The City of Shanghai

Shanghai is a beautiful melting pot of the old and the new. It is also a mixture of French, British, American, Italian, Russian, and, of course, Chinese. The city has retained most of the old buildings built by the French. And with the recent metropolis boom, the back streets of Frenchtown are dwarfed by skylines.

Quick Tips:

You don't need to tip at most restaurants or for taxi rides. The street signs in Shanghai (around downtown) are all in Mandarin and English.

Best Way To Get Around:

If you need a taxi late at night, be prepared to pay a few extra yuans for your fare. Shanghai is not a nice walk during the summer. It is hot and humid. I found it easier to head downtown on the bus and get off at Nanjing Lu and the Central District. From there, it is easy to hail a cab to get to your destination. It also takes the fuss and hassle out of finding the street that you want.

No one can leave China without having xiaolongbao. And Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant is THE place to get them. This place is opposite of the Husinting tea house (eastern side of the pond). Xiaolongbao are a speciality in Shanghai. They are dumplings made with meat and fat jelly. Once they are steamed, the jelly is melted, creating a delicious soup within the bun. There is also a trick to eat these dumplings. You must make a tiny hole in the dumpling and then suck the soup out. The first time I had these dumplings, I bit into it and all the soup came out and onto my shirt. Regardless, xiaolongbao are to die for.

Old Shanghai is made of a maze of tightly packed houses and narrow lanes. It is the epitome of what a Chinese neighborhood looks like before modernization. It is a place to visit because soon these tight-knit communities will no longer be around.

Down Yan'an Lu and next to the river is the French Concession. Along the street there are a line of French-style stone buildings. The center of the French Concession is centered around Huaihai Lu and the Jinjian Hotel.