"Shanghai - 1999" Shanghai by frank_delargy

OK. Firstly, It takes a long (very long) time to get to Shanghai from Boston. When I arrived I was a bit disoriented, but I have to say that all my fears of going to a communist country (mostly US indoctrination and fear if the unknown) were gradually removed as the day progressed.
Turns out my luggage didn't arrive with me, so that was a big bummer.. I have to say that a day later, the airline, were nice enough to deliver my luggage to my hotel.
I actually visited Shanghai twice and although there was only a few weeks between visits, my second visit felt much more relaxed.

A model of Shanghai

Shanghai is a very large city and I understand that it has the most high rise buildings of any city in the world. This is pretty obvious when you drive around. In 1999 most of these large new buildings we still 1/2 empty and they were building scores more.
China was clearly putting a lot of effort into modernizing Shanghai. I saw more Kentucky Fried Chicken stores than I did 'rickshaws'.

• Pros:Lots of things to see and do. Friendly people, good bargains.
• Cons:far away (for me).
• In a nutshell:A bustling metropolis that is China's showpiece to the rest of the world of its modernization.