Blogs from Shanghai, China, Asia

Journey The bus journey to the hotel took about an hour to an hour and a half. I'm glad that there was only eight of us on the bus as it meant we got to spread out. The driver was in full hazmat gear and roped off from us. It was weird leaving the airport and driving along the empty roads. Traffic must have really dropped off now there are so few international flights and I presume domestic flights still aren't at pre-pandemic levels. Looking at the slightly hazy sky, I was thinking yes I am back. The nice empty roads didn't last too long and as we got further into central Shanghai, we met up with plenty of traffic. I was starting to get a bit travel sick on the bus as I was so ... read more

24th March - Ancient Water Town: Exploring Zhujiajiao #heygo http://www.heygo.com Zhujiajiao Water Town is situated forty seven kilometers away from Shanghai. It is a typical and ancient water town in Qingpu District, south of the Yangtze River, which has almost 1,700 years of history. Zhujiajiao, also called “The Venice of Shanghai”, features lovely waterways, curved rock bridges, old streets cemented with stone, and over 10,000 buildings dating back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911). The village prospered through clothing and rice businesses. Fangsheng Bridge one of 36 bridges, Built in the 17th century, the 70-meter-long Fangsheng Bridge is now the most well-known landmark in Zhujiajiao. Fangsheng means release animals in Chinese. Local people believe releasing animals means you are merciful to animals and Buddha ... read more

http://www.heygo.com 12th March - A night stroll along the Bund Alice was our guide again, I joined her a couple of days ago for a walk during the day along the Bund. It was midday in U.K. and 8pm in Shanghai. Alice made us all laugh when instead of pointing out the skyline buildings with her finger she produced a chopstick from her pocket. The clock tower building is The Shanghai National Post Office, built in 1924 with an interesting mix of European styles of architecture. It is now a historical landmark under protection as the Shanghai Postal Museum. Inside the museum, there is a statue of Mr. Zhu Xuefan who was the first minister of the postal department. There is also a display of oracle bones that records military correspondence. There is also a stamp ... read more

http://www.heygo.com 2nd March - Yuyuan Bazaar Shanghai I visited this area back in 2010, & whilst the lovely old traditional building haven’t changed, the area around the Tea House resembled a theme park. A lot of the displays were still there following the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations but some I think are now permanent ! I remember better visiting the Yuyuan Gardens which is next to the bazaar so fingers crossed our new virtual guide will take more tours in a less commercial area. I guess some of the virtual guests had not visited Shanghai before were interested to see the local arts and different foods on offer. Yuyuan Bazaar location - Originally there was just a temple that was built in the 15th Century. Over 100 years ago there was an increase in pilgrims ... read more

Cancel a trip yet? My cousins cancelled their trip to Japan this month. But I am boarding a plane tomorrow for a short flight to Vegas. What should you do? What is corona virus? Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that spreads from person to person. Around 80% of people recover without requiring special treatment. The virus, which first appeared in Wuhan, China, has since spread to 53 countries. Of the roughly 84,000 reported cases, China accounts for over 78,800. Older people and those with preexisting conditions – including high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes – are the most likely to develop a severe illness as a result of COVID-19. Well, I definitely would stay out of Asia. And not just because of the Corona virus, but because much of the region is ... read more