Area guides - City spotlight

n 1839, China's opium commissioner seized and then destroyed 20,000 chests of opium from British traders in the southern city of Canton. The British demanded compensation, in the form of the opening of five ports along the China coast.

Thus started the first Opium War, in which the Chinese were trounced. In 1843, the five ports, Shanghai included, were pried open. In swooped all sorts of foreign vagabonds. Soon thereafter, French, American, and British districts (called "Concessions") were established.

To this day, architectural remnants from that era remain. Along the Bund are colonial-era British banks and Tudor-style buildings, while the impressive French buildings in the southwest portion of the city once earned Shanghai the moniker "Paris of the East".

Orientation

Summary

Here is a quick recap all of the districts, for easy reference:

The Shanghai municipality consists of 15 districts, four counties, and the Pudong New Area. The population is roughly 12 million residents, with an additional 4 million migrants (living in tents) providing construction labor. The city covers an area of 6,341 sq. km (2,448 sq. miles), with the urban area measuring 2,643 sq. km (1,020 sq. miles). The eight main urban districts are summarized below:

• Huangpu (Downtown): this is the heart of the city. It encompasses the Bund (the old British district), People's Square (Renmin Guangchang), and the Shanghai Museum.
• Nanshi (Old Chinese City): though officially part of Huangpu, this area is often considered its own neighborhood -- as the old Chinese city, it was different in every way from the western concessions. Today, its highlights are the Old Town Bazaar (traditional shopping), Yu Yuan (Chinese garden), the old city wall, and the Confucian Temple.
• Hongkou (Northeast): formerly the American concession, this is now mainly a residential area.
• Luwan (French Concession): this historic district was the domain of the French colonial community up until 1949. Today, it it teeming with expat life, although housing here is expensive. If you're slaving away at a language mill, living here is little more than an impossible dream.
• Jing An (Northwest): a stone's throw from the French Concession, this area has even more expensive housing tucked within its tree-lined streets, 5-start hotels, and consulate buildings.
• Xuhui (Southwest): here are the city's most happening cafes and bars. There are also tons of shops, as well as Xujiahui Cathedral, Longhua Pagoda, and Shanghai Botanical Garden.
• Changning (Development Zone): this corridor of big business ventures offers nothing for expats. If you get a job posting out here, bring a DVD player...
• Pudong: literally "the east side of the river," this is home to Shanghai's stock market, the tallest hotel in the world, the city's international airport, and the world's first commercial "mag lev" (magnetic levitation) train.

Getting in

Shanghai is one of China's main travel hubs. Getting in from pretty much anywhere is easy.

Getting around

If you intend to stay in Shanghai for a while, consider purchasing a Shanghai Jiatong Card, which can be purchased from metro stations and convenience stores. Once loaded with money, it can be used for buses, the metro, and even taxis.

By metro

The Shanghai metro currently has 5 lines, with another four in construction. The trains are cheap, fast, and English-friendly. Fares range from 3-9 RMB, depending on distance.

By taxi

Taxis are cheap, fast, and (largely) hassle-free. Fares start at 11 RMB for the first 3km. To avoid snafus, get your destination written down in Chinese. Also, insist on using the meter. If your fare seems out of whack, insist on a printed receipt before paying ("fa piaow").

Taxi colors in Shanghai are strictly controlled to indicate the company the taxi belongs to. Turquoise taxis are operated by Dazhong, the largest and most reliable company.

At the other end of the scale, dark red/maroon taxis indicate that they are part of one of the city's many smaller cab companies, many of whom are rather shady. Most of the time, it is the maroon cars which try to go "off the meter" and jack up prices. All Shanghai taxis use a star rating system. This is displayed below the driver's photograph, in front of the passenger seat. The amount of stars indicates the length of time the driver has been in the taxi business and the level of positive feedback received from customers. Drivers with one star should know all major locations in Shanghai, and those with three stars are the cream of the crop, generally able to recognize even lesser-known addresses.

Shopping

Shanghai is hailed as a "Shopping Paradise" and the "Oriental Paris". Typically, crowds are thick and bargains rare.

Main shopping areas

• Nanjing Lu: glitzier than Huahai Lu, this is where to find the bulk of expensive foreign mega-stores in town. The Japanese department store Isetan is here, right next to the glamorous Plaza 66, right next to the ultra-expensive Shanghai Center and City Plaza. Get the picture?
• Huahai Lu: several miles long, this street features a bunch of malls serving all budget ranges with a number of major brand outlets.
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• Shaanxi Lu: a popular shopping spot for clothing, shoes, and bags, with lots of western-sized stuff.
• Xintiandi: this renovated area near Huaihai Lu is home to a large number of international boutiques and trendy restaurants, many of which are housed in restored colonial buildings.
• Fuzhou Lu: running adjacent to Nanjing Lu, this street is much less crowded and has a good selection of quaint bookstores, small stationary shops, and a collection of art galleries and artisan shops.
• The Bund: many of the old colonial buildings here have been converted into luxury restaurants, and also into upmarket shops, which peddle high-end brands at high-end prices.
• Xujiahui: in the southern part of the former French concession (at the Zhaojiabang Lu and Huashan Lu intersection), this area's got a maze of underground walkways connecting several mall towers, where Shanghai's wealthy spenders are lured by a huge selection of high quality clothes, sporting goods, and electronics.
• Pudong: Pudong shopping is centered on the Super Brand Mall (currently billed as Asia's largest – as are similar malls in Bangkok, Malaysia, and Hong Kong...) It's pretty much what you'd expect from a mega-mall: a huge supermarket in the basement with western food, lots of shops, and sprawling food courts -- some offering "amazing" views of the Bund. Meh.

Getting to each area

You don't need a map to figure out how to get to these areas. Instead, simply make note of the area you wish to explore, get your hotel or guest house to write it down in Chinese, and then show it to a cabbie. Presto!

Stuff to buy

Conclusion

For tourists, this town has little to offer other than fine dining and consumerism. For those fortunate enough to live here for a spell while making a decent salary, expect to have a really great time. Unfortunately, most teachers (those not in management or however, will experience something much grander – the most happening city in all of Asia.

In these days of global economic chaos, there are few places like Shanghai, where dreams still do come true.