China - 2019

Photographing the wonderfully presented Jade Buddha was not allowed. So, here is a shot of some activity just outside.

Jia Jia Tang Bao was listed on one site as probably the best dumplings in Shanghai. There was a warning about the line of people waiting, so we thought we would hit it kind-of off peak, missing the meal times by a bit. We still had to queue for about 15 minutes and wait another 10 or so for our order to be filled. Definitely, definitely, definitely worth the effort of getting here and most definitely worth the wait. Fantastic dumplings.

We walked through People's Park. There was an area where people sat around permanent stone tables, playing various games. There were numerous games of Mahjong, some of Xiangqi, and various card games. The most interesting thing, though, was the variety of participants. Not just older men. There were women playing, too. And there were younger people. Small groups gathered around each table, calling out advice and bantering with the players. It was a beautiful scene.

Late afternoon, walking through one of the city parks. There are many interesting buidings in Shanghai, but the silhouette of this was particularly striking.

Early evening on Shanghai's Nanjing Road.

Xintiandi is an area which is a mixture of restored shikumen, stone houses, and some new and rebuilt ones. The zone is now dominanted by upmarket restaurants and boutiques.

The very Shanghai skyline, the Pudong area. The distinctive and iconic Oriental Pearl Tower at the left end, and to the right, the second tallest building in the world, the Shanghai Tower. The Shanghai World Financial Centre is also visible, nicknamed the bottle opener.

Practically a suburb of Shanghai, Zhujiajiao was a lovely day trip. The old town is set out along canals that join the rivers and the nearby lake, and these canals are crossed by numerous old atmospheric bridges. Sure, the weekend crowds were maddening, making the narrow bridges almost dangerous. Those hordes were the main reason we didn't stay longer, but we had a wonderful time there and it was a perfect contrast to days in downtown Shanghai.