What has always struck her about the city is that there seem to be skyscrapers as far as the eye can see, with new ones springing up seemingly everywhere. So the first stop for Girlawhirl and her Pal was Huangpu Park on the waterfront where they could admire some of the city's oldest architecture on the Bund and some of its newest across the river in Pudong – including the Oriental Pearl Tower, which looks like something out of the Jestsons.

After wandering along the water, they hopped in a cab and headed for what they were told was Shanghai's number one tourist attraction, the Yu Gardens. And Girlawhirl could see why they are so popular. The gardens are a gorgeous, albeit crowded, oasis in the bustling “Old City.” Right outside the garden's entrance is the aptly named Yu Gardens Bazaar where there are tons of shops selling just about anything a tourist could want and where people wait in incredibly long lines at the famous Nan Xiang dumpling shop. But Girlawhirl's favorite was the Tong Hang Chun Traditional Chinese Medicine store with jars and jars full of odd-looking herbs, roots and things like dried bats and antlers. The next “tourist attraction” on their list for the day was the Jade Buddha Temple, named for the six-foot tall Buddha made of white jade that it houses. It was a serene spot to visit set – like so many places in Shanghai – in the midst of busy city streets.

A full day of sightseeing behind them, Girlawhirl and her Pal went to get dinner at Xintinandi, a shopping, dining and entertainment area meant to fuse old and new Shanghai. They had a delicious meal at Ding Tai Fung and checked out some of the shops. Then they walked toward People's Square and stopped for drinks at Barbarossa, a Moroccan themed restaurant/bar in the middle of a park near the Shanghai Art Museum. Upstairs was loud with a hopping bar and a lounge for smoking water pipes. Downstairs was quieter with tables outside near a lake – perfect for discussing their plans for the next day over cocktails.

The next morning Girlawhirl and her friend started the day with a visit to a quirky little museum set up in the basement of an apartment building: The Propaganda Poster Art Center. It has a great collection of original posters put out by the Chinese government between 1949 and 1979. From there, they moved on to the French Concession, a beautiful historic district full of restaurants, cafes, and boutiques. The district's main street, Huahai Lu, is also its main shopping street. But Girlawhirl found two of her favorites on Fuxing Road – Urban Tribe, which had some very cool jewelry and Skylight, which sells Tibetan goods. After spending the day strolling through the neighborhood, she and her friend stayed for dinner at Coconut Paradise, a fabulous Thai restaurant set up in one of the neighborhood's restored mansions.

Girlawhirl and her Pal knew no trip to Shanghai would be complete without checking out Nanjing Lu. This is where the serious shoppers go. From Hermes to Louis Vuitton, Gucci to Prada, Girlawhirl doubts there's a luxury brand you can't find on this street. There are also stores selling traditional Chinese goods like silk and jade. And at night it's all lit up, reminding Girlawhirl a little bit of Vegas.

Since they had started at the western end of the street, they ended their day of strolling and shopping down Nanjing Lu back at the Bund. That's where they wrapped up their visit to Shanghai with dinner at Laris on the sixth floor of Three on the Bund. From the lemongrass martini before dinner to the cheesecake crème brulee for dessert, it was an absolutely amazing meal... the perfect end to an amazing trip.

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May 14, 2007:

Beijing and the Great Wall of China Blow Girlawhirl Away. read full entry

May 15, 2006:

Hong Kong Shopping: Cat Street. read full entry

Dec 18, 2006:

Girlawhirl checks out the holiday lights in Hong Kong. read full entry