"Paul2001's Four Fascinating Days in... " a Shanghai Travel Page by Paul2001

If you want to see Modern China in it's making, then you should need to go no further than Shanghai. This city is the epitome of the 21st century China. In fact if some economists are right in there predictions of China's role in the global economy, a visit to Shanghai may be a glimpse into the future. Shanghai is the engine of the new and booming Chinese economy.
The city is so modern in it's recent developments that it is hard to think that it does have a past. However the past is very visible in places like the Bund and in its magnificent Shanghai Museum. However as interesting as these attractions are, it is modern Shanghai that dazzles. The skyscrapers and towers here are amongst the tallest in the world. The subway/metro system is the finest I have ever traveled on. It has the best nightlife of any of the cities in China that I visited. Finally the shopping here is almost incomparable and certainly amongst the finest that you will find in the world. It all comes at a cost. Shanghai is more expensive than other Chinese cities. Also like so many other Chinese cities, the historical past as been flattened for the sack of progress. The result is that the city can be somewhat sterile. It is still fascinating just the same and I do not think that you can leave China and really get a complete idea of how it's developing economically and socially without visiting Shanghai.