5, Xintiandi North Blk, 181 Taicang Road) blends Chinese motifs with classic French styling in its range of adorable baby wear, bags and accessories.

Shanghai South Bund Fabric Market has all of Shanghai's best tailors all under one roof. Bargain hard to get a fair price.

• Shanghai tailors for Western-size fits

For those frustrated with the search for Western-size clothing – Shanghai’s legendary tailors can whip up a custom-made wardrobe in a matter of days. Start with a trip to the South Bund Fabric Market (399 Lujiabang Road), where three air-conditioned levels offer vast reams of fabric and trimmings at bargain prices. Bring your favorite pieces and have the onsite tailors sew made-to-measure replicas. Expect to pay approximately Rmb600 for a suit including material and workmanship.

Dongtai Lu Antiques Market, not far from Xin Tian Di, is Shanghai's answer to Beijing's Panjiayuan Market. Dealers specialize in antiques, curios, porcelain, furniture, jewelry, and wood carvings, birds, and nostalgic bric-a-brac from colonial and revolutionary days (especially Mao memorabilia).

• Shanghai shopping – pearls and antiques

Shanghai is close to China’s freshwater pearling areas of Jiangsu province and is therefore a great place to buy these precious gems. Mark this down in your Shanghai shopping diary. Shanghai Hongqiao International Pearl City (3721 Hongmei Lu) is a multi-level pearl emporium. Most of the action is found on the third floor, where vendors sell a wide array of fresh water pearls and semi-precious stones, along with inexpensive crystal and plastic beads. Buy readymade jewelery or create your own custom designs, which can be strung on the spot.

The five-storey wholesale antique market at Cang Bao Lou (457 Fangbang Middle Road) and charming outdoor Dongtai Road Antique Market (Dongtai Road, by Tibet Road) are good places to scavenge for Cultural Revolution memorabilia, Buddhist statuary, art deco furniture and even opium pipes. Although many of the wares are ersatz, this is still great souvenir territory and keen eyes will occasionally spot a genuine antique prize. Bargain hard.

For antique rosewood furniture head to the warehouse showroom of Hu & Hu Antiques in far-flung Hongqiao (1685 Wuzhong Lu). The sisters-in-law Hu have a massive collection of well-restored Chinese antiques and customised reproductions, delivered fuss-free thanks to their fixed-pricing policy and international shipping.

And if all this frantic Shanghai shopping hasn’t left you with an anorexic wallet and swollen feet, then strap on your (probably new) dancing shoes and head on out for a night on the tiles.

• What to See & Do in Shanghai
  

Top Ten Shanghai Must-See Attractions

Visitor’s Guide to The Bund: Shanghai’s Newly Opened Waterfront Landmark

Modern Architectural Wonders of Shanghai

• Where to Dine in Shanghai
  

Taste of Shanghai – A Guide to Shanghai’s Best Food

• Where to Stay in Shanghai
  

Top Ten Ritziest Hotels in Shanghai

Fastest Ferrari (599 GTO) to debut at Beijing Auto Show

Ferrari 599 GTO tops out at 208 mph, fastest on-road Ferrari ever

The fastest road-going Ferrari in history, the 599 GTO, is set to be unveiled at the Beijing Auto  Show later this month, aimed at the company’s most exclusive customers.

It is billed as a limited edition new concept that draws inspiration and technology from the company’s experimental 599XX racer.

With a 208mph top speed and 661bhp V12 engine the GTO is capable of lapping Ferrari’s Fiorano test track in a record 1 minute 24 seconds – that beats the time set by the company’s Enzo supercar by almost a second.

Six-litre V12 engine will propel Ferrari 599 GTO from 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds

Only 599 examples of the new GTO (which stands for Gran Turismo Omologato, meaning a grand-touring car homologated — approved — for racing) will be built, with prices expected to be around $460,000.

For that customers will get a 6.0-litre engine coupled to a six-speed paddle-shift gearbox capable of launching the 1,495kg (3300 lbs.) berlinetta from a standstill to 62mph in just 3.4 seconds.

