Construction began on the $1.2 billion train in March 2001, and public service commenced Jan 2004, so it is fairly new. Made from German technology, the train can reach an impressive 350 km/h (217 mph) in 2 minutes, with a maximum speed in normal operation of 431 km/h (267 mph). It runs from Longyang Road station on the Shanghai Subway line to Pudong International Airport and takes only 7 minutes and 20 seconds to complete the journey. The cost is about $5 USD for a one-way ticket.

Our bus driver dropped us off at the train entrance & began his journey to meet us at the airport. Needless to say – we beat him. *LOL*

Here’s a pic of the inside as we were boarding…

And below is proof that we really did go as fast as they said we would!

This was the main Chinese district of downtown Shanghai during the colonial era (1842-1949). It was encircled by a wall that came down when the last dynasty fell, in 1911. The old city wall, 27 ft. high and 3 miles round, dated from the 16th century, when it served as a barrier against Japanese pirates. It is considered the oldest district of Shanghai; its shops, the most traditional; its steamed dumplings, the best. (And I had some…so I know that it’s true!) Within this former walled city, the Old Town Bazaar is now a large pedestrian mall and alleyway labyrinth. There are hundreds of traditional Chinese craft & souvenir shops.

You can literally get lost in the alleyways (they all look the same after awhile!)

In one of the courtyards, sits this golden money tree. Each red ribbon has a coin attached and you throw it up onto a branch for good luck.

If you read my tea farm entries, you will recall the “art teas”. Here are some examples of different art teas for sale.

The main square of Old Town has two strangely familiar sights…Dairy Queen …

And of course…Starbucks!

There is also a famous tea house in the main square…

And a department store, I believe, in this beautiful building…

I picked up a few gifts (can’t reveal them here) …and then went back to the bus. Our next stop is the high speed Shanghai Maglev train!

“The Bund” refers to a historical area of Shanghai that centers along Zhongshan Road on the west bank of the Huangpu River. Most of the buildings here were built around the turn of the century. Formerly the financial hub of Eastern Asia, the Bund once housed banks & trading houses from all over the world as well as hotels, consulates, a newspaper, and even a Masonic Club. When Communism took hold of the country, most of the financial institutions were moved and the hotels and clubs closed or converted to other uses. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, with the thawing of economic policy in the People’s Republic of China, buildings on the Bund were gradually returned to their former uses. It is now one of the most popular tourist sights in Shanghai. I have been told that it is quite gorgeous lit up at night…but here are some pics of it in the morning.

A close-up of the Customs House clock, the largest clock in Asia. Both the clock & bell were built in England in imitation of Big Ben and shipped to Shanghai in the 1920s.

The flag atop the Merchants Bank Building…

Further down the Bund are some more modern buildings…

And across the harbor is the striking skyline of Pudong.

Since the beginning of its development in 1990 when plans were first announced, Pudong has emerged as China’s financial and commercial hub. Amazing to think that only 15 years ago, this was all farmland!

Next stop – Shanghai’s Old Town Shopping area…

Love the fountains…

And the lily arrangement…

Since we knew we only had one day left before leaving, and we’d acquired quite a few goodies along the way, it was time to do some luggage shopping. There was no way it was all going to fit in the suitcase I brought with me! Luckily, our hotel was only a 10-minute walk away from the main commercial shopping strip in Shanghai. We walked down to a department store since we had about an hour before the stores closed. I went up to the luggage department and was pretty bummed at first.

The prices were all far higher than I was willing to pay – around $100 USD+. Just couldn’t bring myself to spend that kind of money for a piece of luggage I didn’t really need except to ship a few items home. As I left the department, I ran into one of my fellow tour mates. I told her my dilemma and she said for me to go right back to the department with her. Lucky for me, she spoke fluent Chinese. She explained the situation to an associate and after about five minutes of going back & forth, the associate brought me to a large piece of luggage that was perfect for my needs. Not only was my friend able to negotiate a 30% discount, but they also took another 100 yuan off the price! All in all, I was able to purchase it for around $40 USD. Not bad for something that started over $100. It’s times like those when I wish I could speak more foreign languages. *LOL*

So the next trick was trying to get this huge piece of luggage back to the hotel. My friend Sean was kind enough to tote it back almost the whole way (since we had decided to walk instead of get a taxi). I picked up a few other items at the department store but can’t say what they were since a few folks reading this might be getting them as future gifts!