Shanghai…Part Two…or Two Rolex for $10!

Shanghai Locals Practice Dancing

I am writing this on my fourth day in Shanghai, and for the most part, my impressions are still the same. By now, I have discovered the wonderful shopping area of Nanjing street. Okay, so…I don't shop. I know, I know. But I think shopping overseas is cumbersome and I hate to try to repack my suitcase as it is. Fortunately, I no longer have the desire to take home T-Shirts with the name of every country and city in the world that I've been to, but I do on occasion fall for the cheap knock off shirt, etc, this is mainly due to the fact that it's easy to wear out clothes while traveling and this is a cheap way to replace them.

Nanjing Road in Shanghai

Anyway, as I've said before, Shanghai is amazing and everyone should take a trip there. However, there are a few things you should know. If you are a westerner and you are walking down most streets in Shanghai, you will be offered Rolex's, Omega's, or whatever watch you can think of for ridiculously low prices. Now, no matter how tempting that is, you shouldn't buy them.  First, they're obviously fake, second, it's illegal to bring back into the U.S., third, they break within weeks, and fourth, many times you will have to follow these stealth street salesmen (or women) to a "secret" location which means that you will go to some small scary closed in closet like shop and possibly have the door locked behind you…should I go on?

Alleyway in Shanghai

These sneaky sales people stand about every 15 feet amongst the crowds and creep up beside you as you walk while whispering their latest deal. Clearly people buy these things or there wouldn't be so many offers. You WILL get tired of it. Also, there are many other offers that you will have to fend off throughout the day and night. I hate to tell you, but aside from Japan, this is a very common practice in many asian countries. I'm delayed in writing this, so by now I've been to a few other places and I can tell you it does get worse.

Police Officer in Shanghai

One of the common scams for tourist in Shanghai is that you will be walking in a park or tourist area and some college age kids will approach you and try to strike up an innocent conversation. "Where are you from?", "What is your name?" etc. Unfortunately, 99% of the time, they are not just being friendly locals. The scam is that they try to befriend you and then come around to take you to a "Special Tea Ceremony" (which frankly would bore the hell out of me). However, once the victim falls for this, they are taken to a "Tea House" which is in on the scam and ultimately you will get stuck with a bill that can run anywhere from $100-$1,000. Yes, the friendly students will have run off by now and you can bet they will get a cut. As I've said before, I am the ultimate skeptic and I (thank God) have never fallen for these things, but I have found out about people who have.

Shanghai Locals Knitting on a Park Bench

I hope by now that I haven't completely turned you off to traveling in Shanghai, as it is overall safe and wonderful, but it's important to know that these are the kinds of issues you will face, and once I get a chance to write about Vietnam and some other places, you will see that its important to have a thick skin at times.

Shanghai Senior Man

Nanjing is quite long and is filled with shops, malls and very expensive stores. A large part of Nanjing is pedestrian only, with a few motor cycles that slip through. The funny thing, and locals will tell you this, is that Shanghai is known for powerful women who like expensive things and "soft" men who do all the cooking and chores. I thought this was a joke of sorts until I sat and started watching the many well dressed and very, very confident women who were strutting down Nanjing. I was scared. I took a few shots of them here and there, but frankly they would flash me a "You couldn't afford me" look and walk on. The outfits and hairdo's were fantastic if you like the whole "The Devil Wears Prada" kind of thing.

Nanjing Road in Shanghai

Although Shanghai is a shopping Mecca…you can't afford it. Trust me. Just wait until you get to Hong Kong. We looked in shop after shop and something as simple as a Lacoste shirt (in the U.S. costs $70 retail) would run about $165 in Shanghai. Most all of the clothing is marked way up. There are a few deals to be had here and there if you're willing to buy local things that you've never heard of, but mostly it's ridiculous. I think they say Shanghai is one of the top three most expensive cities in the world.

Shanghai Locals Dancing in Park

However…food is cheap and hotels are reasonable. For instance, for lunch we paid about $4 each for a full meal of noodles with beef and a mushroom salad, including iced tea. Taxi's are also very cheap, but make sure you insist they have the meter on. Taxi drivers seem to have the potential for crookedness the world wide.

Shanghai Local Grandmother Holds Baby

Two of the four days that I was in Shanghai were met with polluted skies. Yes, unfortunately there is a lot of smog in the air at times. I believe this comes from coal burning, but hopefully over time they will improve the air quality. Right now, Shanghai is preparing furiously for the 2010 World Expo. They have closed off part of the famous "Bund" that is the waterfront area along part of the river and are building multiple structures and sites. In fact, much of the city is being refurbished and added to for this occasion.

Young Lovers in Shanghai

As with most places on this trip, I have tried to take simple snapshots to show people what it looks like from street corner to street corner. If you'd like to see the second set of Shanghai photos, you can click HERE.

