Shanghai is a bustling city, an intriguing juxtaposition between traditional and modern. The rich Chinese culture contains beautiful architecture, an array of food, and a genuinely friendly and helpful people. The communist history is interesting, often housed in French architectural remnants leftover from the era of European trade one hundred years ago. The French neighborhoods are a reprieve from the gritty Chinese city life, with tree-lined boulevards and quaint houses, ritzy shopping and western street cafes. Pudong is the most cutting edge part of China's most modern city. It is the area east of the Yangtze River where new high rises are springing up, international architects and urban planners are developing the new Shanghai, which isn't quite there yet, but well on its way. The history and shopping are well worth the visit... and the dumplings are superb!
