By Norma John
Shanghai, just the name conjures up images of intrigue, foreign concessions shipping ports and mystery. Today, it is a fast paced and modern economic engine, changing its face daily, with construction projects underway in every part of the city.
Our hotel was in a location convenient to the Jing An subway station where we began our walk along the famous Nanjing Lu (road) towards the Bund. Following the points of interest listed in our Frommer's Guide, we were entertained by a shop of women making dumplings, by an herbalist in a Chinese apothecary which had been in business since the 17th century and by the many variations of bicycle vehicles that pick up, deliver and haul away everything you can think of. Further east, the Nanjing Lu hosts luxurious apartments and hotels accompanied by the same designer shops you would find on the fashion streets of Paris or Milan. The old and the new seem to co-exist comfortably here.
As we neared the riverside area of The Bund, the crowds thickened with tourists, business people, shoppers and hustlers. There are many scam artists (the Chinese call them "fakers") who approach unsuspecting tourists in good English and claim to be artists or photographers. They try to force their products upon you as gifts to embarrass you into purchasing them - BEWARE.
Along the Bund, we went into many of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco buildings of the important European business and trading companies of the early 20th century. Many are refurbished and are magnificent.
The early 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century was just a short subway ride away to the terminus of the Maglev - a feat of German engineering. We took an 8 minute ride, reaching a top speed of 430 km/hr, to the Pudang airport.
The following days, we visited the main attractions of historic and modern Shanghai - The Jade Buddhist Temple, The Yu Garden, The Shanghai Museum and The Shanghai Urban Development and Exhibition Centre. The latter is much more interesting than the name sounds. It has the largest city model in the world, showing all the developments in Shanghai, a photo exposition of old Shanghai and the future plan for the city.
Shanghai lives up to its reputation as a fascinating city and we plan to return.

Expo 2010 Shanghai Tour with Extension to Huangshan (Yellow Mountain)      Expo 2010 Shanghai Tour with Extension to Suzhou and Zhouzhuang      Massage Experience after a Daily Tour      Shanghai Private Tour 3: Shanghai Expo tour in Your Own Way      Shanghai Private Tour 2: Suzhou Private Gardens and a Watertown      Private Tour 1: Hangzhou Private Tour --- West Lake Cruise