I couldn’t access my blog from China so I haven’t been able to post about my time in Shanghai until now.

What an amazing city. Here is my summary of what to expect in Shanghai.

Atmosphere

There is an amazing energy to the place that is difficult to explain.

Xintiandi

Two entire city blocks of traditional Shanhai houses completely restored and renovated into a smart area of shops, bars and restaurants. Avoid the German pub/restaurant though, food.

Laris

Beautiful fine dining restaurant overlooking the Bund. Right next door to the more famous M on Bund. Food is as good as anywhere in the world. There are also two very good bars attached for drinks before and after. We spent New Years Eve there and had an amazing time.

Shanghai Aqaurium

This is apparently the biggest in the world and is very cool. Allow plenty of time to get around as it takes awhile. I saw some crazy things I never knew existed. Check these guys out!

MagLev Train

The Magnetic Levitation Train from Shanghai Airport (Pu Dong) is the first of its kind and very fast. It got up to 426 KPH when I was on it. It unfortunately stops well short of the centre of town but you get the Metro the rest of the way which while not as fast is extremely easy and costs about US$0.40 for a single ticket.

Pearl City

I didn’t go but the missus came back with four handbags and was very happy.

South Bund Soft Spinning Market

Two tailor made suits for US$120 all ready within 5 days. Amazing value and much better quality than you get in Hong Kong and Thailand.

Crazy English Translations of Signs and Public Notices

Translation is just so literal that most of the time it doesn’t make sense even if it is in English.

Shanghai Taxis

Plentiful (except when it rains) and cheap. The first 2km costs about US $1.50 and they don’t seem to charge for waiting time. Just don’t expect working seatbelts.

1000 Faces Restaurant

This is a restaurant in Shanghai where these guys change their masks in a split second over and and over again. It is cool.

Crazy Chinese Bureaucracy

I guess it would drive you crazy if you lived there but I thought it was funny. Examples:

Electricity Bill Lady
The electricity company sends a lady around to your home who knocks on the door and hand delivers a reminder notice to pay your bill. You can’t pay the lady then and their, you have to pay the bill at specific outlets. She is just the reminder lady. Full employment makes for very creative positions.

Bund Underwater Sightseeing Tourist Tunnel
I assumed that this was under the water but it is actually under the ground and you don’t see any actual water. You board these wierd looking tram things that look like they should be in a ’60’s sci-fi movie and are then subjected to a bewilderingly awful light and sound show as you travel the 5 minutes under the Bund river. It is so bad and so ludicrous that this should be considered a tourist attraction that it makes it must for any visitor.

Consumerism

For a communist country, consumerism is rife! Budweiser is the biggest selling beer, every brand you can imagine is plastered everwhere you look.

Screens

Screens are everywhere. Huge LCD screens on buildings, on barges in the river, in taxis, on the metro (the subway/underground train), in shopping centers. Maybe this is where Kevin Roberts got his is Sisomo idea.

Shanghai Zoo

We went to see the Panda bears but this a drab very communist instution and we just left depressed and upset by the conditions the animals were kept in.

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