Something Old and Something New

Shanghai is a study in old and new. An elderly man practices the art of Tai Chi on an uber-modern retail strip. A guy on a bike hauling a small cart with about a dozen cases of soda piled high passes a sparkling Bentley dealership. On the Bund -- the waterfront promenade -- you look west and see a row of stolid, grey turn-of-the-century bank buildings. You turn around to face east and you're gazing across the River upon arguably the most futuristic skyline in the world. This is Shanghai. The old and the new are tripping all over each other (see some of the "old stuff" here and be sure to click on "slideshow" mode).

It's fascinating and energizing. Today was a day for many of the city's most popular sites thanks to Zhang Fan (Rebecca) our wonderful, all-business local guide. The sites included: the jade Buddha temple, Yu Yuan garden, the Bund, the Jin Mao Tower and Chinese acrobats, but the highlight was having lunch with old friend Pete (David's college buddy), who just happened to be flying through Shanghai today. The Xiao Long Bao (small steamed pork buns) fit the theme of the day. They're an old Shanghai standby, but new to us. Perfect!