i love Shanghai

it was my first time to visit mainland China. first time to visit this city that i recently saw from the film, Mission Impossible 3. i did not have that much expectations. the only thing i did try to remember was my promise to myself and to a colleague that i will not do any shopping in shanghai. of course, before the first day was over, i managed to break that promise.

i think shanghai managed not only to make me break my promise but it also managed to capture my heart. i do not know what or when during my 9 day stay there was it able to do so...it could be when we were at the top of the Peace Hotel and was viewing the Pudong area and the Huang Pu River, with its two tallest buildings, Pearl TV Tower and the Grand Hyatt, that i fell in love with it. i liked the view from that hotel. one of the must things to do in Shanghai.

i also love the nice people who turned out to be nice. i was quite surprised to be the recipient of a good service from everyone at the two hotels where we stayed at (New Harbor Service Apartment and the Holiday Inn Pudong). all of them were very helpful and made our stay more enjoyable.

i love the shopping and the very cheap stuff, almost anything you can think of. and i enjoyed the bargaining sessions we had with the various non-English speaking salespersons we come across all over the city. i was particularly happy when i was able to buy 4 oriental blouses at only SGD80. very nice handmade silk blouses in my favorite colors.

i love the old town....with its nicely and well preserved colonial looking shops and tea houses...and that all RMB10 bag shop. really a good find for us!

i love 1931 restaurant. very nice decoration and very tasty food....comfy and intimate ambience....good place to have a quiet dinner with your close friends...especially after a full day of either a meeting or a conference session or a full day of sightseeing....this is definitely our favorite place to eat in shanghai...this one is located along maoming lu....

then of course i love jazz & blues...this great find bar where carlton smith and his band plays cool blues and jazz sounds. here, you can really let your hair down and dance to their music....they even play your requests, well at least those that they know lah....this bar is only 5 minutes walk from the 1931 restaurant.

i love also M on the Bund....cool and hip place to be especially on a friday evening....nice view as well of the Bund and the Huang Pu River....

i also love Cloud 9 at the Grand Hyatt...reasonably priced drinks and minimum expense for each person...

i also love CJW or Cigar Jazz and Wine Bar at the Bund Center...the American singer croons lovely jazz songs that you can definitely dance to as well...though because of its more classy ambience, makes you hesitant to do so.

in all, i found out i really enjoyed every minute of my stay in Shanghai, even the more than 10 hours of walking we did for three days. and my presentation apparently went well and the meeting was not as intimidating and serious as i thought it would be....

maybe this last one cemented it....or maybe because we had a great time at blues & jazz one night...and maybe because because it was my first time to be away from home on my birthday....

indeed turned out to be a wonderful birthday week for me...i certainly wish i could come back soon....sigh sigh sigh....

I visited Shanghai, China from 23 June to 2 July 2006 because of an international conference and a regional meeting.