Nanjing Road and The Bund

It is quite a shock for those visiting Shanghai for the first time to see the crowds on Nanjing Walking Street (Mall) and the Bund.  It seems that any day or night, crowds visit both of these places.  It is overwhelming sometimes.

Spectacular really - especially at night with all the neon lights on the huge buildings, and at the Bund on the boats and the buildings on the other side of the Huangpu River.  

We walked from our hotel and looked at the shops, and watched the activities of all on the pathway and road.  The pushing and shoving, the walking across the road AGAINST the red light (and often almost causing accidents - but we didn't see any.)  The noise from people talking loudly, music from the shops, the constant tooting of horns - words could never paint the picture well enough - you need to experience it.



There are small trains plying their trade along Nanjing Walking Street - and as our legs were getting weary, we did ride back to the area near the People's Square.  

There are many touts in the street - main selling children's toys - including spinning lights, laser light toys, and sparkling coloured things that one slips over one's shoes allowing them to skate on wheels with bright coloured lights.  We were offered them for 200Y but in the end C bought one for 60Y and later was offered some much cheaper.





There have been changes.  The verticle gardens are wonderful - and I think there are more than I can recall back a few years ago.  Certainly they are spectacular.  I recall that there was an underpass from near the Peace Hotel to the Bund, but these days there is no sign of it and pedestrians are able to walk across the road with lights.

The Peace Hotel is operating - it had long been awaiting redevelopment - but more about that later.

It is very tiring - walking and taking in trying to remember everything.  We were glad to get back to the hotel.

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