Shanghai 4 days — Mika's Photos

My compact, but nice, hotel room with a stunning view and perfect location.

A small detail adds a cute touch in the bathroom.

No one spoke English at this dinner joint, but I managed to score a vegetarian hot pot anyway.

Nanjing Road Walking Street is hopping from dawn till 11pm, after the shops have closed.

It's wide, clean, and closed to wheeled trafic. Like Times Square on steroids.

Lots of European-inspired architecture. Not sure how much is authentic, and how much is replicas.

Lots of upscale foreign brands mixed in with local Chinese brands.

More beautiful buildings. The lighting made everything look great at night.

A cluster of modern hotels.

Can you guess what this restaurant is?

One of the police men / security guards left his vehicle unattended.

Most of the buses run on cables, which must do wonders to reduce the pollution.

This is the only store that looked even remotely like a stereotypical "Chinatown" joint.

Lots of beautiful, old Western-influenced buildings line the Huangpu River in the Bund area of the city.

Huge numbers of people come to the riverside -- almost all are Chinese tourists.

The famous view of Pudong, across the river.

Even the edge of the viewing area is detailed to look nice from the other side, especially for the river cruises.

Yup, no shortage of people out at night!

One of many dinner cruises that floated by, although this one was especially funny-looking.

Self-portrait proof that I was there!

Pedestrian crossing at 5th-floor level.

No trumpets!

A famous statue at the far end of the walking street. On my way to the river, it was totally blocked by tourists.

Choo choo! These annoying tourist trains WERE still allowed to drive down the middle of the walking street.

The view from my hotel room in the morning. Tall buildings dot the city, as far as the eye can see. (Which is not actually that far....)

And facing west, overlooking the famous People's Square. My office was just across the park.

Heading to the office, on foot! How hard can it be?

Old and new mix throughout the city.

Yes, these signs helped me find my way.

Even the locals are puzzled by the modern art.

Busy (modern) subway system!

Cute little Western-style cafe in our office building, at which I took a late lunch.

The office is directly across the street from the Shanghai Grand Theatre.

My extremely Chinese lunch -- falafel spinach wrap.

The Shanghai Grand Theatre Gallery looked interesting, but I didn't have time to stop on my way home.

More funky buildings. No two are alike.

This was a cute little museum shop.

Another Grand Theatre. This one's a little more retro.

Look, people actually formed a line to wait for the bus!

That giant glass building behind the peacock is my hotel.

I would guess this means you're supposed to stop. Or, beware of open manhole ahead.

The main entrance to the People's Square, on a rainy Thursday morning.

The square was actually a large public park. I was very impressed by the size, tidiness, and diversity of plants.

The requisite pond area.

The village men must come here every morning to gossip... and go fishing.

Weeping willows, sad because of all the tall buildings that have gone up around them.

Look! Thai-style stepping stone lily pads!

The Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai is in the middle of the park.

There was a piece made of lawn chairs outside the museum.

This giant bamboo sculpture was neat to look at, but I have no idea what it was.

There was a super-stylin' Granny playing badminton with the museum wall for the whole time I was there.

Requisite pagoda-in-an-Asian-park.

They also had an amusement park in there, complete with little dragon roller coaster.

This was advertised as the exercise area of the park.

But all the locals seemed to be there to sit and chat (on a really high bench -- note how their legs all dangle).

Green in the city -- it's nice that they've kept some!

Are they making fun of fat westerners?

Okay, found at least one guy out doing some exercises. I think.

Welcome again! Maybe we mean, please come again!

You're such an Oriental Tart!

The city bustles as people head to work.

Shanghai's take on the London phone booth?

People walk to work along... the Walking Street!

A long-winded, cryptic way of saying Starbucks.

Quick stop to pick up some Chinese souvenirs. Hope I got the kind without melamine.

A view from the hotel lounge of the Pudong side of the city. You can also see the walking street as it heads to the river.

The hotel lounge, in which we spent too much time during the trip.

That's the Expo!!! I swear...

And back at the airport, after a whirlwind trip. Will definitely go back, without work strings attached.