3 Days in Shanghai

The weather was not exactly great upon arrival in Shanghai—hazy sky with chilly drizzles. Nevertheless, a good friend brought Flying straight out into the heart and soul of this metropolis, starting from the transportation hub People’s Square.

Image of People’s Square—Gorgeous pigeons, beautiful visitors, and an insensitive patrol car

Come get a glimpse of old Shanghai at her peak of the 1930s in this underground mall beneath Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center

Raffles City Shanghai just feels... so Singaporean!

East Nanjing Road is one of the world’s busiest shopping paradises

Not a very good day in terms of weather, but East Nanjing Road was just as busy as usual...

One feature that Flying loved about East Nanjing Road—a good mix of both the old and the new, which created a enjoyable nostalgic, yet modern, feel

Apple Stores in Shanghai—one of three: East Nanjing Road Outlet

It was 7°C on a rainy day... Yet another type of sharp contrast in the hustle and bustle of East Nanjing Road shopping district

Since when Hanfu (traditional Han Chinese clothing) became a common sight on the Bund?

The Bund centres on East-1 Zhongshan Road along the western bank of the Huangpu River. The Monument to the People’s Heroes marks the northern end of the Bund. (The arrow-shape tower in the background is the Oriental Pearl Tower at the tip of Lujiazui in Pudong, just across the river.)

A magnificent colonial-style lobby in the Sassoon House of the Peace Hotel (now Fairmont Peach Hotel Shanghai) on the Bund

The Bund 360° (the northern section, near Peace Hotel, opposite Lujiazui)

The Bund Bull by Arturo Di Modica is a couson of the Charging Bull in Wall Street, New York City

In the heart of Yuyuan Tourist Mart (Flying arrived at Yuyuan Garden a bit too late, when it had already closed for the day... :^( )

A chou-kawaii toy shop versus a traditional-style Chinese cosmetic shop in Yuyuan Tourist Mart

The market streets of the Old City of Shanghai finally quieted down in a rainy evening

A quiet morning along the Hengshan Road bar street, formerly known as Avenue Pétain, one of the main streets in the former Shanghai French Concession

The tranquil, world-famous International Christian Church at No. 53, Hengshan Road, shaded by luxurious London planetrees (many refer to them as “French parasol trees” by mistake).

Once dubbed “the grandest cathedral in the Far East”, the St. Ignatius Cathedral of Shanghai (a.k.a. Xujiahui Cathedral) located in the heart of Xujiahui, Shanghai

The Bibliotheca Zi-Ka-Wei (now Shanghai Xujiahui Library) is right next door from the St. Ignatius Cathedral of Shanghai

The central shopping district of Xujiahui—Xujiahui Circle

The Food Republic food court in Shanghai Metro City has been heavily localized with a different feel from those in Singapore

The unique design of the Liuli China Museum stood out from the shikumen residences in Tianzifang just across of the street

Xintiandi is an affluent shopping, eating and entertainment district also famous for the reconstituted traditional shikumen architecture. Comparing to Tianzifang, however, Flying still preferred the narrow alleyways and the liveliness with real local residence in the latter.

The spatial and quiet Xintiandi Style is an upscale mall right next the Xintiandi

The site of the First Congress of the Communist Party of China is located right next to Xintiandi

Apple Stores in Shanghai—two of three: Hong Kong Plaza Outlet

Resting by the Suzhou Creek, a.k.a. Wusong River, in a relaxing afternoon

Two seagulls were flying pass in front of the historical landmark of General Post Office Building by the Suzhou Creek

A common sight in Shanghai—leather or plastic gloves fixed on motocycle handlebars to keep out the cold

The Garden Bridge, a.k.a. Waibaidu Bridge, runs across the estuary of the Suzhou Creek. It is also the first all-steel bridge and the only surviving example of a camelback truss bridge in China.