Monica (Saukat (my boss)’s girlfriend) was kind enough to spend the day with me showing me some of the major attractions and sights in Downtown Shanghai.
It was great day, albeit somewhat cold, during which I (thanks to Monica's expert guidance) got a good sense of a.) the scale of the city, b.) some of the must sees (including the magnificent and awe-inspiring views from the Bund to Pudong - see below), and c.) some of the more traditional sights and sound of the old town.
The scale of this city is still bewildering, the flow of people unrelenting, the contrasts between the old and new staggering, and the traffic an absolute chaos (although I notice that my level of acceptance (read: numbness) to the erratic driving of the Shanghainese is improving every day). Some impressions of yesterday:
The Classic Pictures:
The Bund (also classic - note the frantic contstruction going on (on a Sunday!) necessary in order to get everything ready before the start of the World Expo on 1 May):
Am I in China or what?:
One of the more touristy places Downtown with lots of shops, lots of shady characters offering Rolexes and Iphones, and mighty nice tea (of which we tried some):
