Sunday 11 November 2007

Shanghai Tennis Master's Cup / World's Tallest Buildings

Well the Masters' Cup is on and here from 11 - 18 November.

Being the big tennis fan that he is , hubby bought tickets way back in May. It makes me cringe to think of how much they cost too!

Read some information about the stadium:

Tennis Masters Cup, the culminating event of the men's professional tournament season, will return to Shanghai and will be staged at the new state-of-the-art Qi Zhong Tennis Center. The tennis facility, which will become Asia's biggest, has been built on 80 acres in the Minghang district, 27 kilometers southwest of the city. The Tennis Center includes a dual-purpose indoor-outdoor 15,000-seat center court and 40 indoor and outdoor courts.
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I find it interesting and amusing that cities area always trying to outdo each other, but particularly Asian cities. Love the superlatives - the biggest this, the tallest this, the longest this, the widest this, the oldest, the newest, etc etc. I get the feeling they have 'small man syndrome' and are always needing to compete. Look at the tallest buildings - most of them are in Asia.

Some places I have been to and recent findings.

Malaysia (Petronas KLCC) - the tallest twin towers
Okinawa (Churaumi) - has the largest aquarium viewing tank and thickest acrylic panel (also the world's second largest aqarium)
Taipei (Taipei 101) - tallest building (until it was superseded by the one in Dubai, which will then be superseded by another one I'm sure)
Macao (Macao Venetian) - world's largest casino
Shanghai (Grand Hyatt) - highest hotel
Shanghai (Yaohan Next Age) - largest department store in Asia
Shangahi (Qi Zhong) - largest tennis facility in Asia
Shanghai (Ikea) - largest Ikea store in Asia

Look at this list here. Most of them in Asia and then the rest are mostly in the States, with some others in the Middle East and Moscow but hardly any in Western Europe!! Hardly any in any English-speaking country either apart from the US.

According to this After 2012, Taipei 101 will be the world's fifth tallest building! (boohoo). The Burj Dubai will also have been superseded then by buildings in Moscow, Seoul and Busan.

Where will it end?

Interesting to note - the world's 83rd/84th tallest building can be seen outside my living room window. There is another tower in progress (which I saw 'completed' on the model at the Urban Planning museum) nearby but I don't know which one that is. Perhaps it just missed the tallest building list. Also interesting is that on the list of 'proposed' buildings - most of them are in China (or Hong Kong or Taiwan). It's good to see Germany (Frankfurt) get in on the game too. :)

Back to the topic :) ... I have never really had much of an interest in sport and zero interest in watching it. The only exception is the Olympic games and similar things like the Commonwealth games and certain sports like swimming, gymnastics, diving and ice/figure skating. Unfortunately for hubby I find tennis very boring. But I have tried. I have followed him to many tennis games/matches and sad there being totally bored out of my mind. I start staring at the spectators and analyse what they are wearing. My mind totally starts to wander and daydream. Pathetic, huh?

1 comment:

Reed said...

Spectator Tennis is many times more enjoyable when you have played the game yourself. Such joy on hitting a good shot, and such agony upon missing. More competitive than golf, more active than baseball, I think if you played with some friends or played "short court" with your hubby it would be fun and enriching for you. Interesting blog!