While not as dazzling as Pudong, the Puxi side of Expo Garden best defines the event, Li Xinzhu reports.

The number of visitors to the case pavilions at Urban Best Practice Area (UBPA) on the Puxi side of the Expo Garden continues to be significantly less than on the Pudong side. This is despite attempts by Expo officials to lure visitors across the Huangpi River by offering incentives such as preferential entry to country pavilions on the Pudong side of Expo Garden.

While it is understandable that wildly designed and glitzy national pavilions on the Pudong side of Expo Garden are more popular, visitors who do not take a little time out to visit the Puxi side will miss out on the total Expo experience.

With a size of more than 15 hectares, the Urban Best Practices Area offers a stage for cities around the world to propose their solutions to urban issues from different perspectives. This scenario fits in perfectly with the Expo theme of "Better City, Better Life".

There is plenty to see and do in the UBPA and at a much more gentle and relaxed pace.

So it is well worth the effort to cross the Huangpi River.

1) Hamburg Case Pavilion

The pavilion is built based on a building in the new harbor area in Hamburg. It is the first "passive" house in China - a standard for energy efficiency in buildings that use ultra-low energy for heating, cooling, light and other power needs.

After reviewing all the technological features of the house, don't miss the elegant cafe on the ground floor. It offers delicious snacks, including pastries, desserts and coffee.

Address: Zone E, Built Case Pavilion A3, UBPA

2) Bremen Case Pavilion

This case pavilion is like a piece of Chinese traditional paper cut art. It uses red and white colors from Bremen's city flag to present the theme "From Knowledge to Innovation". Bremen demonstrates its car rental system to show how the method has improved the German city's traffic conditions.

A Dalian acrobatic troupe performs everyday in the City Square of Zone E to tell famous fairy tales of Bremen animal musicians.

Address: Zone E, No 2 Joint Case Pavilion, UBPA

3) Madrid Case Pavilion

A bamboo pavilion is a surprise to many, but it is a representative of Madrid efforts to introduce affordable public housing to the city. The building is based on actual construction of public housing. There is also an "air tree", which enhances the use of wind energy. Visitors can sit under the tree to rest or watch various performances, including flamenco and other traditional dances.

A fabulous cafe is on third floor, offering various traditional Spanish dishes, including tapas and paella.

Address: Zone E, Built Case Pavilion A2, UBPA

4) Hangzhou Case Pavilion

The pavilion tells the story of how Hangzhou people feel about their city and how they deal with water. More than 500 residents' smiling faces are pictured on the walls to show visitors how beautiful the city is. With a valid day ticket, visitors can receive a free gift, including a bottle of special Hangzhou water and a travel coupon worth 400 yuan.

Address: Zone E, No 1 Joint Case Pavilion, UBPA

5) Xi'an Case Pavilion

A huge crescent-shaped screen presents what Daming Palace, built during the Tang Dynasty, looked like 1,300 years ago. Special virtual interactive activities, such as traveling in Daming Palace by car and treasure hunt in Daming Palace, are provided for visitors to experience the culture of this historic city. In addition, visitors with an Expo ticket get free entry to 18 tourist attractions in Xi'an before the end of the October.

Address: Zone E, Built Case Pavilion A1, UBPA

6) Macao Case Pavilion

The building is built based on a 100-year-old Pawnshop, Tak Seng On, which is the first museum constructed by governmental and non-governmental sources. On the second floor of the building there are a lot of historical fiction kungfu books written by Jing Yong, one of the most famous writers in China. Visitors can experience that magical world by watching a kungfu show presented by professionals from Macao.

Address: Zone E, Built Case Pavilion A1, UBPA

7) Bologna Case Pavilion

An eye-catching yellow Lamborghini attracts attention from visitors and does more than just showcase up-and-coming technologies.

Contrasting the high-end car, Bologna also offers visitors one of the healthiest vehicles - a bicycle. The city's views are presented on a screen while visitors take a simulated ride. It's a nice way to experience the city.

Address: Zone E, No 3 Joint Case Pavilion, UBPA

8) Barcelona Case Pavilion

The pavilion presents the features construction in downtown Barcelona, with various photos displayed in the pavilion telling of the culture, urban lives and the construction of the city. Meanwhile, it also sells signed footballs from FC Barcelona.

Address: Zone E, Joint Case Pavilion 4-2, UBPA

9) Bilbao Case Pavilion

A 12.9-meter-long, 7.9-meter-wide city model is the highlight in the Bilbao Pavilion, it tells visitors how this city has changed in the last 25 years.

Address: Zone E, Joint Case Pavilion 4-1, UBPA

The Madrid Case Pavilion.

The Macao Case Pavilion.

(China Daily 06/04/2010 page40)