Over the past decade, I have traveled to China close to forty times staying for weeks at a time. While in China, I have only seen Sunshine in Shanghai and bright blue sky on five different days.
Industry pollution has risen as the massive growth has taken place and between the preparation of the 2008 Olympic Games and the 2010 Shanghai World Expo the country has seemed to be constantly “under construction.”
I have also seen the Shanghai skyline completely change with the addition of hundreds of new buildings in just a few years.
The Chinese engineers and architects beautifully execute building projects with lightning speed that dwarfs the pace of most parts of the world.
This is one of my favorite photos of China taken from the Bund showcasing what I consider the most beautiful skyline in the world.
The photo shows one of my rare blue sky days and showcases the Pearl Tower among the buildings in the constantly evolving skyline.
As I sit in China this week now barely able to see through the winter’s coal-burning pollution, it makes me thankful to live in a place where I can breathe clean air and see the blue sky on a regular basis.
Shanghai still remains one of the most alive and vibrant cities in the world.
It will also always be one of my favorite places to visit because of the pace of growth in the ever-changing city and the friendships that I have made with some of the kindest people on earth.