Seeing China's Future

Shanghai is China’s leading industrial and commercial city and the major financial centre. It is located on the central coast on the Yangtze River estuary. Shanghai is both a city and a municipality directly under the central government. In recent years it has seen enormous development. I was told on several occasions that Shanghai has (or more likely had) a quarter of the world’s building cranes in its region. It is certainly amazing to see what has been achieved in the past 15-20 years.

Shanghai is also a good tourist destination. There are several must-see sites in the city (The Bund, Yu Gardens, Nanjing shopping street, Shanghai Museum etc.) but there are also some excellent day and 2-3 tours from the city to other regional centres (Wuzhen, Suzhou, Hangzhou etc.). The Pudong New Area with its Oriental Pearl TV Tower and modern hotels shows what many in China hope the future for the country looks like.

Quick Tips:

The population of the municipality is estimated at 17 million so this is a major centre. Fortunately, private vehicle ownership is still low and the city has developed a series of freeways and public transport that would be the envy of many places. Nevertheless, it can be difficult and time consuming to get around. It is best to decide which area in which you plan to spend most time, then stay in a hotel in the area. We stayed at the Hua Ting Hotel which was adjacent to the major sports stadiums but was a long way from the Bund. The Shangri-La might be suitable for those with business in Pudong, while the old Peace Hotel might appeal to those looking for nostalgia and shopping.

Temperatures in the city vary considerably during the year. We visited in August (average temperature 28C) and found it very hot at times. In January the average temperature is 3C, which is too cold for me. The best months could be April-May, or September-October

Best Way To Get Around:

This will depend on your lifestyle and ability to cope with crowds. Taxis are usually readily available, have meters, and in our experience were reliable, however we waited for one for over two hours one wet evening and got almost drowned in the process. Short trips cost around US.30 and it should not cost more than US to go half way across the city. You need to have the address written in Chinese if you don’t speak the language.

There is also an elevated light rail track and a subway system but the network is not extensive and it does not cover all areas of interest. The system can be very difficult to use in peak periods but is cheap and manageable (with a little help from the locals) at other times. There is also a system of tourist bus routes (10 routes) but we didn’t use these. Those with limited time are advised to take at least one tour of the city to get orientated. We used Helen Wong’s Tours link and found them excellent.

We arrived at the hotel under the worst possible circumstances. Our international flight to Guangzhou had been long and crowded and our domestic flight to Shanghai was delayed--then delayed further. We were hours late getting into Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport, and it was close to midnight when we arrived at the hotel. We were not happy but surprisingly, with a friendly smile and a welcome drink, the staff managed to change all that in just a few minutes.

The porter service was fast and needed no tip so we were tucked up in bed within half an hour of arrival. The bed was hard but we both slept well. Next morning we surveyed the room with more enthusiasm. This property is one of the older modern high-rise hotels in Shanghai (probably late 1970s) and for many years was operated by the Sheraton chain. You still see the influence in the room. There was space and all the necessary fixtures and fittings for a 5-star hotel (IDD telephone, voice mail, refrigerator/mini bar, 12 international TV channels etc.), but the room we had was a bit "tired."

There are 1009 guest rooms including 65 suites. The Towers rooms are on floors 23-25. These start at US$140 and have 24-hour butler service, complimentary tea and coffee, free afternoon tea/evening cocktail, free laundry and pressing, free fruit, one hour free use of the internet daily, and free use of the health club/tennis/outdoor pool and sauna. That could be an attractive deal for some travellers.

We ate in a couple of the restaurants. Perhaps the best is the Guan Yue Tai Chionese restaurant on the 26th floor. It opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For local fare the Bai Hua Yuan Shanghainese Restaurant on the third floor opens for lunch and dinner. The Japanese Kagayaki Restaurant on the second floor is an interesting alternative. For Western and other dishes the best place is the Ka Fei Ting International Café. There is also a deli selling cakes, pasteries, ice cream and sherberts.

One evening we spent an hour in the Lobby Lounge listening to an excellent Filipino group. Two basic drinks cost around US$16.

