And we'll always remember those delicious xiao long bao dumplings! Were they worth driving halfway across Shanghai? Absolutely!!!
We have front-row seats that evening to the Shanghai Acrobatic Show, which is excellent entertainment
Yuyuan Bazaar in Old Shanghai is a maze of shops selling every possible kitschy product known to mankind
We get a fantastic view of Shanghai from the restaurant on the 50th floor of the Westin Hotel (the building with the lotus-leaf design on top).
Amazingly, Pudong (on the far side of the Huangpu River) was a marshy undeveloped area not so long ago, and look at its skyline now!
Where We Be
The Bund is the historic section of classical European buildings on this side of the Huangpu River. The
low-rise classical buildings on this side contrast sharply with the ultra-modern skyscrapers on the Pudong side.
This pleasant park along the Huangpu used to be a busy wharf
The other key landmark on the Pudong side is Jinmao Tower, a skyscraper built to resemble a modern pagoda. It dwarfs all other buildings around it.
Our second day in Shanghai begins with a visit to the Shanghai Museum. Individually lit cases in the center of each room showcase
the best of the best. Many of the Chinese bronzes, which are considered the highlight of the museum, date back over 4,000 years!
The Oriental Pearl Tower is an enormous spaceship-like TV
and radio tower that has become a key Shanghai landmark
Shanghai, China
Next up is famous Nanjing Road -- and you can tell it's a happening place by the sheer number of bikes locked up nearby
The entryway to the Shanghai Museum is a work of art in its own right
Nanjing Road is sometimes called the Times Square of Shanghai. The broad, brick-lined pedestrian mall is chock-full of chic
shops, neon signs, flags and banners, exquisite clothing and jewelry stores, and lavish window displays all vying for your attention.
Familiar fast-food restaurants also have a very strong presence in Shanghai
Modern, forward-looking Shanghai is where we end our "Journey of a Lifetime" through China
We'll always remember the warmth and friendliness of the people we meet
To get to the Bazaar, we cross this zigzag bridge meant to ward off evil spirits
It's raining, it's pouring...
This man's brilliantly colored kite helps brighten up a rainy day
The drive into Shanghai is eye-opening for the
number of farmers we see working rice paddies
so close to this ultra-modern city. Here we are
on an eight-lane superhighway, but the farmers
to either side of the road are still using water
buffalo to pull their plows. If that mix of ancient
and modern isn't the epitomy of China at this
precise moment in time, I don't know what is.

Let me tell you about our final meal in China. I'm
desperate to try xiao long bao dumplings at
least once beore we leave Shanghai. I've read
about how each dumpling has its own “broth”
inside, so when you bite down you get this little
explosion of flavor mixed with the tart vinegar
dipping sauce. Our guide scribbles Chinese
characters on a business card and we show it
to a taxi driver, who takes us to a place called
Union Restaurant. Apparently we're the only
Westerners who've ever visited here because
the room goes silent when we enter. We say
“xiao long bao” a few times and eventually the
waiter nods. Ten minutes later a woven basket
appears with twelve perfect dumplings inside.
We use chopsticks (no forks here) to pick up
each dumpling, dip it in sauce, and pop it in our
mouths. OMG! We gobble them down and order
another twelve. What a memorable final meal!