Shanghai Day 1

It was mid-day by the time we arrived at Shanghai South. There was a long queue for taxis so I accepted the offer of 220 Yuan from a tout. (US$1 = 6.2 Yuan) He earned his money since the Shanghai Fish Inn proved difficult to find; we drove round the block about three times. The map and, presumably, the directions in Chinese don't explain that while the address is 639 Middle Henan Road,  it is not directly accessible from the main road since the main road is elevated and the bit of road the hotel is on isn't. The hotel is interesting. A small single door entrance leads into the reception cum breakfast cum lounge area where a very welcoming receptionist checked me in. The room is comfortable with a private balcony overlooking nothing in particular and a rather upmarket bathroom. But no fridge or room safe. I was just happy to have a shower and a cup of tea. 

Entrance to Shanghai Fish Inn

After a rest, walked to the Bund which is only three or four blocks away. Much as I remember it, with an amazing view of the high rises of Pudong in one direction and the turn of century cathedrals to European capitalism on the other. There is a bit of me that thinks if these buildings were in Liverpool or Leeds we wouldn't give them a second look but in fact I doubt if either city could boast such an impressive stretch today. Walked down as far as the place where the river cruises go from. If it was good weather I might book one but it is still grey and miserable. Was hoping to find somewhere to eat along the Bund but all I can see are Starbucks and Subway. Walk up Nanjing Road, the famous shopping street, the first part of which is horrible. Exceedingly crowded pavements. Why would anyone come here; it's worse than Oxford Street the Saturday before Christmas. But walking away from the Bund, it is pedestrianised beyond the intersection with Henan Road and gets rather more civilised. Lots of fascinating little places to eat in side streets but none of them have menus in English. In the Henderson Metropolitan shopping mall there are plenty of restaurants with food from all over the world but I really  wanted to try some local food and found a beautiful restaurant on the top floor where I had the Five Treasures in hot sauce and some cabbage with garlic together with some rice and a Tsingtao beer. 

Places to eat if you can speak or read Chinese

Tsingtao Beer. 

 Later in the evening went back to the Bund which looked far better than it did in the afternoon. The sky is clearer and the lights make the buildings look far more exciting. As I was taking some photos, a  young woman came up to me, started talking and the conversation went on for quite a while before it became clear that she was trying to get me to go to a bar and when that didn't work showing me photos of beautiful women who would give me a massage. This was to be the first of many similar conversations either with a young woman, a young couple or even a trio. Each time it would start very innocently, often "Can you take a picture of us in front of ...?". and they would lead the conversation on for quite a while before there was an invitation, usually from the couples, to a tea house.   The hotel had posted a warning of this scam but even so, the first couple of times, I didn't realised I was being played until well into the conversation. I don't mind if someone comes up to me directly with a proposition; I can deal with it quickly, but I hate having to be rude to people just because they are friendly. However as my time in Shanghai continued, my fuse got shorter.

The lights of Pudong from the Bund

The buildings along the Bund

The buildings along the Bund

The buildings along the Bund

The buildings along the Bund

Had a beer in the Jazz Bar of the Peace Hotel near the Bund. It's another "Heritage" hotel, although with a bit more justification since the building structure is much the same as it was in 1930 when it opened.  

Jazz Bar in the Peace Hotel