Open: Lunch and dinner daily

Shang Palace restaurants are a feature of Shangri-La hotels so it should not have been a surprise to find that this restaurant was superb. What I had not known before dining there was that the restaurant had just gotten a new chef, a new operations manager and a new style. Chef Ip Chi Kwong has 32 years experience in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia under his hat. He creates Cantonese cuisine with a sparkling fusion of flavours and spices. Operations Manager, David Wong, also brings years of experience to his position and you see it in the friendly warm service from staff and an uncompromised level of service standards.

The restaurant is luxurious in that special Chinese way. The entrance is grand and the thickly-carpeted room is open and bright but oozing with character and opulence. Starched white tablecloths are a fitting base for fine-crafted china, silver cutlery, and smooth ebony chopsticks with silver tips for that extra touch of elegance. We dined with a local food expert so left the ordering to him. We were not disappointed.

A succession of dishes arrived and was quickly devoured. Frankly I didn’t realise I was so hungry but then perhaps I was just greedy to see what was coming next. I particularly enjoyed the steamed spotted garoupa rolls stuffed with a flavourful mixture of Jin Hua ham and bamboo pith. The braised shark’s fin soup with shredded lobster was popular with everyone. I don’t think there was anything we didn’t enjoy.

Frankly, there was no downside to this meal except the price. It is not a place to go every day, but for a special occasion it is perfect. Our meal for four cost RMB1200 (about US$145) including service charge, with green tea but no other drinks. The atmosphere, the service and the food will be long remembered after the price is forgotten. Weeks later, after returning home, we are still talking about our fabulous lunch in Shanghai. When we return, we plan to again eat at the Shangri-La. We say we want to try the Inagiku Japanese restaurant but I suspect we will again end up at the Shang Palace. It’s just that good.

Although M on the Bund only opened in 1999, by 2001 it had established itself as a globally important restaurant. I guess it helped being a ‘sister’ restaurant of Hong Kong’s famed M at the Fringe but this would not be enough if it didn’t have that something special.

What it has is a great location on the top floor of a 1920s building overlooking The Bund and the Huangpu River, a classy and inspired chic-modern-retro décor that seems just right for the times, and an international-standard winelist.

I had heard various reports about the food and the prices. In my experience the food is average and the prices, high. I thought the service left something to be desired. Despite all that, I would return because it has that certain glamour and flair generally lacking in most restaurants today.

When ordering from the menu, it’s probably better to forget about the prices. Start with one of the appetizers such as the crepe Parmentier with caviar, then try the goose, the baked lamb or the roasted pigeon. The desserts are a highlight for me at M on the Bund. Everything I have tried has been good. M’s Pavlova is hard to beat. This Australian dessert of meringue topped with fresh cream, fresh fruit and passion-fruit sauce served with icecream is one of the best.

There is a terrace overlooking the river which can be nice for lunch but when the weather is cold or dark, try to get the elite table adjacent to the windows. You will find that you have a sense of being somewhere quite special.

Telephone: (21) 6437 6268 Opening hours: 9-11am and 1-4.30pm daily

This is the former residence of Soong Ching Ling, an honorary chairwoman of the People’s Republic of China and the widow of Dr Sun Yat-sen. She lived, worked, and studied here during the last days of her life.

The house is on a busy road in a fine residential area not far from the Shanghai Library which is claimed to be one of the largest 10 libraries in the world. The house sits in nice gardens and has been preserved as it was at Madam Soong Ching Ling’s death. You can enter the ground floor of the house and see the living areas where Madam lived and worked. To try and protect the floors from dirt and wear, visitors are required to don plastic slip-ons over their shoes. We wandered around looking at the furniture and artifacts and were given some information in English by a guide.

After seeing the house, we went into the exhibition hall that has been built in the front grounds. There was quite a collection of memorabilia here but unfortunately little English explanation so much of it was lost on us. We wandered around to the back of the house through some attractive gardens but most of this area is not accessible to the public. What is available, and you are encouraged to visit, is the shop. We were skeptical but found it had quite an extensive collection of books, artifacts, clothing, souvenirs, and other items. As this was our first day in Shanghai we were not really interested in buying anything but later we realised that some items were not readily available elsewhere and could have been good reminders of our visit.

