Pictures of Shanghai On Our Sapphire Princess Cruise Vacation

Shanghai is the largest city in China. Regarded as the gateway to the Yantze, the city spans the Huangpu, a tributary of the Yangze, about 25 miles below the confluence of the two rivers.

Although the Huangpu's channel is shallow, the port still handles up to a third of all the country's ocean-going cargo. What the Huangppu lacks in depth, it makes up for in volume and variety.

The city is one of China's youngest. Prior to the First Opium War (1840-42), Shanghai was a walled city of less than 300,000 people doing a lively enough trade to have captured the attention of Japanese pirates, who periodically raided up the Huangpu as early as the 16th century.

AS part of the treaty of Nanking, which ended the First Opium War, Western merchants were granted permission to trade and lease land on the west bank of the Hulangpu. The combination of a good port, western technology and commerce, and a limitless labor pool soon made Shanghai one of the leading trading centers in the East, with grandiose stone buildings erected along the central water front, or Bund, housing great banks, trading houses and consulates.

The city was divided between the British-dominated International Settlement, the French Concession, the Chinese City and the large Chinese suburb of Zhabei on the left bank of Suizhou Creek, north of the main city.

As a self-governing city not under the authority of Peking or any other foreign capital, Shanghai attracted every kind of fortune-hunter, rebel, conspirator, gangster and smuggler. It became the wildest city on earth, famed for its luxurious and flamboyant lifestyle where every form of vice flourished. The City's name even entered the English language as a verb meaning "to kidnap."

To most Chinese, Shanghai was "The West" where merchants, industrialists and bankers prospered. In reality, life for most Chinese in the city was poor and squalid, and they were treated with contempt by most foreigners. This resentment combined with Shanghai's role as a sanctuary from the authority of the Chinese government, made the city a hotbed of revolutionaries and anarchists.

Following the city's peaceful occupation by the communists on May 23, 1949, Shanghai mounted a determined effort to achieve new China's dreams and goals. The city became China's biggest port and most important economic center, trading with more than 20,000 firms in more than 150 countries.

Our day in Shanghai

The ship docked at about 2:00AM in a port that never sleeps.......I got up and closed the curtains to shut out the light from this busy port and tried to get a few more hours of sleep!!! We met our privately arranged tour at 8:00AM and took the shuttle into Shanghai .. about an hour away from where we docked. We were met by our guide Dvir and off we went on an amazing day.

There were 28 of us and we started at the Peace Hotel where Dvir gave us an overview of what he had in store for us and some information about the Peace Hotel itself. Then he led us up to the roof and what would have been a spectacular view if it weren't for all the air pollution.. the pictures will speak for themselves there. Then it was off to the fascinating Jewish Ghetto which is where the Jews were confined during part of World War II. This area did not have walls, but it did have checkpoints and you needed permission to travel to or from it. The apartments were very small and 3 or 4 unrelated families lived in each apartment. The only change today is that the inhabitants are Chinese since most of the Jewish population emigrated to Israel soon after the war.

At this point some of the group dropped out to check into the hotel they had arranged for the night and do some things on there own but 16 of us remained. We went to the Old Town and toured the beautiful Yuyaun Gardens and the lovely teahouse that is there. A lot of shops and restaurants and guess what you could buy pearls !!! We had some time for shopping and then met in front of Starbucks!!!

From there it was off to more shopping, this time a more upscale mall type of arrangement, by then my feet were starting to complain so Bill and I opted for a beer(me) and 7Up(him) at a charming restaurant next door. At this point some of the group wanted to go back to the ship so we dropped them off at the shuttle point and 14 of us headed on.

Dvir took us to the French Commission area which was lovely with lots of mansions that the Russian Aristocracy purchased or built after the Revolution. Unfortunately, they soon found that they had few skills and many princesses ended up as ladies of the evening while the princes drove taxis or buses. The area is beautifully restored and boast the only sidewalk dining in Shanghai. Some of the group opted for burgers but 8 of us plus Dvir & his assistant Frances went to the Crystal Jade Restaurant for a Chinese meal .. we wisely allowed Frances to order for us and it was wonderful.

Then on to the Bund for the fabulous lights. We went to a rooftop restaurant that features a sandy beach type area with decadent seating and an unbelievable view. It was pretty busy so we went to a different one in the same area where we had espresso and cappuccinos and finally when we returned to the street level to await our bus .. huge fireworks burst from the Pudong area and we all ooooohhhhdddd and awwwwwddd. A very satisfactory ending to a wonderful day in Shanghai.

I would love to recommend Dvir Bar-Gal for tours of Shanghai .. his email is shanghaijews@hotmail.com and his web sites are www.shanghai-jews.com and www.chinajewish.org

Some of these pictures are captioned and some are just street scenes from the bus on the way to and around Shanghai.


Buses lined the pier, no taxis were allowed on the dock and no walking was permitted beyond what was required to get to the bus.	The water at this dock was quite polluted as was the air.	Another view of the area.


