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Published: January 6th 2009
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Old Town
Across the Huangpu river on the ferry On Tuesday, a week ago, we headed off in the afternoon to what is referred to in the guidebooks as “Old Town”.
This was Karl’s last day in Shanghai and we had not managed to fit this “must see” sight in the itinerary as yet.
Old Town or Nan Shi as the locals refer to this area is in Puxi, so we headed off on the 993 to the ferry terminal and the end of the bus line. You take the left hand ferry of the 2 and you line up with the bikes and bicycles and rush on; it’s sort of like the start of any car race with a revving of engines and eager anticipation of getting the best position. For the princely sum of .5Yuan you get across the river into quite a run down sort of area. Walk straight ahead off the ferry and follow the people.
There is an excellent fabric market not far from the ferry where they will make up anything you want for quite a reasonable price. As with all things around here, bargain, you should not pay anymore than ½ of what they originally ask you, try for a 1/3
Old Town
the Le Mans start to get on and off the ferry of the original price. They will show you a price on the calculator, you punch in what you think, they look mortally offended and then the haggling begins.
And behind this fabric market is the best coffee in Shanghai in a little place run by a woman who lived in the USA for 5 years, great service, nice little souvenirs and Western food at reasonable prices. It’s called Esy Dragon and has other outlets in the French Concession and the Science and Technology Museum
Follow the crowds up the alleyways a little bit, and venture right at the shops looking like a temple, once you are past the shopping mall with the bright lights, and you will end up at Yuyan Gardens and “the” famous bridge that is featured in all the guide books. Its worth a look, there are heaps of genuine and not so genuine things to buy and some nice little eateries.
The alleyways are the best places in this area as this is the old part of China living on top of the tourism, the up market prices and the hype. Here you still have the locals hanging out their washing above you,
Old Town
Under the arches is a slice of old China, not restored or made to look pretty the local eating street where the biscuits and cakes are yummy and very fresh, the toffee-ed crabapples on sticks, watermelon cut up in a crescent shape on a stick, and any number of hot foods with all those bits of chickens and pigs you may never have tried before. I tend to steer away from meat on the street stalls, but most noodle and rice places are happy to make you a bowl with just eggs and vegetables, just point and ask. Expect to pay about 4Yuan for a great little bowl of food, 1 Yuan for a couple of bananas and 3 Yuan for a toffee apple treat.
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