Lupu Bridge

Before we moved to Shanghai, Eric would talk about the Lupu Bridge. How much he loved the Lupu Bridge, how much fun it was climbing up the bridge, how much he loved the view from the top of the bridge. Really, how much fun could a bridge be?

May 1 is the labor holiday in China and most everyone has the first 3 days of May off. Eric's office is closed here, though he is doing some work from home since it's business as usual for the home office in the U.S. Today shone bright and clear. May is beautiful in Shanghai. Everything is so green and the temperatures are perfect. It's as good as any other day to climb up the Lupu Bridge.

The Lupu Bridge is an arch bridge with 367 steps to a viewing platform on top of the arch. The slope is actually quite gentle (nothing like climbing up the Bunker Hill Monument in Boston -- fewer steps (294) but steeper) and the climb is not difficult. The steps are broad and deep with chest-high railings on either side. Beneath the bridge is a park where you buy your admission ticket (34 RMB per person; about 8.50 USD for 2 people). You then enter a building where you are directed to an elevator that takes you to bridge level. You emerge onto a platform on the side of the road and you walk a short distance to the foot of the stairs.



There appears to be walkways on all four legs of the bridge, though only one was open. The bridge was not busy with perhaps 7 other people on the platform. Along the river side were scrap yards and empty spaces waiting to be filled with tall buildings.



I love watching boats. Eric brought the binoculars and we were watching the people on the boats. I would have loved to have brought a chair up onto the viewing platform. I could watch boats all day. What would be ideal would be my porch rocker. Eric walked that thing home from the store in Indianapolis, maybe I could convince him to carry it up the Lupu for me. Likely that would make the bridge staff panic, not that we could fit it into a taxi or onto the metro.



Look on the right. There's Eric walking down the bridge.

I try to make a mental note of places I'd like to show any guests should they decide to visit. I think the Lupu should be on the list.