On May 1, the most expensive World Expo in history, eight years in the making, finally opened in Shanghai. Although there were a few snafus during the previews and opening, there was no denying that this was a remarkable gathering the likes of which might never be seen again.
Tremendous sums were spent on the pavilions: The Saudi Arabian Pavilion, a "Silk Road treasure ship," cost about RMB1 billion (NT$4.8 billion). The Japanese Pavilion, a "purple silkworm island" that combines technology and environmental consciousness in interesting ways, ran to about RMB900 million. The Spanish Pavilion, constructed to resemble a large Spanish basket, cost 55 million, and the German Pavilion, with its "city in balance" theme, cost 50 million. Even bankrupt Iceland spent US$2 million to create its ice-cube-like pavilion. No wonder Southern Weekend, one of mainland China's most important media outlets, used the phrase "come hell or high water" to describe nations' ardent determination to attend Expo 2010 even in the midst of the financial crisis.
Precisely because Expo 2010 is unprecedented for its scale, character and the designs of its pavilions, Taiwan Panorama visited some of its most celebrated pavilions-including those of China, Spain, Japan and Korea-with the aim of serving as our readers' advance scouts. In the pages that follow, let us lead you on a tour!
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