Yangshan = 洋山
This is the satellite image of the island Shengsi 嵊泗 we went to.
Image credit: Google Map
Before I talk more about my trip in Shengsi, the island in the East Sea, let me talk more about the Yangshan Deep Water Port.
The Yangshan Island
In the East Sea, about 30 KM away from land of Shanghai, there are two big islands. One is called Little Yangshan Island, and the other is called Big Yangshan Island. You can see the islands in this satellite picture.
Image credit: Google Map
They are several islands that are not far from Shanghai. No one ever lived there. Shanghai needs a deep water port. The Yangtze river is only 7 meters in depths, and the Huangpu River is around 7-8 meters in depths. Large ships (like third or forth generation ships) cannot go into the river. They can only park in either Ningbo Port or Dalian and transfer the goods onto smaller boats and get into the river.
Shanghai want to build a world class deep water port More
Donghai Bridge is under construction. It is one of the most interesting projects I know besides the World Expo and the Hangzhou Bay bridge. The 32 km long bridge will extend to the island at the heart of the Hangzhou bay and it is the first bridge that will enable us to drive onto an island in Shanghai. The A2 expressway connects A20 and the bridge.
This is how the bridge will look like after completion.
Image in courtesy of Eastday.com
More Dong Hai Bridge pictures
At around 5:30 PM, I don't know why but Wendy and I suddenly decided to drive there and see this bridge. It is not too far away from our home - 41 km means 30 minutes' drive. We started from A20. When we turned right onto A2, as I expected, we are the only car on the newly completed express way. I believe it is safe to claim that A2 is the express way in Shanghai with the best traffic condition - I never saw a car before me or after me and only saw about 5 cars on the opposite direction.
The Chief Architect's More
What is my favorite suburb place to go in Shanghai (with the context that I have a car)? It changes along with time. Here are some places on my previous favorite list:
Sheshan 佘山, the only mountains in Shanghai. Don't laugh if you know it is only 99 meters high - 1/2 of the building I work everyday, and 1/4 of the tallest building in this city. They just built a wonderful lake nearby.
Fengxian 奉贤 Sea Shore. It is south of Shanghai. You can see the sea there - the sea is yellow, and there is no way that you can swim there. Recently, the local government spent huge to bring sands from Dalian 大连 and created a artifical sand land there. Hope the water will be better.
Now my list added a new one - Dong Hai Bridge and nearby Habor City. Let me tell you how to get there, and what you can expect in this new land in Shanghai. I recommend you to go there and experience.
Transportation
By Car: use A20, and turn A2. It is the end of A2. There is a More