Todd's Travels in China: Day 12: City Sites of Shanghai

Day 12 – Thurs. Jan. 9: Took a guided tour of Shanghai with Fran, an English-speaking guide who was very knowledgeable and informative. It was almost like a private tour because there were only three of us on the tour.

With a population of more than 19 million, Shanghai is the largest city in China and one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Shanghai literally means “above the sea,” and its explosive economic and industrial development is a fairly recent phenomenon.

City God Temple

Our first stop was the City God Temple, a temple located within the old walled city. Around the temple area was a traditional marketplace, the Shanghai Bazaar, with over a hundred stores and shops in buildings that are mostly nearly a century old. The marketplace was very festive because many decorations were being erected in preparation of the Spring Festival / New Year later in the month.

Yu Gardens Bazaar

Yuyuan Garden, a famous garden close to City God Temple constructed during the Ming Dynasty (1559) was our next stop. Yuyuan Garden feaures picturesque scenery and artistic style gardens and architectural structures.

The Rockery in Yuyuan Gardens

Yuyuan Garden Dragon Wall

Yuyuan Garden - the Exquisite Jade

Next, we stopped at the Tea Museum and sampled a variety of teas. We learned about the different types of tea, how to prepare them, and how/when they are typically drunk. It was very interesting and informative. China has a very rich tea culture. Note: Don’t wash green tea, use boiling water with it, or cover it while steeping. Do wash, use boiling water, and cover all other types of tea.

After the Tea Museum, we walked along the Bund, or the waterfront promenade, a long avenue of buildings of different architectural styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and the Renaissance. The heart of the post-1842 concession era, the Bund comprises banks, hotels, offices, and clubs that were the grandiose symbols of western commercial power. The Bund offers a great view of the Pudong New Financial District, which lies across the Huangpu River. We took many pictures of the fantastic skyline of modern skyscrapers. Waibaidu Bridge at the foot of the Bund is a popular place for couples to have wedding pictures taken, and we saw 3 or 4 couples in their wedding dresses and tuxedos having their pictures taken. They looked very cold!

After lunch, we took a quick walk through Xintiandi, a section of the Old French Concession from 1849 to 1946. Dubbed Shanghai's most charming district, this quiet, tree-lined area is teeming with boutiques, bars, and restaurants. It had a very European feel to it.

Xintiandi in the Old French Concession

The Memorial House of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China (July 23, 1921) provided some interesting information on the formation of China’s Communist Party. Mao Zedong was one of the 12 participants.

Next stop - Pudong. Formerly an undesirable backcountry area, Pudong has grown rapidly since the 1990s to become a financial and commercial hub. Pudong is home to many of Shanghai's best known buildings, such as the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the Jin Mao Building, the Shanghai World Financial Center, and the 124-floor Shanghai Tower Pudong, which, when completed, will be the tallest building in China at 632 meters.

Night view of the Pudong Financial District

Taken from the Bund across the Huangpu River

Finally, we stopped at the Shanghai 2010 Expo Park. Although most of the pavilions were torn down, the site is still left with a few splendid architectural buildings including the China Pavilion (an inverted, imperial-red pyramid known as the Oriental Crown), the Saudi Arabian Pavilion (known as the Boat), and the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

2010 World Expo China Pavilion

Oh, we also visited a Silk Museum and learned about the different kinds of silk and how it was made and used.

After being dropped off at the hotel, we met up later that evening with Jorge from Mexico, the other member of our tour group, for night photos along the Bund and a stroll down Nanjing Road, a pedestrian area where we stopped for dinner, beer, and some fine conversation. Nanjing Road is Shanghai’s premier shopping street and houses China’s first department store, known today as Shanghai No. 1 Department Store. We exchanged info and promised to keep in touch. It was a great way to end the day.