Shanghai, China

I’d always wanted to visit China, and what better way to do it than a ‘feet-first’ plunge into the world’s biggest city, Shanghai. With a population of almost 25 million I had no doubt it would be a magical place – why else would so many flock there?

Long-haul flights are always a bind, but after a relatively pleasant 14 hour journey, forgetting the 7 hour time difference, Pudong International Airport greeted us with an ‘ENORMOUS’ welcome. As would unfold over the coming days, enormous became par-for-the-course and overwhelmingly our one-word summary of the place!

We were fortunate enough to be staying in a residential area in the Nanxiangzhen district to the North West side of the city. My partner’s brother and wife have an apartment there and Irene, a native Shanghai’er, would become our fairy godmother for the week. It’s difficult to know how our trip would have been without Irene’s inside knowledge of the area, enabling us to do what the locals do. But considering the variety of things we packed-in to 7 days, I couldn’t have imagined it without her.

The timing of our trip coincided with the 2017 F1 Shanghai Grand Prix, adding another dimension to our cultural getaway. Of course we took advantage and spent the weekend inhaling the buzz, fumes and sounds of the race circuit.

1 – Size and scale

It’s difficult to relay in words just how impressive this was, but the analogy I like to use is akin to that in fairytales. Remember the giant mushrooms in Alice in wonderland, the beanstalk that Jack climbed, or perhaps the peach that James woke up to? All disproportionately large, bold and colourful – yet somehow just perfect. Well that’s my take on Shanghai’s shopping malls, roads, rail infrastructure, buildings and trains. All tremendously vast and spacious, lit-up brightly and host to every marketer’s dream.

This leads nicely to my next observation…

2 – Advertising

Advertising and signage is everywhere! According to Irene, Chinese people are easily swayed by clever marketing and always looking for the next trend. No wonder Jean-Claude Decaux set his eyes on this place in the middle of last century – “where there’s most demand there’ll be most return”. But it wasn’t just the sheer volume of advertising that fascinated me, the content was equally compelling. The artwork is glaringly bright and colourful as though targeted at children, many featured graphic cartoon characters and let’s not forget QR codes!

3 – Environment

My third observation ties a few things together, I’m going to label them ‘environmental’. Shanghai epitomises the term Concrete Jungle. As someone who appreciates all things concrete, this was no bad thing, but by far the most amount of grey I’ve ever seen (sorry fifty!). Continuing with the grey theme is SMOG. Was it smog or low-lying clouds? is there a visible difference? it was odourless so I assume completely harmless. The images below show my favourite colour and material, grey and concrete, enveloping my new favourite city, Shanghai.

I found Shanghai to be a fast-paced tranquil haven. An oxymoronic string of words that shouldn’t, but do, fit together. The sound of movement was practically non-existent. Cars don’t seem to make noise, nor do trains, tubes or people. Shanghai’ers are mild, kind and unobtrusive.

4 – Cultural Differences

My fourth and final observation was cultural differences. As Shanghai is the largest city in the world I assumed there’d be high levels of cultural diversity. In some respects there were. For example, almost everything written or spoken in Chinese was duplicated / repeated in English – pretty impressive. However, the presence of people from different ethnic backgrounds was a rare sight, even in the heart of the city. People from Caucasian, Black or Indian descent were very much in the minority. We really enjoyed seeing every day locals doing every day things as shown in the picture below.

In one of our jaunts to an area just outside the city we, as Europeans, caught peoples’ attention. Despite an unlikely future career in modelling, my partner was asked to pose for a photo with a local. It was a touching request and Craig still believes he could be an internet sensation somewhere on a Chinese social media site! Not Facebook or Instagram of course as both sites are blocked by the Chinese government.

Yuyuan Garden District

Our first day in Shanghai took me back about 35 years to the feeling I first had on discovering sweet shops. The onslaught to my senses was thrilling, with temple-like roofs, intricate wood carvings and red lanterns everywhere. I couldn’t stop looking up, taking pictures and being totally amazed by the China I’d always imagined. Yuyuan Gardens with the zig-zag bridge, famous dumpling house and of course pink blossom was fantastic – a must see.

