21st September 2018 Shanghai

21st September 2018 Friday, Breakfast of lots of different Chinese vegetables and pickles as well as hot soya milk and western style eggs, bacon, sausages. Walked along the river and then our guide fetched us. First stop Shanghai tower 632m of tower, the second tallest building in the world. Fantastic 3D game - a roller coaster beneath the 3 towers. Great view and a T-shirt for Michael. The most Eco friendly building in the world, then onto a propaganda poster museum Yoyouan Gardens famous for the owner being a silk and crab merchant - a split table with each side against a separate wall, no men visitors allowed as the man of the house is not at home. The table in the Centre with the two halves joined, male owner is home, male visitors are welcome. Lunch in a shopping centre was a little disappointing as we had had such good local food in the other areas, it felt strange to sit alone and posh. In the afternoon we walked around the former French concession precinct area and understood the west old Shanghai and east new Shanghai. The construction company’s buy the land from the government, build apartments or office blocks, selling them to the people of China for 70 years. After which the government inspects the structure. If it is ok, the owners at that time, relatives of former buyers or new owners begin to pay a tax to the government for the continual use of the apartment/ office. If the building is in disrepair, the owners are paid a small amount by the government to put a deposit down on a new apartment and the cycle begins again. 

A person from Beijing can buy property in Shanghai and work there but on retirement, must to back to Beijing even though he has paid tax in Shanghai. Children can also only go to public school in the city from which the parents come from forcing children to return to their grandparents in order to go to school. As Shanghai is a rich state with great benefits, people marry to get a Shanghai ID book. So very interesting.

We visited a tea shop and a tea ceremony with all the bells and whistles and tasted three different teas. Bought a purée tea that comes in a cak3 and is fermented. Very good for you.

Onto a acrobatic show and a cruise around Shanghai harbour. The skyline is magnificent, every building is lit up, paid for by the government. Then a walk along the Bund and onto Nanjing street, wow a lot of people. Michaels navigation got us back to the hotel. What an awesome day!!!!