To escape Shanghai’s Pudong Airport the best place to go is
into the heart of Shanghai located near the crew hotel, the Shangri –La Hotel.
Here you will find a lot of happenings.
I opt to stay around the hotel. I walk and
take-in the view of the cities beautiful architect. Nearby is the Oriental
Pearl TV Tower, The Shanghai International Media Center, Shanghai Natural Wild
Insect Kingdom, Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, Pudong Customs Tower, Super Brand
Mall, Wan Xiang Tower, Aurora Tower, Disney, Shanghai Center, Jin Mao Tower,
China Marine Tower and the list goes on and on.
The Oriental Pearl TV Tower is a high tower and is the world's sixth and China's second tallest TV and radio tower. It is one of the most attractive places in the world. The night view is the best view in my opinion. The colors changes every minute or two and give the appearance of pearls shining on a jade plate.
Shanghai has a lot to offer in terms of shopping, eating, things to do and see, nightlife, art galleries, and performances events.
There are many tea shops in China. Tea is as important to China as coffee is to America. It is woven into their culture. I had tried it from all categories and love all the tea brands. I generally frequent my colleague's family Tea Shop in the Science and Technology Building in Shanghai.
If you want to venture out you can take the subway for a
little of nothing. A round trip fare
cost 4 RMB. You can purchase the Subway card and load it to eliminate buying a
pass for each trip.
The hot spot for bargain shopping is at the Science and
Technology Mall. Here you can find just about any thing for yourself or anyone
else fairly cheap. The Silk Market is
the place to go if you want something custom made. However, if high end is what
you are looking for then the Super Brand Mall across the street from the
Shangri – La Hotel is the place to go. Plus,
there are many nice boutiques in Shanghai.
There are many eateries in Shanghai. What ever your taste
bud calls for you can get it. If you
want American food it is right at your fingertip, If French, European,
Cantones, Italian, Japanese, Latin American, Thai, Chinese, etc., is what your
taste acquires, there are chefs that can and will accommodate you. This applies
to drinks as well.
If you are not into dinning out you can go to Lotus the
neighbor groceries to buy a nice meal for less than ten dollars and to stock up
for your return home. It is next door to the Shangri- La Hotel. You can
purchase fruits and veggie, cold plates, salads, hot meals and all.
For exercising and then relaxation you can take the jogging
trails in the parks or go inside the hotel to the gym. The gym features a
number of workout machines. Afterwards, you can go to the steam room, the sauna,
the swimming pool or the whirlpool.
Lastly, one cannot leave Shanghai without seeing one of the
famous landmarks of Shanghai called The Bund. It was the financial district in
the 1990’s but today it is frequent by many travelers for its architect. It is
located in Lujiazui. The best way for me to travel to The Bund is by taking the
Shanghai Ferry. It is three blocks from the Shangri-La Hotel. It is a ten
minutes walk. The cost to ride the Ferry round trip is 2 RMB which is
equivalent to $0.31 USD (thirty-one cents). The ride takes exactly five
minutes. It takes you directly to The Bund. If you take The Bund Sightseeing Avenue you
will get an up close view of the exquisite buildings. The Bund is known for its Art Center! Across
the street from the Art Center is the Shanghai Public Park and behind the park
is a neighborhood with many street vendors that sells all types of inexpensive
merchandise and local food. The people are very nice and kind.
Enjoy your stay in Shanghai.