We also spent a few hours meandering through TianZiFang, a former residential area which was once the home of thousands upon thousands of Shanghai’ers. The back-streets and alleys have been converted into small quaint shops and every street looks identical to the next. Without Irene pointing us in the right direction I’m sure we’d have got lost in the maze! We stopped for a drink and spent a good hour soaking up the wonder of the place. (Overall Rating 92/100)

Karaoke Bar

According to Irene, an evening of Karaoke with friends is how the locals like to socialise. We were keen to give it a go and great fun we had too. Well for me it was fun. Not sure the poor souls listening to my vocals will agree entirely! The decor in the Karaoke bar resembled a mash-up between a casino and a royal residence. With palatial ceilings, exuberant chandeliers and multicoloured lighting, there’s no wonder visitors don’t usually buy alcohol here. In fact, the padded strobe-lit walls and floor-to-ceiling mirrors could substitute the need for mind-bending drugs. When you visit this place, you leave on a complete high – no toxins required! (Overall Rating 85/100)

West Lake, Hangzhou

Our first venture out of the city took us 125 miles south-west of Shanghai to another stunning city, Hangzhou.

The Train journey to Hangzhou was an experience in itself. One thing China gets right, very right, is transporting people. Not only were the train stations on a colossal scale (possibly twice the size of a standard UK airport) but the trains themselves were longer and wider than anything here too. The user experience, from buying a ticket to the time a train departs, was done to precision – something we’re not used to in the UK! The train journey was smooth, clean and enjoyable, with fascinating views of miles upon miles of concrete multi-storey dwellings. The vast, tall, grey residential buildings we passed were just like emojis

A short walk from the train station is West Lake, a stunning expanse of water – typical to the landscape in South West China. We walked the entire 15km lake perimeter and it was a sheer pleasure, despite moisture in the air shedding a misty blanket over the distant temples. Viewing points are located around the lake and we took advantage of them to stop for a breather. I cast my eyes across the hazy grey water to the barely visible temple and spent a few minutes daydreaming. (Overall Rating 85/100)

The Bund

A river walk with two halves. The Bund, meaning ’embankment’, is the iconic walkway on the south side of the river. It’s an endless row of golden Georgian buildings facing the younger and undoubtedly more energetic Financial Quarter across the river. Our Friday evening walk across The Bund was atmospheric. The bright lights, lasers, flashing signs and advertising transforms Shanghai’s skyline into a 70s disco cum 80s arcade game. If the mere sight of water, lighting and buildings can make your hair stand-on-end, then you know you’re witnessing something special. By day, the structures that make up Shanghai’s skyline are impressive. By night, they are out of this world. My frequent jaw-dropping and gasps prevented any chance of decorum. The Bund was my ‘Shanghai Surprise’ and I cannot, in words, describe how wonderful it was to witness it by night. If you have the opportunity to walk across The Bund at night – you must! (Overall Rating 97/100)

M1NT Restaurant

The evening also involved cocktails in the swanky Bar Rouge and fine dining at M1NT restaurant a few streets south.

M1NT, overlooks the Financial Quarter and offers the most spectacular viewing platform from which to fine dine. From our window-located table on the 24th floor we were blessed with uninterrupted views of Shanghai’s vibrant evening skyline! M1NT itself was dark, plush and mouthwateringly good. We all ate fish dishes from the A La Carte Menu and each one was prepared and cooked to perfection. A Red Dragon mural spans the entire restaurant wall and even the corridors are lined with a ‘star-lit’ fish tank, providing a real sense of Chinese opulence. M1NT – you are ostentations and you have every right to be. I have memories from here that will last a lifetime. (Overall Rating 97/100)

Library District including Lost Heaven restaurant

The area of Shanghai Library is one I didn’t see as much of as I would have liked. Oh how frustrating that I may need to visit again!

The Library area oozes a shabby yet trendy vibe – the ideal place to settle in the city if you’re a cool geezer! Similar, I imagine, to that of Notting Hill or Camden. On a warm summer’s evening I suspect the locals congregate to eat Al Fresco. A perfect ritual for residents living in the quirky dwellings on illuminated tree-lined streets.

We ate at ‘Lost Heaven‘ a spectacular restaurant in the heart of this most desirable location offering authentic eastern Chinese cuisine. And heavenly it was!

The restaurant interior imitates a boathouse amid towering bamboos on the edge of a water town. The smell of authenticity grabs you from the minute you walk through the door. Just like a tardis, this place is small and unassuming on the outside opening into a vast expanse of wonder on the inside. It was as though we’d been transported to another world, well, eastern China anyway. The music was suitably therapeutic, the dark interior with romantic lighting perfectly set the scene and the vast greenery peering through the windows served as a calming sight.

The food at Lost Heaven really set the bar high. It was authentic, delicious and stunning to the eye – I couldn’t get enough of this place. We ordered several sharing dishes including fish and lotus root. The main ingredients, dressed in layers of chopped red chillies and bamboo leaves were succulent, tasty and cooked to perfection. Lost Heaven is a place I WILL return to. For now though, I’ve decided to rename it Di’s Heaven. (Overall Rating 96/100)

Shanghai Tower

The second tallest building in the world, Shanghai Tower, sits distinctly as master of the skyline and resembles a twisted body. It’s situated next to the Jin Mao Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center – both having held the ‘tallest building’ title in years gone by.