Shanghai, China...Wow! Part One

Shanghai China Pearl Tower

Okay, I am packing up my things right now and moving to Shanghai!! (I wish). As usual, there is no possible way to truly capture such a grand city in a simple photograph. I have to say though, that the Shanghai skyline is one of the best in the world. I have seen pictures of Shanghai over the years and they were nothing like standing on the banks of the river and looking up at such massive and impressive architecture.

Shanghai China

Shanghai is one of the great business centers of China and it shows. The most obvious part of this awe inspiring city is the Pearl Tower. A large Broadcast tower that looms out of the ground and reaches high into the sky. You will notice multiple round globes that are interspaced from top to bottom, these are representative of pearls. On my first day in Shanghai, the first thing I did was take and elevator (7 floors per second) to the highest part of this tower.

Shanghai China Pearl Tower

Shanghai is huge. Massive. At this height,  you can see buildings and life stretching out way farther than the eye can see. After walking around the inside of this sphere for a while, I walked down a small flight of stairs which took me to the under of this sphere...which was primarily see-through from top to bottom. What this means is that when you look under your feet, you can see all the way to the ground. This experience was quite comical. They allow you a small dedge to stand on before stepping out onto the see-through portion. Most people were clinging to the regular platform and maybe placing a toe onto the clear section before jumping back in terror. It horrified people. I have to admit, it really messes with your mind to stand looking straight down. Your brain is telling you that it's safe, but part of you feels like you're going to fall right through. It was difficult to photograph this because of the distance between your feet and the ground...but I can assure you, it was pretty scary.

Shanghai China Looking Down Through Glass Bottom of Pearl Tower

I would almost call Shanghai the NCY of Asia, but it's much bigger and blends the traffic of Los Angeles with the crowded population of China. This is a city of high tech gadgets, very expensive luxury cars and runway fashion. It is clear that the youth here are partaking in and excited about the western world.

View From Pearl Tower in Shanghai China

We found a local guide "Jack" who was about 30 and his English was excellent. We decided to hire him for the first day and have him show us around the city. Shanghai is plenty safe and it seems most fo the younger people you encounter speak English. Jack was a college graduate who was quite knowledgeable about the area and its history. When traveling, I normally like to do a lot of wallking around on my own. However, in China, there is so much to do and see that it's been easier to hire guides for the first day or two until we can get our feet wet. It's also been quite afforable at around $60-100 a day, depending on where  you go and generally includes entrance fees, transportation and often a nice lunch.

Shanghai China River Waterfront View


Four days was long enough for me to get a good feel of the city and what it has to offer. The Shanghai museum was quite interesting, along with a few temples here and there. I almost forgot...for those of you who like to rent cars when you travel, DON'T do it in China. You will have an accident. China drivers have rules that you would never be able to understand and many of them are broken every second. Driving there for an American would be nuts in my opinion.

Shanghai China Night View of Pearl Tower

I've been trying to keep these blog posts short and sweet while I am overseas, so for now, this is just part one of Shanghai and I have posted some photos you can check out HERE.


Shanghai China PART TWO

Shanghai Pearl Tower Video Clip

I thought I'd post a short video clip that I took in Shanghai of the outside of the Pearl Tower. It will give you an idea of the scale.

Pearl Tower in Shanghai, China

Watertown...The Venice of China

Watertown Boats, About An Hour From Shanghai

About an hour outside of Shanghai is a wonderful "Village" that sits on the banks of many canals. Having been to Venice, it has a similar nature, but of course the cultural feel is completely different. Our tour guide only charged us $60 for the day to take us out into the rural part of the country to visit this amazing little place. It's actually not too little as we discovered. There is a proper chinese name for the village but  I don't remember it off hand (as it was a bit long) and it is okay to refer to it as Watertown.

Watertown , About An Hour From Shanghai


I wanted to go here to get a feel of how villagers lived along the canals and to see the old buildings. After we arrived here, we stepped into one of the many asian style gondolas that lined the canal. It is possible to walk along much of the town, but a gondola provides a unique experience and can be faster as a taxi service to further areas.

Watertown, About An Hour From Shanghai


It was a bright sunny day and quite pleasant to float along the canals. Eventually we pulled over and began to walk along the narrow street. I was able to capture a few shots of the locals and found it interesting that they used the canal to wash their clothes and dishes. At this time of the morning, there were a number of older women in the narrow alleys, preparing food for both home and sale. They place a large pot down inside a cardboard box and boil their food. I didn't ask too many questions due to the language barrier, but it was great to watch the care and time they put into their craft.