Few places on earth evoke such images as Shanghai’s Bund. In 1843, Shanghai was opened up as a treaty port. For the next 100 years it was the extreme example of that genre. The Bund was its heart. This is where Asia’s first skyscrapers were constructed. In the heady days of the 1920s and 1930s, the Bund was a magnet for companies around the world.

Today, the Bund showcases the best of Shanghai’s colonial architecture as well as its most vibrant street life. From 5am, when the t’ai chi brigade starts working out, through the ballroom dancers, the daytime shoppers, strollers and tourists, and the evening sightseers, this is Shanghai’s heartland. It can not be missed.

There are 52 buildings lining around 1.5 kilometres of Zhongshan Dongyi Road overlooking the Huangpu River and the broad riverside promenade. They are not all worth looking at but collectively they showcase Gothic, Roman, Classical Revival, Renaissance, and Western-China architectural styles. We used the underground walkway to access the promenade. There are great photographic opportunities of old buildings, the pulsating "new Shanghai" across the river, tourists posing for mandatory snapshots and local strolling in the sun. Hawkers offer postcards, writing pens and other souvenirs.

The whole scene becomes doubly attractive at night when the temperature is lower, the colourful lights come on to illuminate fountains and buildings, and the area throngs with people. Under these circumstances, it is not difficult to see why this is called "the Pearl of the Orient".

Telephone: (21) 6327 0276 Hours: 9am – 5pm

Shanghai Museum is a large-scale art museum worthy of anyone’s time. Its 120,000-piece collection of cultural relics focuses particularly on bronze and porcelain works, books and paintings. The building is situated within People's Square, the political and cultural centre of the city. Other buildings here are the City Hall, the Grand Shanghai Theatre and the underground shopping centre.

The museum building is shaped like a large bronze pot. It has 10 exhibition halls devoted to different subjects, one hall for donated relics and three for temporary exhibitions. We had two hours to ‘see’ the collection and failed miserably. A day would be justified for this building, particularly if you have particular interest in Chinese history and artifacts.

The best way to tour the exhibition is with the English language audio guide. This uses digital random access technology, which enables you to enjoy the commentary and interpretation on the selected art works at your own pace. There is an introduction to the museum section, gallery overviews, and background sections on various other interesting topics. You access all this by use of a hand-carry controller and earphones.

We thought the most interesting sections were those with the spectacular old masterpieces but obviously others will have different ideas. There is enough variety and interest to keep most people happy for hours. Before leaving, you should visit the museum shop. We were amazed by the copies and imitations of ancient Chinese bronze, ceramics, paintings and calligraphy. We were told that workers at the museum specially make all the goods. The jades, cloisonne, lacquer and wooded wares were also appealing.

This garden has existed for more than 400 years. It was built by a private individual and shows a classical landscape in the Southern Chinese style. We walked through pavilions and halls, and beside rockeries and ponds. The landscaping was stunning and reflected the style as seen in the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Although the garden is quite small for a public area, it is packed with more than 40 landscapes ingeniously separated by latticed walls, winding corridors, and lattice windows. This is a garden for wandering and exploring. We actually found a little corner where there were no other visitors for about four minutes so we enjoyed this luxury in what is one of the busiest cities in the world.

Tucked away in a corner of one of the pavilions we found a gift shop. We looked around for several minutes before a gentle lady came in and asked if we needed to know anything. There were some very interesting items but we were really not serious buyers so she returned to what ever she had been doing. The contrast between this and other "tourist shops" was amazing. In another corner we found an artists studio. Again we wandered around for quite a long time before the artist turned up with a pot of hot tea. The paintings were for sale but the artist appeared to speak no English so again there was absolutely no pressure to buy. We admired the many works and left.

The gardens are an attraction in their own right but we also found them to be a welcome relief from the outside hustle and bustle. They are situated in the ‘old’ part of town adjacent to an impressive teahouse and close to a tourist bazaar, shops and local markets. The whole area could take a day to explore but for those in a hurry, the main elements of the garden can be seen in an hour. Open hours: 8.30am – 5pm