A new generation of Ferrari’s carbon ceramic brakes will be on hand to slow proceedings down, while aerodynamic cues taken from the race car and tyres developed especially for the GTO by Michelin promise extraordinary levels of grip.

670bhp coupe only available to 599 Ferrari customers

And if the G-Forces aren’t enough to tell you how fast you’re traveling, then the latest Ferrari also gets Virtual Race Engineer – an in-car system that gives the driver instantaneous information on the car’s performance.

Ferrari 250 GTO

Ferrari 288 GTO

The GTO badge has only been used two other times in Ferrari history. The 250 GTO of the 1960s was built off the short-wheelbase 250 GT and used for GT racing. In the mid-1980s, Ferrari created the 288 GTO (based on the 308 GTB) for Group B racing. Both cars were produced in limited numbers, just enough, in fact, to make them eligible for racing.

The Beijing auto show opens to the public on April 27 by which time Ferrari is expecting all GTOs to be accounted for.

法拉利全新跑车599 GTO 北京车展全球首发

法拉利全新跑车599 GTO 北京车展全球首发

经典的GTO归来了！法拉利599 GTO终于正式发布了，GTO的意思是“Gran Turismo Omologata”，GT是指的GT赛事，而最后一个单词是意大利语，意思是公路版本。这款599 GTO之前已经吊足了人们的胃口，作为纯赛车版599XX的民用版它早就名声在外，即便如此它也是限量供应的。这款车预计于四月的北京国际车展上正式发 布，而且限量599部，预计这次在中国将再一次大卖。

法拉利曾推出过多款GTO车型，最让人印象深刻的还是上世纪60年代的250 GTO，当时就采用3.0升V12的发动机，最大马力为300匹也算是笑傲当年车坛了。今天的这款599 GTO则是法拉利有史以来最快的公路版车型，我们知道法拉利599 GTO是动力是来自于599XX的那具6.0升V12发动机，最大马力为670匹发生于8250RPM，最大扭矩为620牛米发生于6500RPM，而 599XX则是从著名的法拉利ENZO衍生而来，倾注了法拉利几乎全部的看家本事。对比来看，599XX是最大马力为700匹，而599 GTB最大马力为620匹。

尽管性能相比599 GTB Fiorano有显著的上升，但是油耗与CO2排放却进一步改善到百公里17.5升，与411克/公里。这款跑车同样采用现行法拉利较为惯行的后驱结构， 变速器也是同样的六速顺序式结构换挡时间仅需60毫秒，尽可能地从599XX上原搬下来。

法拉利方面称这款跑车的百公里加速时间为 3.35秒，极速可达335KM/H。而且在著名的Fiorano赛道上，法拉利称它的单圈成绩仅为1分24秒，单就数字可能你没有什么概念，要知道当年 的法拉利ENZO是1分25秒，且是当时的新纪录缔造者，因而法拉利方面才敢说它是有史以来最快的法拉利民用跑车。

599 GTO也继承了599XX的多项瘦身技术，大量使用复合材料，车重仅为1495千克，比599 GTB还要轻85千克，重量马力比仅为2.23kg/hp。以操控著称的法拉利为这款车装备了新的弹簧与更硬朗的后防倾杆，还有第二代的电磁悬挂控制系统 SCM2。制动系统采用碳和陶瓷的复合材料，也是从599XX上继承下来的，从100KM/H到静止只要32.5米。

其它的变化包括有 新的前部扰流器，更低的独立风翼，新的侧面车门槛板设计，双曲后分流器与车下护板等。599 GTO还采用了新的发动机罩设计包括进气口，顶盖等，车轮采用20英寸的合金轮毂，前胎285/30后胎为315/35。

内饰方面法拉利采用定制化生产，更长的碳纤维F1换档拨片更易于高速驾驶，一对桶形座椅，新科技方面法拉利引入了一种被称为“可视化赛车工程”的系 统，可以实时监测车子的状态并将车辆的当前性能以可视化形式展现在驾驶者面前。

对于这款车官方尚未公示价格，但是据泄出的文件称售价在 267136欧元，约合人民币213万元。