Design Fiction
The sequel to the next part of the origami projects was Design Fiction. Similar to cartoons and comics shown on the Internet everyday, Design Fiction was about creating story lines for objects. The theme given by the professor that day was “How to make toast?”. Some groups saw toast making as a technical process starting from the making of yeast to make bread. Others wanted a more fiction-like environment where toast were like apples that dropped from trees. Moreover, besides creating the story lines, the objects can be given “life” by giving them facial expressions and body features. Regardless of which type of story line chosen, it was all about innovation and creativity!
Superb ShangHai
The long awaited trip to ShangHai has finally arrived! The Pearl Tower, Happy Valley Amusement park and shopping were all waiting for us!
Day 1: Overcoming my biggest fears!
On the first day, right after alighting from the bullet train, we visited Happy Valley Amusement Park. Long before ShangHai Disneyland was established, Happy Valley amusement park was already the thrill hub of Shanghai. Filled with roller coasters, haunted houses and escape rooms, the place was not only for families but also for youths like us who want a thrill.
To kick-start our adrenaline, the dive was the first ride and also the most intense in the whole park. Boasting two 90 degree drops, one of which from about 15 stories high, the ride really made us wonder why we were on it in the first place.
As the nervousness kicked while the ride was moving up to the highest point, we could do nothing more but anticipate the drop. Suddenly, the brakes were detached and the coaster zoomed down at top speed via the vertical drop! My heart was beating super fast the coaster winded up and down, spiraling itself over endless turns and 360 loops. When the ride ended, everyone’s feet was trembling but it was great fun!
The rides were all intense and dizzying. Viking Ship, The Cyclone and Teapot Elves are just the few rides in the whole long list of roller coasters! I still cannot believe this is by far the most number of roller coasters i have ridden in a single trip. Looks like i have finally rid my fear of heights!
To cap off an exciting day at Happy Valley, the haunted house did not disappoint. Filled with an individual’s darkest fears, it had rooms filled with dolls, walls filled with portraits/hands and bridges that shook. Every step we took was hesitant, unsure if the next meter would be a jump scare. The animatronics were perfectly timed and just kept scaring. Be it a door that would be slam, a doll that suddenly flinched or a body that dropped from the ceiling, anything that moved scared us! Though it was a living nightmare, we still enjoyed the place very much and slept cozily that night.
Day 2: Pearl Tower and shopping.
ShangHai is known for its shopping districts and excellent riverside view. We visited Cheng Huang Miao (城隍庙), a temple refurnished into a shopping district. It was the ideal place where history and modernity co-existed. Not only were there places of worship and shops the area was also home to the famous Xiao Long Bao.
After filling our stomach, we travelled to The Bund which was home to the Pearl Tower that we always see in pictures. Standing so tall amongst the other skyscrapers, Pearl Tower is the icon and landmark of Shanghai. Next to The Bund are the french enclaves were vintage architecture buildings of European origin are situated at. Many of them now are either hotels or shopping malls that the tourist flock too.
Moreover, within the area, there is also ShangHai’s own “Time Square” where shopping malls congregate side by side. These malls include 4 story Adidas and Nike shops, curved escalators and also fashion outlets like Pull & Bear.
At night, we went on a cruise that cut through the heart of the city. On the left were the lit up buildings of the shopping district while the right stood the skyscrapers and the iconic Pearl Tower. What a beautiful sight it was! Not only was the nightlife bustling, it was also very relaxing to walk about while we enjoyed the night breeze.
Day 3: Museums and more!
To cap off our wonderful trip in ShangHai, it was time to visit the ShangHai Museum. Home to almost one million pieces of artifacts, it is a cultural hub that includes ancient pottery, seals, currency and furniture. Some of the artifacts even date back to 13 centruy B.C, that is an astonishing three thousand plus years ago! Not only is China extremely rich in history and culture, it also takes very good care of the artifacts obtained.
The exhibitions give a very clear insight on how the Chinese culture progressed. These include the evolution of calligraphy, clothing and accessories. It is impressive how many of the artifacts displayed are still in excellent condition.
All good things come to an end, though we would miss ShangHai, we promise to come back here soon! Till next time ShangHai!
