s h a n g h a i

(Above: Arrival at Pu Dong Airport.)




Above are pictures of my trip I somehow can't seem to recall where they were taken, but I realize that whenever I travel, I usually favour scenery over shopping, tranquility over traffic, small town cafes over big city crowds.



However, on my short visit to Shanghai this year, visiting temples or gardens (which probably hadn't change over the past few decades) with other tourists suddenly seemed less meaningful than say, fighting for an order with the locals for a cup of bubble tea for 60 cents, in a loud, chaotic street queue.



(Above: Public square near Yu Yuan Gardens. I think this was where we just had dim sum.)



(Above: In need of some caffeine boost. Starbucks in the vicinity.
Below: McDonalds.)

Sure, most of the big cities nowadays tend to look alike... And Shanghai, Pu Xi, definitely had it's 'this-looks-familiar' moments... But this is where the people are! This is where things are dynamic, happening...and alive!



Shanghai in March was cold. Not in a bad way... But in a way that made walking down the streets in your winter coat more enjoyable and your next meal a little bit more tasty :)

So gear up, and shop, wine and dine like you are mingling with the high society of an era long gone.



Recommended places to eat:

1. Nevermind its similarities to a certain western counterpart, Yong He Da Wang served up familiar Asian breakfast like bean curds and dough fritters in a fast food manner which were actually pretty good!

2. Lao Ye Shang Hai (above) felt authentic and had the colours and mood of a Wong Kar Wai movie.

3. Jesses' a popular little place with good local food, great ambiance and even better service.

4. Splurge at Shintori and find out just how good ox tongue really taste. Get a password and go over next door to Ren Jian and have a post-dinner drink.



(Above: Taking a break at ZY & RC's apartment.)



(Above: More Starbucks coffee. This one's just next to the apartment. LY & SL chillin'.)

Hop into a cab... It's the best way to get around. They may not be as spacious as the ones in Singapore but they are affordable and abundant and without the inconvenience of buses or the crowds of subway. Plus, you get greeted by pre-recorded messages in perfect mandarin and endearingly bad english ;p



(Above: Looking for the museum.)



SL thinks it's this way while DS says it's that.

The funny thing was that it's the round building right behind us.

(Below: Museum exhibits, complete with interactive lighting.)





Get your deals at Xiang Yang. The place is a maze of t-shirts, watches and other knick-knacks for people back home. And like most flea markets, bargaining skills do apply.

Bear with the touts for they are your problems and your solution all at once. Annoyingly persistent at first, they turned out to be surprisingly patient and genuine. They make sure that you are happy with the things you get, and they are not bitter with curses and tantrums if you don't see anything you like.





Make a Cheong Sum, duplicate your favourite shirt/pants or design your own entirely at the fabric market in Dong Jia Du Lu.



Usually within 24 hours and under S$30 a piece, the tailors are fast with their hands and proud of their work.



A buffet of textiles, buttons and other accessories, it's a field day for those who like to D-I-Y, customise and accessorise, and a nightmare for the fickle-minded ones.

Don't be surprise if you actually spend the entire day there.



Walk down the shopping stretch of Nan Jing Lu at dusk in the golden glow of the setting sun...




By the time you reach the famous bund at the end of it, the street lamps would have just lit up and you can feel the romance of Shanghai.




(Above: DS at the very vintage Peace Hotel.)



(Above: Nan Jing Lu vista. The Shanghai Pearl TV Station coming into view.
Below: At the bund - LY, DS & SL.)







Whether you are a fan of the Shanghai skyline or not, take a picture... for a first trip would feel incomplete without it.

Linger for awhile and take in the cheerfulness of the public space...



Then walk back Nan Jing Lu again in the night to see it in a riot of light and colours, billboards and signages.



Alternatively, party on at the bund...



In the words of a pre-recorded cab greeting - "We wish you have a pleasant journey."

z h o u z h u a n g

City beat slows down to a bittersweet symphony as we move from the metropolis that is Shanghai into old town Zhou Zhuang for a day trip.

A relaxing stop-over, if only we had the hearts to reject persistent touts so eager to bring us places.

(Below: Shen Ting, if I'm not wrong)





Maybe it's the scale and proportions...




Or maybe it's the textures and colours...




But moving around Zhou Zhuang made me feel both happy and sad at the same time I can almost hear the strings play.



(Above: SL and LY in a courtyard reverie.)



There is something appealing about water towns where networks of rivers and streams add layers to the place, setting man in nature.




Reflections made the place feel virtual and floating while currents, tides and boats made everything dynamic in a quiet sort of way.



Narrow streets too take on its own character, meandering inland not unlike the canals, occasionally opening up to glimpses of the water.







And crossing bridges, over water, were some of my favourite things to do in the water town.





Like I've said, visiting old temples this time round felt less interesting than, say, taking a break in an old town house adaptively reused as a cafe...





I remember we didn't linger around temples long... but gladly watched the tides, sipping ice tea, inside the small town cafes, reviewing pictures we've taken along the way.



This, Cafe Holiday, sported a comfy, modern interior amidst traditional architecture.

Very nice :)

(Below: View from the cafe window.)



Leaving the water town, we drove on to Hangzhou.