My first impression of Shanghai...
To call Shanghai a precocious teenager may seem inaccurate as the city started to blossom in the 19th century when the several European countries neatly divided Shanghai into various concessions. French neo-renaissance, art deco and neo-classical buildings, popular during that era, can still be traced in today’s French Concession. Clubs that were once exclusive to Europeans are now luxurious hotels, restaurants, or bars, welcoming anyone who can pay. Commerce remains the heartbeat of the city and people from all over the country and all over the world are literally flocking to the new wide wide east to make their fortune.
The city that never slept went into a coma for 50 years and is now ready to party. Lady Shanghai has gone grey only because of the thin veil of smog she always wears. New cranes are erected everywhere. New subway lines materialize like caterpillars in spring. Shanghai is proud of its modern self, boasting more internationally acclaimed new buildings than any European cities.
This lady is brash, direct and abrasive. If you stand still, the crowd will push you forward. If you tell the lady to mind her manners, she’ll tell you to mind your business.
