"Shanghai" a Shanghai Travel Page by Mez77

As a city, I wouldn't really rate Shanghai. It's untidy and rundown. It seems that most of the money has gone to Beijing and more recently Hong Kong, however this is changing and Shanghai in 5 years will be a vast improvement on the Shanghai of today.

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I spent the first day shopping for souvenirs in Yu Yuan Bazaar. It appears to be an old Chinese village located in Old City Shanghai, but I have a feeling it's a more recent addition to attract tourists. There is a beautiful garden within the confines of the Bazaar called The Yu Yuan Gardens. These were a welcome relief after battling against so many people for the day.

We wandered along 'The Bund', the famous Shanghai riverfront. Best done during the day and at night to get the full experience.

We also wandered through the back streets of Old Shanghai. It isn't hard to find areas where the 'real' Chinese live and work. They are the tiny little streets crammed with pedestrians and bikes, where people work out of their tiny houses and have their washing flapping in the breeze above their doorway or even in the street. You cannot walk on the footpath, as this is where business in conducted. Walking in the street is also perilous.

Nanjing Lu is the main shopping street where you can find the department stores as well as western food and Starbucks.

If you have some spare time, visit the Shanghai Museum.

A trip to the Shanghai Acrobats was well worth it. Not as good as Cirque De Soleil (sp), but for a fraction of the price it was worth the visit.

There is a local food called sticky rice. It is wrapped in banana leaves. Do not mistake this for a Chinese type of Sushi and attempt to eat the leaves. They are not tasty... apparently.
Do not walk in any puddles on the street. Children in China do not wear nappies. Instead they have a slit in their pants through which they can do their business. When nature calls, anywhere is a potential toilet.
As a westerner, expect prices for goods to be quoted as up to 10 times the 'real' price. Bear this in mind when haggling for goods. This also applies to meals, so view the price on a menu before you order anything. Otherwise you could be stung with a hefty bill.
Get your hotel to call a taxi for you if you have a deadline. Don't assume that you will get a taxi when you really need one, despite the fact that you saw 100's of empty ones all day.