A Night Out in Shanghai

The excitement of living in a new city is something that I never get tired of.

Exploring new neighbourhoods, visit local pubs, and learning about some of the intricacies of your new environment are all aspects I enjoy about being in a new place.

Shanghai is a MASSIVE place, we are talking top 5 biggest cities in the world. So it is going to take me a while to explore the whole city and I'm sure there are going to be a lot of things I miss, but one day at a time I am becoming more familiar with my surroundings.

Last weekend the lovely @matildakim came for a visit and we decided to explore some of the city. From shopping in knock-off shopping malls to standing on the 120th floor of the second tallest building in the world, there is no shortage of things to do in Shanghai.

Shanghai has one of the most epic skylines in the world. With three huge towers on the banks of the Huangpu river, it makes for a picturesque view. While one side of the river is lined with old buildings and classic architecture, the other side is full of sky scrapers that will take your breath away,

There are countless restaurants that line the river, all with spectacular night views. When the sun goes down and the neon lights get turned on, the spectacle is quite amazing. We had the pleasure of eating at a nice Australian restaurant located on the roof of an adjacent building. The outdoor seating was perfect for viewing the magnificent buildings across the river. From the Orient Pearl Tower on the left to the newly completed Shanghai tower on the right, (Second tallest building in the world) the Shanghai skyline is in a league of its own. If you are going to go out for a nice dinner on the Bund, don't forget your wallet. As with any big, metropolitan city, everything comes with a cost. A nice dinner for 2 will cost anywhere from $100-300 USD, but I'd say the price was worth it for the experience.

Shanghai Circus World

To top it all off, we decided to go see the circus. There is no better way to feel like a little kid than going to the circus and marveling at the unbelievable talents of the performers on stage. From amazing acrobatics, to daring motorbike stunts, to seemingly impossible human feats. The Shanghai Circus did not disappoint. Located a few kilometers North of the downtown core, the venue was easy to get to and purchasing tickets was a breeze. Cheaper than dinner on the Bund as well.

The pictures don't do justice to the amazing feats they performed

The venue is an intimate theater with maybe 2000 seats, none of which offer a bad view. The performers do a great job not just performing, but also involving the audience and telling a story and the show unfolds. There is a live orchestra and singers that add to the ambiance and after the show ended I couldn't stop grinning. If you ever have a chance to visit Shanghai, I can't think of a better place to visit.

So another weekend in the books and a few more things seen in this big beautiful city. Shanghai and China in general get a bad wrap in Western media, some of it is valid whereas some is fabricated nonsense. There are lots of problems that China faces going forward, but no different than any other country trying to prosper in the global economy. I have been impressed and pleasantly surprised at how much China is doing to fight pollution and corruption, two major problems it currently faces. But more on that in another post.

As for now, thanks for stopping by, don't forget to go out and explore the world. There are so many great places in this big beautiful planet, and its a waste if you never leave your own backyard.

Til next time.