Shanghai, the place to be.

I'm a German who is living in the UK and married to a wonderful woman from Shanghai. I went to Shanghai a few times now, and I have to say that from all the cities I visited in my life, and that includes London, Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin and others, only Shanghai has captured my heart. From the Jade Buddha Temple to the Fangbang Zhong Road and the Yuyuan Garden. From Nanjing Road to Huaihai Zhonglu. The Bund with the view over the Huangpu River to Pudong. The smell of the delicious food and the buzz of the markets. And not forget those wonderful places like the canal town of Zhouzhuang and the city of Hangzhou, with it's misty woodlands, beautyful temples and Pagodas. Shanghai is a city I would love to stay. The downside is the polluted air and the people who try to sell fake watches and handbags. Best is to ignore them. Don't even talk to them. But don't let them put you off. Shanghai is a trip worth by all means.

Great for: History/Culture, Nightlife

Last Visit: December 2006

26 December 2006 | A Yahoo! User

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NOT REALLY A GOOD CHOICE TO VISIT, CANNOT COMPARE WITH HONGKONG!

I HATE THIS CITY AFTER VISTING LAST SUMMER, THE SKY WAS ALWAYS FILLED WITH DUST AS THE POLLUTION THERE IS REALLY REALLY SERIOUS. I KNOW THAT SHANGHAI IS THE BEST CITY IN MAINLAND CHINA, WHICH IS ALWAYS SAID TO BE THE FAST GROWING CITY.... BUT, ACTUALLY, IT IS STILL NOT THE TIME TO SAY AS CITIES LIKE HONG KONG , NEW YORK CITY, LONDON.... STILL QUITE A LONG WAY.!

Last Visit: March 2004

13 January 2006 | A Yahoo! User

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Shanghai Magic!

Shanghai is a magical city on the Eastern coast of mainland China. There are so many things to do in Shanghai. It is a wonderful mix of old world China and new world attractions. The Bund is one of the greatest walking paths I have ever seen and the view is spectacular!

5 June 2005 | wjreagin

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Excellent despite itself

I was determined to dislike Shanghai but in the end loved the place, despite the crowds, pollution and rapid destruction of its old neighborhoods. The food is fabulous (though the over-staffed service mediocre), the sights still plentiful, and the shopping hard to beat. I've written a much longer description of my experience at TravelRant.com if you are interested. Happy Travels...

5 June 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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I LOVE SHANGHAI!!!!

The food is absolutely delicious at the best prices. If you want to go to Shanghai, don't eat in fancy American hotels or restaurants or anything because it's very expensive. Taco Bell is like considered fine dining in China and it costs way more than dumplings and soup. You can get a breakfast of dumplings and the such at Lao Ban Zai for about $6 US for 3 people while breakfast at Taco Bell costs about twice as much as it does in the US!! Also, Shanghai is getting more and more beautiful.

5 June 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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Looks different every year I go!

A fast growing city with lots of attractions and entertainments. Will become a big city.

5 June 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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mixture of everthing

this a place with dragon kind of look - a weird monster with all parts borrowed from everyone else yet people there still feel good about it. if you just want to have (cheap) fun, go for it. there is nothing special about this city - maybe this is special.

5 June 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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Can't wait for my next trip to Shanghai.

A nice place to work. The wheather is just nice for people who work most under the sun. It's not so hot, got mild wind blowing.

5 June 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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a place worth visiting

I'm a Shanghainese. As what most people have said, Shanghai is not a traditional Chinese city, however, China is no longer traditional as well. Everything is changing, China, as a thriving country, also cannot refuse the outside world. And Shanghai, as the window of China, especially shows the mixture of a Chinese culture, a developing China,and a glimpse of globalization. Of course, there are different types of cities in China , each with a distinctive atmospere and a long history. Though still containing certain social problems, China is always the most hospitable country with the kindest people in the world. It is on the way to be perfected like all the other cities in the world. If you are on the way to China ,to Shanghai, I may be your guider, if your perception towards here interests me.

5 June 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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Shanghai - A Sense of Place

SHANGHAI - The food. The architecture. The shopping. The business. The food. It's so good. The noodles… All the buildings were built by France, Britain, Germany and the Netherlands during their occupation of Shanghai prior to World War II. The dumplings… The buildings have become commercial centers for the world's leading companies. The barbecued lamb… Chanel, Estée Lauder, and other popular western stores reside prominently on the second floors. Green onion pie… The buildings house some of the most powerful business on their upper floors where…Wait! Senses assaulted by the delicious spices, family members abandon one another as they stampede toward the first floor entryways. You see, all the first floors are reserved for food, food from the forty-six different provinces in China waiting to attract people. So get out of the way. The wafting smells lure diners into every available seat, like witches beguiling their victims. This is Shanghai to me. When I think of Shanghai, it is the district of Wai-Tan that comes to mind. A twenty-mile long commercial district, the Bund stretches along on the Right Bank of the Yangtze River through the middle of the city. This district is so beautiful. At night, I can see the shining Pearl Tower as I walk to the Green Wave Dim Sum Restaurant. The prices used to be affordable, but since the recent visits of European and American leaders, it's gone up a fair bit. It's no surprise that it's become the favorite spot of the Chinese locals as well. Despite the cost, I am willingly captivated enough by the smells to wait in line for as long as two hours. Of course, the memory of the wait vanishes upon tasting the delicious boiled snake. There are times in the bund when I can hardly see the sun in the day or the moon at night. The size of the towering buildings leaves me feeling like an ant as I sit on the West Side of the Yangtze River chomping on spicy chicken feet. Western tourists rush past as I eat. The bund is so crowded, whether it's a weeknight or weekend. Looking at people crowded on the street, I easily distinguish the westerners from the Chinese. While the westerners dress causally, the Chinese dress formally in suits and skirts, for they feel that a special place needs special clothes - even under the boiling summer temperature. A historical district, the Bund was the first harbor in ancient China to trade with foreign people. Even Marco Polo has been there. Most who visit Shanghai cannot leave without visiting this commercial center and, of course, without eating at one of the many famous restaurants. At night, a 3.5 magnitude earthquake hits this part of the city as Karaoke parties begin. This is a rockin' part of town. But to me, the Bund remains important not for its entertainment value, but rather, for a more practical purpose. Let's face it. I'm a skinny guy.

5 June 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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