Shops in the French Concession
Statue of Chinese folklore figures of fortune, prosperity and longevity
A narrow and secluded pathway behind the shops
An old building found inside the French Concession
The French Concession was truly an eye-opener for us because we thought that it is some really old and dirty place that nobody would want to visit. Instead, we were met with a surprise because there was quite a crowd in the French Concession and everything appeared to be clean and neat and modern. There were even shops and cafés. For example, we were truly surprised when we saw a Starbucks café there because the French Concession was supposedly an old and historical place but we actually saw modern shops making business there. The most distinctive feature is the walls are made of stones instead of wood, like the usual China style. This place was built and owned by France in the olden days. We feel that there is old and new mixed in this place. Old is the exterior remained by the French and new is the presence of modern shops in this historical place. You can experience what it feels like in the French era when you visit the French Concession.
Rating: 4/5
Tian Zi Fang 田子坊
One of the shops in Tian Zi Fang
Construction work is going on
The entrance of Tian Zi Fang
One of the benches with the words “田子坊” engraved on it
Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Hall
Plague with the hall name engraved on it
The hall exhibits the old Shanghai as well as the planning of city urban development. The main focus of the exhibition is the huge scale model which shows the urban Shanghai with old buildings and approved buildings that will be built. Also, there is a theatre room with a 360° screen that shows a video of the future Shanghai. We also learn about the old Shanghai's history sites and cultural heritage from the exhibits. You can learn more about old Shanghai and urban Shanghai when you visit this exhibition hall. This experience is quite okay because we just roamed around the exhibition hall freely and looked at the models. We were just awed by the size of the model of Shanghai because it is so huge but all the buildings are miniatures.
Rating: 3/5
Hai Di Lao Hot Pot 海底捞
Preparing for hot pot with the heating stove at the centre of the table
One of the VIP guest rooms at Hai Di Lao
We ate at Hai Di Lao for lunch before leaving for Yangzhou at day two. Hai Di Lao is a hot pot restaurant that has outlets all around China and even overseas, like Singapore. They offer good food and the most importantly, good customer service. Not only did they provide us with cloths to wipe our spectacles and hair band to tie up our hair, they also helped us with whatever we needed to do. Such great service is essential in contributing to their success. The waiters and waitresses served us with respect, even if we are younger than them. Also, there is a children's play room available at Hai Di Lao. There is a screen showing the children's play room so parents who are eating can check on their kids from the screen. Hai Di Lao also offers free manicure service. This is perfect for the ladies because while they are waiting to be seated, they can spend their time doing manicure for free. Overall, this experience at Hai Di Lao was a great one because the service was one-of-a-kind and the food was delicious as well.
Rating: 5/5
Holiday Inn Express Yangzhou City Center 扬州文昌阁智选假日酒店
Compared to the previous hotel in Shanghai, I personally prefer this hotel. We spent the rest of the nights in this hotel. Also, this hotel is newer than the previous one which makes it cleaner and more comfortable to stay in. The design of the hotel is exquisite because the bathroom door is translucent and the carpet is orange and black stripes. This hotel has a big walking space and has comfortable chairs and tables. Generally, this hotel is more comfortable to stay in because we had a comfortable amount of space in every room and there was more security compared to the Shanghai hotel.
Rating: 4.5/5
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