31/01

There's no daytime work required today so we're donning our tourist's hats and heading off after breakfast (yet more dim sum and noodles.)

We walk south to a district called French Concession - which was literally that -  granted from 1849 (it ended badly in 1943) it was about one third as big as the British equivalent, it was all about trade. The avenues are peppered with London Plane trees which give a very French look to the area, it became the exclusive residential area in Shanghai.  Today it is a mixture of fine old colonial buildings now preserved as national monuments and others still in use such as the police station which looked very elegant. 

Part of the area is a rabbit warren of tiny streets and alley-ways packed with artisan shops, restaurants and bars. We walked round for a while but resisted the temptation of retail therapy, it was’t difficult. Like everywhere and anytime, the area was packed.

We walked back East in the direction of the river through some incredibly poor areas, passing whole districts of one kind of retailer - this seems to be the general way, all the antique shops (I mean knackered old furniture) then all the copper-pipe shops, move on a bit and its bike shops. Amusingly we found a bike shop also air-drying meat and sausages right on the side of the road - added flavour car fumes!

We passed though a district where the houses were no more that single rooms, they seemed not to have plumbing either as there were communal loos and washing areas, each tap had it’s own meter and was locked. Street sellers sold cups, glasses, plates as well as fruit and other food, or headlamps and wing-mirrors in one case.

We then walked on to Yu Gardens which is around 5 acres of stone rockery garden. It was built in 1577 but has seen many hard times before it was finally declared a national monument in 1961. The area has grown into a very touristy area with a massive retail and restaurant explosion, which was not a good experience, but once in the gardens it was very nice and relatively tranquil. Huge pumice-like rocks have been used to build rockeries where koi ponds, temples, towers, halls and pagodas are set. One such houses a huge piece of jade know as the Watery Jade which is housed in the Jade Magnificent Hall. There’s even a theatre and stage for performing traditional opera. Thankfully it was dark! 

Next we headed up the Bund alongside the river until we found the pedestrian underpass. This is the only place where on can get across the river without being in a car or subway, but in reality it is no different because one gets onto a carriage similar to a mini tram and this goes along a cheesy light-display tunnel to the other side. the kids in our car loved it! It's expensive too!

We intended to go up the Pearl Tower - the one with two globes - but at £18 each it didn’t seem worth it as we have been before. Another option was to head off to the World Financial Tower which is the second tallest structure, but it was such a grey and hazy day what would be the point? Instead we settled on a warmed chicken sandwich sat on a frozen stone bench!! It was getting very cold by this time so we headed back to the hotel, via the "Ichy Bakery" for provisions for afternoon tea and the train tomorrow. 13 miles in total, a good walk.

The second performance was also sold out and its great to see such enthusiasm - we know the story but it would seem so to lots of people here - I heard the people behind me talking, and “`Tom” “Nick” “Gatsby” ‘Myrtle” were clearly understandable, unlike the rest. An amusing fight has developed between us and the staff - they don’t like us getting from back-stage to front-of-house. There are several pass-doors, but these are all magnetically locked. I found a slip door which opens onto the edge of the proscenium and we used that previously but the guard changed and the new one wouldn’t let us through this time. After some serious debate involving four staff we were escorted upstairs round the entire VIP section and back into the house - 200 meters to go 5. 

We have created a recording of the Gatsby music (all composed by Richard Rodney-Bennet) and the opening scene is to the Murder on the Orient Express theme which sounds just magnificent. I’m looking forward to hearing it on a different sound-system at NCPA in Beijing next week.

We stay local for dinner, going next-doorish to the Raddison but they are not very organised, and we end up eating at separate times (although the quality was good) but its really not worth making a fuss.