Shanghai!

Day 53 - 17/07/2010 - 22:43 - Shanghai, China

Another 2 days in Shanghai, and a chance for us to really get a feel for the place. It's very different to Beijing, that's for sure.

So yesterday we got up at a reasonable time - the problem was that it was chucking it down with rain outside, even coupled with a little bit of thunder and lightning. Scary. Nevertheless, we were up and about the hotel, and we tried to get the remainder of our Chinese train journeys sorted out from the agency in the Lobby. However, they only sell tickets from Shanghai, no other stations which isn't much use to us, seeing as we're flying to Hong Kong (the unexpected result of the World Expo)!

Nevertheless, we did have one massive surprise that day. Terry (Laura's dad) sent us a text that morning. He works for Jaguar Land Rover and has visited Shanghai on a couple of business trips. He was currently on a course in England with the MD of JLR in China, who so happened to donate his personal driver and a Jaguar to us for the 2 days - today and yesterday! We phoned the Shanghai number given to us, and spoke to the MD's PA, who arranged for the driver to come and pick us up in the early afternoon. We were very impressed, and were looking forward to it - the weather was still crap and we really didn't want to venture outside on our own!

He picked us up in a brand new Jaguar, which was blissfully air conditioned and told us about where we could go. He took us to the Yu Gardens and Bazaar, something we wanted to do whilst here so were pleased about. The weather was STILL rubbish, and he gave us this massive Jaguar umbrella to keep us shielded around the gardens. We were planning to go today in the morning (to beat the crowds) but the rain did us a massive favour and it wasn't (that) crowded yesterday afternoon. I played my game which has turned into a serious sport in China - getting in the way of the locals photos of Laura. They love Laura, blonde and beautiful. Many ask to have pictures with us (I'm sure I'm just an unnecessary extra) and we are happy to oblige. However, we find it quite rude that some people take pictures of her without her permission. It's probably happened 20 or so times since we've been in China and it's my plan to ruin them. Jumping in the way, sticking my hand in front, cutting in front of Laura, all great tactics. She certainly finds it amusing which is great.

I definitely scored a couple of points around the gardens, but we did oblige a couple of people too, who actually asked us. We really don't mind that, and it reminds me of Japan a lot. The gardens were beautiful, and I dare say the rain bought out the green in the plants, so it was a welcome addition. However, by the time we were done looking around the gardens we were drowned rats and just wanted to go back to the hotel to dry off! The driver said he would take us to a couple of places the following day - including the Financial tower, which was a very nice addition. He dropped us off outside our hotel (well near enough considering it was pedestrianised) and said 11am tomorrow.

Once we were dried off we headed outside (it was STILL raining) and went to the Bund - the sun was setting and the lights were coming on - the Bund and the Pudong (business district) on the other side of the river were looking beautiful. We got lots of pictures down by the river and then proceeded to cross it via the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel. Our guidebook said it was rubbish, but needed to be done because of how stupid it was. An accurate assessment. The tunnel is essentially a poor mans laser show, with crappy sound effects and epileptic fit inducing lights. £4.50 that I could quite have easily just pissed on and thrown in the bin, but instead I gave myself a headache and nearly put myself into a coma. Don't do it. I really don't recommend it.

We walked around Pudong for a bit (still raining) before heading back via Metro to Nanjing Road (main shopping street and road Hotel is on). Cost of metro - 30p. Hmm. No fits included though.

We went for tea at a restaurant by East Nanjing road metro station which was on the 5th floor (4th floor to normal people) of a building. It was a rather strange establishment but we both ate and had 2 drinks each for £10. And it was amazing. We had chili shredded beef (which is a million times nicer and spicier than the stuff at home - real chillies!!) as well as Kung Po Chicken (also spicy) and rice. It was so good that we went back there this evening and had the same beef again. Laura even had a beer to compliment the chili - I'm very very proud of her!!

So today, as planned our driver (sounds very strange saying that and not in Mongolia) picked us up at 11am. He had gone and got us tickets for the financial centre already that morning and said it was better to go now because it was quieter. It was packed. Seriously. Queues here, there and everywhere. The music and the light shows in the basement lobby was just as trippy as the sightseeing tunnel. Maybe they like seizures here? After a good period queueing we were herded upstairs. The lift was immensely quick, my ears popping several times in the process. The view was pretty special and you could see for miles (even with the poor visibility from pollution!). However, the amount of people up there was insane and it was quite difficult to take pictures because of the reflection in the glass. Maybe I'd bigged it up a little too much, and I was expecting too much from a tall vantage point. I wasn't surprised either at the £6.50 it cost for a beer at the bar on the 94th/100th floor. That said, the 97th floor - where there were a lot less people was much more pleasant and easy going and here I actually enjoyed the view and felt like I could take it in without being crowded out. It was a very nice gesture from the driver and those behind the scenes that had organised a ticket for us and we won't forget it! I also managed to play my game and scored 2 points here too, one was hilarious. We were coming down an escalator from the 95th to 94th floor where a man going the other way had his SLR pointed straight towards Laura, no permission asked. I managed to whack my hand in front of Laura's face, wave it up and down manically and shout "Woooooooooo". He didn't look impressed but that was another point for me!

After that we headed to a couple of places where I can imagine all the suits are taken too. Small backstreets of the old French quarter where you can eat foreign food for a premium in Shanghai and new, outdoor shopping complexes that look like Brindley Place in Birmingham without the canals. We did however enjoy aspects of both. We managed to find a great Chinese cafe just outside of the back streets on the main road in the old French quarter where we both had lunch and a Fanta for £1.80. I'm seriously not joking - it was an absolute bargain! At the Brindley Place mock up we got a Starbucks (for £2.80 each, puts it into perspective how stupid Starbucks is) and also saw the sight of the first congress of the Communist Party in China. Yay, history and culture! How I'd missed it today.

We also visited the Jade Buddha temple which was on the other side of the city. We'd asked the driver to go out of Shanghai but he wouldn't (never mind, beggars can't be choosers) and so opted to go and see, really the last cultural, religious and/or historic monument there was left to see in Shanghai that was in our guidebook. That was pretty nice to be fair, and capped off a pretty surreal 2 days with a chauffeur taking us around Shanghai. It wasn't probably where he usually takes his boss and his guests but it was great for us!

He dropped us back at the hotel and gave us two tickets to the World Expo for tomorrow, which we intend on using. We've pretty much seen what Shanghai has to offer.

In conclusion, it feels a lot less "Chinese" than Beijing, through it's history with the Bund and it's modern story. The former isn't a problem, as it's still very different to other places in the world. Shanghai however, seems to be desperately trying to lose itself and shake its history and turn into some culture less capitalist clone. It must not forget where it came from though, because that ultimately in my opinion is what defines a place. The modern side of the city (Pudong) is nice, in fact it's a whole different type of great, but I just didn't appreciate the Western companies and types that had moved into somewhere so beautiful as the French quarter. That said, there still remains a lot to see in Shanghai that still is in tact but it's not as obvious as somewhere like Beijing. The Yu Gardens were a particular highlight for me, which were absolutely beautiful.