Shanghai By Night

Well now, finally, I'm in China. At least, I've finally arrived in the sort of China I was hoping to find...Shanghai. This city of upwards of 20 million inhabitants, may be, at least by night, one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen.
We arrived, by air, yesterday afternoon (Wednesday). Traffic is horrible, but what can one expect with a city of this size. But, the Shanghaiese have an appreciation for beauty, as well as their own culture. Unlike Guangzhou, Shanghai is a city that loves to have fun. There are zoos, amusement parks, football (pronounced soccer) stadiums, restaurants, and so much more. There is also much greenery. Flowers sit in boxes atop the "jersey walls" that line the roadways. At night, I'm told, trucks slowly drive by, watering the flowers.
I am traveling with three American businessmen. In Shanghai, we are met at the airport, and escorted around town, by, Mei Ling, their Shanghai associate, an attractive woman in her mid-thirties. Like most Chinese women I have met, Mei Ling is very soft-spoken. However, I am told, that in negotiations, she can be very aggressive and demanding.
She takes us to a narrow, almost alley-like, street in the old town section of Shanghai. The street is flooded with motorbikes and bicycles, and even a few automobiles. As we creep through the street, in our six-passenger van, we see beautifully-lit restaurants on both sides. Suddenly, two men with armbands begin banging on the windows of the van. Melodie's driver rolls down his window to speak with the men. Another man goes to the passenger side and bangs.
I'm thinking we're in the middle of some international incident. Perhaps, there is some sort of Chinese law about escorting Americans in a van. I'm wondering if my wife will see me on CNN as I'm hauled away to spend the rest of my life in a dingy Chinese prison. I really don't know how dingy they are, but I've seen plenty of movies.
Turns out, that what's happening is that these arm-banded men work for the various restaurants. Their job is to go out into traffic and lure in customers. We get lured in. Crossing the street here is the biggest pedestrian-related adventure thus far. You literally have to just step in front of the motorbikes and hope the driver will slow down enough to just slightly graze you.
I admit I'm somewhat scared. So, to answer the question, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" To eat authentic Chinese food, that's why.
Upon entering the restaurant, we see huge acquariums, filled with every sort of sea creature imaginable. I soon realize that these are not pets, they're dinner. Somehow I just couldn't actually go pick out my meal from among the living. I can just imagine the fish looking at me with a tear in his eye, thinking as he meets the cleaver, "that fat American did this to me."
Fortunately, I don't need to make such a selection. Mei Ling leads us into the elevator. These restaurants are several stories high, with private dining rooms of varying sizes on each floor. I've seen that in movies as well, and usually someone gets killed in one of those rooms. Well, long story short, I didn't get killed. In fact, there was no violence whatsoever, except for the way we tore into some really delicious food.
I've been in Chinese restaurants throughout the United States, including Chinatowns in D.C., and New York, but I've never experienced Chinese food like this. We feasted on chicken, fish, tofu, soups, vegetables, you name it. The attentive staff kept our glasses filled with beer or cola or whatever we desired. There were six of us and we all ate heartily. And then the bill arrived...about 300RMB, or, in U.S. currency, a little over 35.00. What a meal, and, for about six dollars a piece!
After dinner, we headed over to a hotel overlooking the Bund, one of the most beautiful spots I've ever seen. The Bund was the international political center of China in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of the Consulates were located here, and the architecture is truly amazing. There are so many styles including Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque, Classicism and Renaissance. Although I've never been to Europe (but, I have seen movies), the Bund looks to be more of a European city, than one you'd find in China.
For many years, after the Communist takeover, the Bund was deserted, but in recent years, there has been a major renovation. At night, the lights shine brightly on the beautiful buildings. Behind the Bund, hugh skyscrapers tower above the city. Their multi-colored lights shimmer and twinkle and change colors, making for an awesome kaleidoscopic appearance.
Because service in many Chinese restaurants, including the one at the top of the Panorama Hotel, where we sit, is exceptionally "relaxed," we have plenty of time to admire the beauty.
The Bund sits on the banks of the Huangpu River. The tour boats that ply the waters below are also beautifully decorated with many lights. They share the wide river with freighters and small Chinese junks. It all makes for one amazing site. Shanghai is definitely a city to which I would come back.
It is now about 7:30 Thursday morning. I'm going out to see the city by daylight. I'll let you know what I find.