Jing’an Park is just across the street from Jing’an temple. On a sunny day you can always find music and/or dancing. The place is mostly populate with retiree’s. I usually find opportunities to practice Mandarin there. And sometimes the music is impressive. These guys are playing a couple of musical saws (音乐锯 pronounced yīnyuè j...

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Jingan Temple is a Buddist temple in Shanghai. According to wikipedia it was first built in 247 AD in the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period of ancient China. It was relocated to its current site in 1216 during the Song Dynasty, and renovated, with a new Pagoda, in 2010.” Why do Chinese people burn incense? I have asked many people and ...

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Shanghai’s Subway System is Huge As of 2018 the Shanghai subway system consists of 17 lines, 666 kilometers of track, and 329 stations. By some measures the largest in the World. During the last 12 years I have been to Shanghai every year. The changes have been significant. Both the riders and the infrastructure are constantly evolving. 12 years...

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Liujiazui is the high class financial district of Shanghai. 30 years ago this area was farmland and one-story buildings. Now it is home to the 2nd tallest building in the world, the Shanghai Tower (and here is a little backstory on the Tower). In addition there are the Jin Mao and the Shanghai World Financial Center. Near by is the Oriental Pearl Tower...

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Where is my room? When you book an Airbnb in China, your first issue after you arrive is finding the place: 我的房间在哪里？- Wǒ de fángjiān zài nǎlǐ? – Where is my room? If you book an Airbnb in China, you will need contact your host when you arrive so they can help locate the place. This is particularly important in China because locat...

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