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THE FAMOUS "SHANGHAI BUND".  THIS WAS THE MAIN COMMERCIAL DISTRICT FOR THE EUROPEAN BUSINESSMEN WHO CONTROLLED SHANGHAI PRIOR TO WORLD WAR II.	MODERN APARTMENT BLOCKS.  WE WERE VISITING A STREET MARKET LOCATED IN FRONT OF THE APARTMENTS.	THE PU DONG OR "EAST BANK" DISTRICT ACROSS THE RIVER FROM THE BUND.  THIS AREA HAS MULTIPLE HI-RISE BUILDINGS DESIGNED BY MAJOR AMERICAN ARCHITECTS

On our way into town from the ultra modern airport, I was having trouble understanding the tour guide.  As we passed a darkened building in an industrial zone, I thought he said, “there’s your hotel”.  Not wanting Neil, Larry, and Spencer to head immediately back to the airport, I pretended I hadn’t heard him.  Luckily, we didn’t stop but kept going several miles more to the just opened Shanghai Central Hotel.  Upon getting to our very nice room, Neil said “I was worried, I thought the tour guide said ‘there’s your hotel’ way back in that industrial area.”
	OUR HOTEL, SHANGHAI CENTRAL, IS ON THE RIGHT
We would quickly discovered that everywhere we went the tourguides were ready with a "set menu" meal.  This was a 10 to 12 course meal with huge bowls of rice and 1 to 2 large bowls of soup in addition to fish, pork, beef, and chicken.  The meal was usually large enough for 10 people but there were only 4 of us. Unfortunately, we often left large amounts of food on the table.

One of the places we visited was the Yuyuan Gardens in downtown Shanghai. This was a large park set in the main shopping district. On the rooftops of the park buildings were small statues of Chinese dragons and warriors. How they survived the Cultural Revolution of the '60's and '70's, I don't know.

YUYUAN GARDENS

OTHER SIGHTS IN SHANGHAI

WE VISITED A SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN GIFTED IN MUSIC AND DANCE.  EVERY CHILD HAD THEIR MOTHER OR FATHER IN ATTENDANCE TO MAKE SURE THEIR CHILD WAS WELL TENDED.	MODERN SHOPPING NEIGHBORHOOD.  ROOFS MIMIC THE CLASSICAL STYLE OF CHINA.	MAO TSE-TUNG NOW RELEGATED TO APPEARING ON WATCHES.  THESE DID NOT SELL NEARLY AS WELL AS THE $30 FAKE ROLEXES.