The short walk to the main lift and journey to the top had been cleverly designed. We were immersed in captivating sights and sounds whilst being catapulted 118 floors high in a matter of seconds. But this was just the start. When we arrived at the viewing deck, we were greeted with huge blossom trees and imitation clouds spanning the entire area. Swanky glass pod chairs were positioned across the platform providing a comfortable and calming way to take in the views. We made good use of the pods and took a few moments to drift away among the clouds.

We were fortunate enough to reach the viewing deck during a 30 minute break in the foggy atmosphere, allowing a clear view of the city landscape to a good distance. On some days I imagine there’s a risk of limited viewing at Shanghai Tower. If the weather doesn’t want to play fair (literally!) there’s little point in visiting the viewing deck. However, when mother nature plays a kind hand, Shanghai Tower is a tranquil place to take in some breathtaking views. (Overall Rating 86/100)

Shopping malls

During our one-week stay in Shanghai we visited four malls. All of which were bright, big, bold and clean! The floor area of the malls are vast and equally so is their height. With between 6 to 10 floors of shopping extravaganza on offer, Chinese malls would be the perfect destination for British WAGs.

Hey Tea Shop

Hey Tea is an emerging tea brand that’s gripped China’s youth. A new shop opened in Shanghai during our visit and we were astonished to watch hundreds of teens queue for hours just to buy a cup of ‘Cha’. Irene asked the Hey Tea fans “What makes the tea so special it’s worth a 2 hour wait?”. Apparently, “Hey Tea just tastes SO good”. Of course, we decided to take their word for it, but walked away somewhat intrigued about the taste of Hey Tea!

Taxi drivers

Chinese taxi drivers are like fearless stuntmen and they petrify me. Our first exposure to ‘Chaxi Drivers’ came shortly after we arrived, when we jumped in a cab to take us 45 minutes across the city. It was one of the most teeth-clenching, gut-wrenching experiences of my life. I felt as though the driver was throwing a dice with my life on it. I’ve seen teenage boys racing each other in video games in a less reckless fashion than Chaxi Drivers do on a high-speed motorway. My advice is to avoid taxiing at all costs, the underground is fantastic as is venturing around the city ‘on foot’.

Hospital

Irene had been feeling under-the-weather since we arrived. On day three she took a turn for the worse and felt a trip to the hospital, for medication, was in order. We accompanied Irene, and whilst our only thoughts were to see her on the mend, the visit gave us a sneak peek into the workings of China’s emergency health provision.

So the first thing to note is that healthcare in China isn’t like the NHS. It works on a ‘pay-as-you-go’ basis and everyone has a unique health account. The second thing to note is that privacy at the hospital is…., well, isn’t! That’s right – whilst you’re pouring your heart out to the duty doctor about your ailments, the patients queuing right behind you are also privy to the story.

But it’s not just the initial consultation that’s open to all. Having blood taken ‘at the counter’ is like visiting the local post office to buy a stamp! Intravenous administering is done in a ‘communal’ setting. This communal approach to treatment did nothing for my faint heart. But it made me realise how resilient and accepting Chinese people are – they just get on with it.

My final hospital observation is the method by which patients receive their test results. Minutes after Irene’s bloods had been taken, by using her health card at an ‘ATM’ lookalike machine, she received a print out of her results. It showed pneumonia. So without a doctor or healthcare professional in sight, she wandered down to the pharmacy where the prescribed antibiotics were waiting for her. Now that’s what you call service!

Chinese food

I can’t conclude my Shanghai write-up without talking food. I just can’t. Whilst there are some weird and bonkers foods on offer – such as animal throats and claws, the majority of Chinese cuisine is utterly delightful. Chinese people love their food and they have every right to. In China, eating isn’t just about filling up – it’s about savouring every mouthful of tasty goodness.

During our stay, we ate at HaiDiLao, a popular ‘Hot Pot’ restaurant where customers cook their dishes at the table. It was slightly crazy but totally epic at the same time! Whilst my mouth had the most pleasurable assault of its life, my eyes were mesmerised by the delicious sight of fresh food waiting to be placed in the bubbling hotpot. If being a witch involves dropping unusual items into a fizzing, spicy cauldron – then I’m coming back with a broomstick!

Date of visit: 4 April 2017 to 11 April 2017