Shanghai

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Shanghai is a large industrial city - not our favorite. The bund, which is the banks of the river flowing thru the center, is full of street vendors. We viewed many large, modern buildings while walking along the bund dodging agrresive vendors! The French Quarter was a fun part of Shanhai to stroll through and have lunch. One evening we had a great dinner at a Tibetan Restaurant with another couple on the tour whose son was living and working in Shanghai. This place was complete with the wait staff in Monks Robes - a very fun and memorable evening. The other highlight was riding the Meg Lev Train - 20 miles in 7 minutes!!! It takes you from the city center to the airport. When the 2 trains pass, each traveling at 250+ MPH, everything shakes and you don't really see it - you FEEL it! This was a very smooth ride for as fast as we were traveling. The Meg Lev Train is not functional (locals don´t use it). However it is the fastest train in the world and as we learned in China, everything is about "face" - bigger, faster, taller, older - we have it and you don't.!! An interesting culture and one, we think, to be in awe of! Another close by visit was to Portland's sister city, So Shou. The Chinese refer to this little city as the "Venice of China" because of
all its canals.

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Photos

Traffic in Shanghai
The traffic in all of China is bad but at least they stay in the lines and follow rules. Not like Vietnam.

Signature Shanghai skyline
This building with the ball in the middle is the TV Station.