Watertown Cook, About An Hour From Shanghai


The main shopping area of Watertown was nice. There is a long street which is lined with many food shops and the like. Much of the food for sale is prepared differently than what we're used to, such as the pork legs and the hairy crabs. There are also shops for hats, clothes etc…and the prices were quite cheap and can be bargained down. I used to feel bad about bargaining, but it is such a common practice throughout many asian countries that I've gotten used to it. I've also found that you'll pay too much at times if you don't..and find it down the street for a quarter of the cost.

Watertown Shop, About An Hour From Shanghai


One of the larger bridges over the canal had a number of older chinese women who would try to sell you a fish or turtle to for a nominal price and then you're supposed to toss them back into the river. I don't remember the purpose precisely, but mainly it has something to do with buddhist tradition and the particular area. I asked if this was a tourist scam, but apparently it's something they take seriously. I wondered if someone was under the bridge catching everything in a net to be brought back up for sale again.

Watertown Canal, About An Hour From Shanghai


Lunch, was great. The four of us ate in a local restaurant and sat out by the canal. It was apparently VERY local, as we stood out like a sore thumb and were seated between two large round tables full of loud, drinking chinese men who thought everything was funny. I loved the traditional food, including the whole fish, pork leg and tofu soup…and no, I'm not being sarcastic. The photos of Watertown, Shanghai are HERE.

Watertown, About An Hour From Shanghai

Shanghai and the temporary Bund

Shanghai is loaded with scenic views, especially along the Huangpu river which snakes it's way through the vast city center. It seems that no matter what angle your looking from, it is always the best photo opportunity. However, the most famous area to take great photos from and stroll along Shanghai's waterfront, is the historical "Bund".

View From Temporary Bund in Shanghai, China

This year will be the year of Shanghai's well developed "Expo 2010". The Expo has prompted the city to spend probably billions in order to rebuild and to add to the already beautiful, cosmopolitan city.

View from Across the Huangpu, looking at the Historic Bund

Due to the enormous amount of construction and changes, the historic Bund has been closed in it's usual place and relocated to a temporary spot across the Huangpu river.

View From Temporary Bund in Shanghai, China

In order to access this new spot, you will generally need to either take the subway across or a ferry boat.  The temporary Bund actually provides the exact opposite view and down a little from where the original site was, but as usual, the views are breathtaking and of course impossible to capture with a single photograph.

View from Pearl Tower looking at a small portion of Expo Construction

As you walk along the original street where the historical Bund was, you will likely still see construction walls blocking off the riverfront. Many new centers, small buildings and artistic sites are being places here. From what I read and saw in the conceptual drawings, it's supposed to be spectacular and worth the temporary change.

Temporary Bund in Shanghai, China on the Huangpu River

If you're lucky enough to travel to Shanghai during the opening of the Expo (and find a hotel room), then you will get to see all of the many changes. The Expo is actually being expressed all over Shanghai is the form of new buildings, subway stops and amazing architectural feats. I couldn't walk more than a few blocks without seeing construction crews and artist renderings on construction signs.

View From Temporary Bund in Shanghai, China

Like I said though, there is a temporary and fantastic place where you can go and have a walkable view of the city of Shanghai, across the Huangpu.

View from Temporary Bund in Shanghai, China

There are many more pictures of Shanghai in my Flicker Albums HERE and HERE.

Shanghai Port Information

For those who might be coming into Shanghai on a cruise ship, you having nothing to worry about. The port is right in town and you will be docked across the river from the Pearl Tower, so the view is amazing. The port area of Shanghai is extremely safe day or night, and actually quite nice. There is a beautiful port terminal building, but I don't think they've started using it yet. I have been to Shanghai more than once and going in by ship is very easier than by plane. The dock will be within walking distance from the main shopping area, but it may take a good 20 minutes if you walk slow. Also, there is a lot of traffic in Shanghai, so be careful to watch where you're walking, they simply won't watch for you. For those of you who prefer taxis, then they are readily available just outside of the gate.

Keep in mind that Shanghai is a huge city, so take a map with you and a picture of your cruise ship in case you need to grab a taxi to get back..not everyone speaks english. If you'd like to know more about Shanghai, there are several other posts that you can access by clicking on the "China-Shanghai" link. The drop down menu is on the sidebar and says "Choose a Location".

Update: I am finding out that some of the larger ships are not docking at the port in town, but rather at a port outside of the city. I am being told this is about an hour away from Shanghai. The river that goes into Shanghai (although large) may be too narrow for the larger ships to turn around in, or get under a bridge as they sail. I know that some bridges that pass over the rivers are too low and the ships have to wait for low tide in order to get under them. This may be a problem for ships of a certain size. I took the Voldendam from Holland America into Shanghai more than once and it was able to dock in the city, but it held less than 2000 passengers. So, if you're ship is on the larger size, please make sure you check your documents when they arrive to see where you are docking. I will try to find out more information about the distant ports.