Shanghai Daily News

If you are looking for a quick excursion to get lost in nature, and without having to travel to Chongming Island, Yangpu District should be among your top choices.

This "green" district has become a popular destination for day-trippers for it numerous parks and gardens, historical sights and many universities in the area.

Shanghai Gongqing Forest Park

Quiet, natural and fresh are the best words to describe this heavily-forest park, which is divided into north and south sections in both a modern and classical style.

The north section, the main body of the park, covers about 1.1 million square meters of land, about 85 percent of its total area. Here there are nearly 200,000 plants of about 200 different varieties making it the biggest "green museum" in the city. Hundreds of different flowers blossom here, such as the Chinese rose, chrysanthemums, peonys, lilies and tulips.

Another attraction is flowing water which has been employed as a thematic motif to link the different features of the park by waterfalls, streams, ponds and cliffs created with artificial rocks.

The park has recently added to its various amusements that include a roller coaster, rock climbing, a barbecue area, horseback riding and go-karting. The latter will help you realize any Schumacher ambitions you may harbor as the carts are super fast and will test your driving skills. The carts are one of the most popular attractions at the park.

The Bamboo Garden, located in the southern section of the park, extends to the Huangpu River in the area of the Nenjiang River port. Opened in 1998, the 16-hectare garden features natural scenery in grassy hills, trees, old bridges and houses.

The garden features more than 60 types of bamboo in common varieties in Maozhu, Cixiaozhu, Danzhu, Hongzhu and Pujizhu. There is also some rare types in Shizhu, Shuizhu, Golden Maozhu and Olive. All of these have a long history and cannot be easily found in other places nowadays.

The fundamental design of the garden has been created in a Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties style. With ancient bridges and flowing water, it reminds people of the water villages found around southern China.

The "Sizhu Bamboo Town" and the "Jingzhu Bamboo Pond" are a well-presented version of the fine tastes associated with ancient China. These are good places for visitors to appreciate the bamboo pavilions and articles.

The combination of the streams, bamboo and architecture creates a perfect picture of natural peace.

Address: 2000 Jungong Road

Price: 12 yuan (US$1.50) (Amusements cost: five to 50 yuan)

Buses: 102, 124, 147, 841

Hours: 6am-6pm

University of Shanghai for Science and Technology

Fudan is not the only local university now into its second century as the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology has been turning out the country's top scientists and technicians for 100 years now.

The institution, an amalgamation of East China University of Technology and Shanghai Institute of Mechanical Technology, set up its original campus at Hujiang University (1906-1952) after the country's 1949 liberation. The latter originated from Deutche Medizinschule (German Medicine School) that was set up in 1907.

Because of its enduring history, most of the campus' buildings are Ecclesiastical style with red brick walls and pointed roofs, similar to European-style churches. At present, nearly 60 of the old buildings have been protected and some are currently under repair with the municipal government's support. Yates Hall and Frenkelin-ray Hall are especially impressive.

Address: 516 Jungong Road

Longyang Seafood Restaurant

If you are looking for a seafood fix, this restaurant delivers. Longyang is famous for its freshness because it is located near a dock on the Huangpu River. The daily catch is transported directly to the restaurant from Zhejiang Province's Zhoushan Island, known as China's "seafood city."

With nearly 50 types of seafood, diners can order how they would like their food cooked, be it boiled, steamed, fried and roasted, among others. Diners will appreciate not only the good food, but also the sufficient quantity.

Address: 2600 Jungong Road

Price: About 100 yuan per person

Tel: 6574-1738

Hours: 11am-3pm and 5pm-7pm

Shanghai Memory

For football fans looking for a comfortable place to enjoy the ongoing World Cup, Shanghai Memory is an ideal destination.

The massive restaurant complex, which is easily recognized by an old steam train in the front of the building, features two restaurants, one Chinese and the other Brazilian barbecue.

The huge bar in the downstairs area is worth a visit alone for its regular live jazz performances and screenings of old black and white films showing the glamour of now forgotten eras.

Address: 1526 Jiangpu Road

Price: 40 yuan a person on average

Hour: 11am-2pm, 5pm-2am

Tel: 6563-2516