Shanghai World Expo 2010: Disney World for Adults

It's twice the size of the country of Monnaco.  It cost more then the entire Beijing Olympics (D-D-Damn). It's Disney World for adults (and I mean Disney WORLD not Land because Florida is the best!). Just don't try to drink around the world  Epcot style [cough cough ALLIE] because there are over 240 countries represented here! 

Expo 2010 was INSANE.  I went four times and maybe saw a tenth of it. Unfortunately that's all I will ever see since the building are going to be torn down and/or auctioned off soon.  Expo ran from May 1- October 31 and during that time more than 70 million people visited including one million in a single day last month.



This is what one million people in 5 square km looks like.



The first World Expo, AKA World Exposition AKA World's Fair was in London in 1851.  The earliest Expos highlighted industrialization which brings my dad's question of whther I thought the countries highlighted science and technology.  Hardly.  It was more of countries branding themselves by highlighting many aspects of their culture.  In my opinion every exhbit had one of two themes: "come visit me" or "WE LOVE CHINA!". Most countries goal was either to chase you and your tourist dollars or to crack right into the Chinese market and take their $$$ ... I mean RMB. 

China's pavillion was the biggest of course.  Supposedly it is visible from every place in the park. I never went in because I rather see the real China than wait SIX HOURS in line to go in this building. There are plans to keep the pavillion as a permanent exhibit while the rest will be torn down.

Thailand and Singapore BFF.  Singapore displayed nearly their entire census on the walls, you could write a book with that information.  Thailand had a few different videos including one with water sprinklers and a squeeky sounding green guy.  The Thai pavillion was all in Chinese (suck ups).

I forgot to mention the romantic rooftop garden on the top of Singapore.  Consensus is Singapore the pavillion > Singapore the country.

Dress like a Singaporean? A surprisingly large number of the pavillions chose to highlight fashion. America had cowboy hats... and people bought them...siiiiiigh.

Countries chose whether to make their home language, english, or Chinese the most prominant (or only) language in their pavillion).  Throughout the inside, Indonesia stuck with English which made me happy they did not "suck up" to China, unlike Pakistan and Australia!

About as much free space as you get at expo

Bali 2011 here come John and I dressed as traditional Indonesians



John and annie... Miles would be in some pictures if he didn't miss work because he locked himself in the apartment this day.



Little countries need love too.  Brunei.



republika filipinas



Inside the Philippines pavillion was a serious rave.  If I hadn't been to the Philippines (Chinese New Year '09 woot woot Natalie and Jen!) I would assume that all the country has to offer is dried mangos and DJs.

Australia was probanly the most disney like pavillion I went in.  When you first enter, there is a chindrens choir singing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (I probably spelled that wrong), which I always thought was a Brittish song.  My students say America has no culture.  Meet Australia, then we will talk.  I am so anti Australia.  Maybe the day I finally meet an Australian I like I will change my mind. Anyways the pavillion was cute.  The had a very catchy song whose lyrics were Expo's theme "Better City Better Life".  There well also cute figurines displaying Australia's-should-be-forgotten (because I don't care) history.

when you first walk into Australia.  Note the cute choir.  Ok enough about this place.

The Portugual one was really cool. It is made out of cork because apparently Portugal produces most of the world's cork. The pavillion had an interesting and educational video. I realized how attractive Portugese people are (China googles talking). You say potato I say Ronaldo.

Surprisingly not located directly under the Chinese pavillion (like Hong Kong and Macao are litterally in the shadow of the China pavillion).  Taiwan is actually located in the same section, but very far from China.

Nepal!  This one really made me want to travel, or at least eat.

Find your zen at the top of the Nepal pavillion

Israel.  Naturally located amongst the Arab countries.

I'd like to thank my really cool friend Josh for remember the Israel pavillion employees from Passover services and getting us to avoid the line.

Pakistan? Like 90% sure eeek.  It was a HUGE suck up to China. The inside was actually pretty crappy, very empty and had sorta broken hologram images.

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Morocco, not to be confused with Monaco SAM!

I heard this one was cool but they have a giant line and I think it closes at sundown

UAE

The inside was kinda empty but had some exhibits on Turkmenistani history.

I think I will make my students calculate the area of this.

Saudi Arabia + cartoons.  The line as monstrous. 6 hours? There is an announcement which says about how long the wait is for all the exhibits.

Meet Haibo... the blue guy with the... eh I don't know what the thing on his head is called and I don't want to sound culturally insensitive.

India

Xibanye!  Its made out wicker and has a really cool video in it. I have a particular interest in the pavillions of countries that I have actually been too, although maybe that means I should have spent more time in countries that I haven't been to?  Oh well too late now! 

SPAIN! Miles and I tried to pretend we were cuban (too white to be spanish) in order to cut the line and even though she believed us, it didnt work.

This baby is HUGE and it moves and lives inside the Spain pavillion.  One of the biggest WTF moments of expo.

Switzerland! <3 It has a ski lift on the top...

5 hour line, hence I decided to wait 15 minutes for a Belgium waffle instead. expo food = delicious

South beach? Habana?



Miami?



The Venezuela pavillion had a lot of messages about a revolution.  Kind of scary.

CHILE! te echo de menos muchiiiiiiiiismo! Not the main entrance I was just so excited when I saw it I took a picture ASAP.  The pavillion was big but a little empty (kind of like Santiago).  There was a video of the streets of Santiago, wide roads and few cars and I was "es verdad!".  I got to eat empanadas and drink a mango pisco sour and it felt soooo good :)

Some people don't know how to focus a camera.  Me in front of Mexico (with a margarita and churro in my hand).  Yet another place Gato and Mantita explored.

Didn't get in but I like saying Baaaa xiiiii (thats chinese for Brasil)

Meiguo meiguo meiguo! i was like a kid in a candy shop. yea the pavillion was awful but I didn't care.

The USA Pavillion cost a measly $61 million dollars, compared to China's 220m and still farrrrr below what most other developed economies spent.  Unlike most countries, the U.S. government is prohibited from financing national Expo pavilions. As a result, they must be funded with corporate, private, or non-federal funds (e.g. state governments). Now for the catch-22: They cannot get real private support without government sanction, yet they cannot get government sanction without some assurance of private support.

Despite it looking and feeling like a giant Walmart, Miles and I sure had a blast in the pavillion.  That may be accredited to a few refreshments we had at the Chile and Mexico pavillions before hand. As US citizens we got to skip the 3 hour line :) Inside they asked if anyone was from the USA, and then they go "oh theres a big group in the back", but the big group was just me and tipsy Miles screaming MIAMI!  Obnoxious Americans.

The colors actually look like a map of SE Asia but Miles is pointing at the state of Michigan

Like I said, I was like a kid in a candy shop.  Happy smiles :)

Ain't that Amuurrrica

Half china hald american glasses

 

Shanghai World Expo was absolutely fantastic.  I would have blogged about it sooner if I thought it would convince any of you to go.  Don't worry you can catch Expo 2012 in South Korea but I doubt they will break the bank and put on a show like China.

MORE PICTURES TO COME WHENEVER MY INTERNET INCREASES BEYOND A SNAILS PACE.  These are just day 1! :)