We don't know what these were but my goodness did one person get yelled at for wandering in that direction!!!		Lots of new cars that had been unloaded at the port.


The next few pictures are scenes on the way into the city








	A Toyota dealership on the way .. looks just like at home











	lots of huge buildings











		We were dropped off at the Silk Exhibition hall.


	The next few pictures are in the city while on our tour.


Shanghai	Shanghai	China


Shanghai China	Street scene in Shanghai	Note the air pollution in Shanghai China


Here we are at the peace hotel.	From the roof of the peace hotel	A restaurant in the peace hotel


The same restaurant	View from the roof.	The roof restaurant





		Some our our tour mates


	Dvir was giving us more information on the surrounding area


	Kathy standing next to a bell on the roof	We are getting to the Ghetto area.


Some of the main street was nicely kept up	This was lovely.. they called the area Little Vienna. At the garden in the middle of the ghetto.


A monument to the "Stateless Persons" which was the Japanese designation instead of Jews during that time.	The Park at the designated place for stateless persons. Quite lovely actually.	Off to wander the ghetto.


The old and the new of Shanghai.	The street side of this Ghetto street with shops and deli's on the bottom floor


This alley leads to the real living spaces.	We couldn't all go to the alley at once it is too small so we split in half.	Here are the doorways to the apartments where 3 or 4 families still live in one apartment.


Kathy is thinking maybe not for me !!!	Dvir (in the green shirt) buys Chinese grapefruit for us to try from a produce market	Better shot of the market.


The sidewalk shops.	Here is the grapefruit it was good, but not as juicy as our grapefruit are. Huge wedges though.	That is Frances she was our other escort.


Some of us eating the grapefruit.	This was a prison in the Jewish ghetto, but it was a headquarters for the Japanese and it became an American target during the war, Unfortunately killing more civilians than Japanese.


	We visited the synagogue in the Ghetto .. it was really small.	View from the Synagogue


	The museum at the Synagogue





Time to go back to the bus		The streets were pretty crowded


Everywhere, clothes hung outside .. the pollution did not seem to deter this at all		We stopped at the incredibly beautiful Chinese Bank on the Bund .. but no pictures were allowed inside


At Old town we were swamped with street venders the moment we got off the bus..	Kites, watches, Mont Blanc pens, umbrellas, etc	Then we walked in the direction of Old Town through a whole road of souvenir shops


	The outer wall and the roof of the teahouse.	Cars and pedestrians .. I would hate to drive here.


Lots of these bikes used to haul goods.	Police were everywhere but they don't carry guns.	Bicycles and scooters were abundant


	Colorful lanterns	It wasn't raining but umbrellas were everywhere.


In the Old Town area.	The entrance to the Old Town	A Chinese Pharmacy


The Pharmacy	A filled prescription !!!	Dvir explaining the pharmacy.


Over the counter drugs!!! Mostly larva, caterpillars, worms, etc.	Not like at home. More little critters.	All of the sales ladies wore white like nurses uniforms.


	It was a Large Pharmacy.


	Did I mention this was a Sunday and it was crowded there !!!	An Icon !!


This restaurant for dumplings was too crowded to get in but we were upstairs so we took a picture.	Kathy buying pearls !!	The store was quite warm so while they strung the pearls they offered me a seat and a fan!!!


Huge crowds.	The bridge of 9 Zig Zags to keep the evil spirits away .. if you believe in Fen Shuz


Nice setting for a picture.	Inside the gardens were several reception rooms.	This is the Gentleman's reception room.


Koi in the pond.	The lovely gardens.	Another Fish Pond in the gardens.


The Gardens	Traditional Gate Guards .. the male and female lions.	Frances with her Starbucks !!


The male lion .. with the ball under his paw.	The female lion .. you can't see the cub under her foot here.	Must be lunch time for these Koi.


A Ginkgo Biloba tree.	The tree .. over 400 years old.	More of the gardens.


It was illegal to use the Dragon if you were not imperial so this guy thought he would disguise it .. but he was found out and sent to prison.	Another of the reception rooms.	This one was furnished in furniture made from the roots of trees.


Root chair	Root furniture	Lighting


More Koi	Gardens	Another pearl shop.


This time Dvir negotiated for me ... it worked out quite well.	Frances and me .. it was her birthday but she was too old to say how many birthdays!!	The rest went shopping I opted for a cafe.


Sitting down ... finally.	Ohh that beer hit the spot.	The trees were all lit up.


Neon everywhere	Dinner at the Crystal Jade	Dvir & Frances at dinner.


More dinner pictures.	Wall street lit up.	More on Wall street at night.


The entrance to the rooftop restaurant.	Finally .. they lit up the tower so we could see it..	A better view.


Neon Neon Neon	Everything was lighted.


The ships were even Lit	The Tower at Pudong	Coffee on a rooftop


Fireworks at night	Fireworks in Shanghai	Fireworks in Shanghai China


Fireworks in Shanghai	Fireworks	Fireworks.

sitemap