The edge of Riverside Avenue in Shanghai is a great place to sit back, enjoy a cup of coffee, listen to some music and watch the ships sailing up and down the Huangpu River.

It has become a popular place for tourists and residents alike to spend some relaxing time sightseeing.

The avenue lies along the eastern bank of the Huangpu River and faces the Bund to its west.

The avenue is two-and-a-half kilometers long, and covers an area of 150,000 square meters. It runs from Dongchang Road in the south to Taitong Road in the north and is separated in the middle by Lujiazui Road W.

It is not only a nice place to visit, but has also become a booming commercial center in Pudong District. The location has attracted many famous restaurants, cafes and coffee houses, such as Starbucks, the Paulaner, Lavazza, Hui Lau Shan from Hong Kong, HaagenDazs, and Fuga.

The southern portion of the Riverside Avenue runs for 1 kilometer. The main square is in the middle of the avenue, with many different kinds of colorful flowers and big fountains.

Starbucks was the first cafe to open a branch in the area in 2001. Many people enjoy sitting beside the river and chatting with their friends for a whole afternoon.

Paulaner, a German restaurant, spent US$1.75 million (14.175 million yuan) to set up a branch along the avenue. Customers can eat dinner outside under a big red umbrella, while enjoying a view of skyscrapers and listening to soft music.

A HaagenDazs outlet looks like a boat floating on the river. It sits on a wooden platform over the water and has room for more than 200 people.

The northern section of the avenue sits on the other side of Lujiazui Road W. and runs for 1.5 kilometers. It is home to many restaurants and large areas of grassland.

Real Brewed Tea stands beside the main square, which is filled with plants and a lawn. The teahouse is popular with youngsters, both from home and abroad.

The commercial buildings only cover about two percent of the area, with grass and plants covering the rest.

It also hosts many big shows and fashion events.

Giorgio Armani held a fashion show along Riverside Avenue beside the Huangpu River in April, which attracted more than 1,000.

The well-known brand Boss also used the area as a backdrop for the debut of its new designs this year. That was the first time that the world famous brand chose Shanghai to debut its new line.

On August 1, a Formula One boat racing event was held on the Huangpu River near the avenue. More than 30,000 spectators watched the event from both banks of the river, and it was broadcast in more than 100 countries to an audience numbering in the hundreds of millions.

The World Female Handball Championship Tournament was held on Riverside Avenue last year. A transparent glass handball court was brought to the city from Hong Kong.

A Western style garden will open next year in the southern part of Riverside Avenue, which should attract even more visitors to the area.

(Shanghai Daily September 12, 2005)