Super Shanghai

When I was first thinking about my journey to China, I was not sure about visiting Shanghai.  I just saw visions of high buildings and urban scenery, but then talking to my student An, I spotted flowers in and greenery and the history of the town talked to me too. Reading that there is a lovely autumn, which if lucky I would catch I decided I would do it and booked for Shanghai too, but only booked for 4 nights.   The high speed train took us to the outskirts of the town and there were a few problems getting my new ticket but as a result had a quick chat with an Irish couple who helped me with the machines. They were essentially the same as the ones in Beijing, but there was a problem with notes.  Eventually it was resolved and I was on my way into China's biggest town.    The minute I stepped outside it was obvious that Shanghai would not be what I thought it would be.  I was in the centre of town, but the restaurants with fish, and strange sights were unlike anything I had really seen before.  I guess it was a kind of hutong, but the architecture was different to that in Beijing.  I guess it was more thirties style, but I am not sure. Each area had a slightly different feel as I walked down to the river, half an hour away and dotted in between vast buildings piercing the sky.   Down by the river there was a holiday atmosphere almost.  On the left the 30s European buildings, on the river over the water,  the now famous Shanghai skyline,everyone seemed to love seeing the light on the towers play.    I had hoped that I would spot familiar style cafe but my bit of Shanghai seemed to have a very different food culture either vast restaurants or such specialist Chinese restaurants that were too scary for me to enter alone.  On the main street all was bright, and brash and unappealing, but in the dark back streets I was caught by a bright light and a menu in English and Chinese.  Aubergine and Cauliflower.  It was almost like a small but slightly posh greasy spoon inside, but offering what looked like really good dishes,  I did not even think about it.  Before I knew it was I sat inside with a little fire stove and the most wonderfully delicious tasting vegetables,  with green tea.  The other diners almost showed no interest, so deep in their food and smartphones, one chap, did not even look up when his partner arrived and he was still deep in his phone when they left still not communicating.  Just one chap raised a glass to me and seemed a little excited that a foreigner was there, but he did not have the courage to say anything more than bye when I left.

 The following day I instinctively returned, but then was happy to take a ferry across the Huangpu river and then just sit in the sun in a nice park that wraps around the river and read in the sun, before heading to a spanking brand new department store where I had a yummy Thai evening meal.