Yangshuo to Shanghai Monday April 9

Tai Chi lesson for the group by the trainer of the National Tai Chi Team. We felt silly really, although the expertise of the teacher shows that she has been practicing for more than 40 years. Very difficult to get the movements right (particularly the hands), and much too slow for those of us who like to move to music!
Bus back to Guilin to catch a Shanghai Airlines flight to Shanghai, the city known as "the Pearl of the Orient". Depending on where you stop counting, populatoin is 18m. The best word I can think of to describe the flavour of the city is that it "zings". Shanghai has emerged from the cultural revolution as a cosmopolitan, dynamic, modern, sophisticated, industrial and commercial centre which shows strong evidence of the European occupants and its trading significance prior to 1949. In previous times it was renowned for being a "naughty city", with gambling, brothels, and a "glittering array of sinners". The language spoken here is different from anywhere else in China, and is difficult for those living elsewhere to understand.
The river divides the city into two parts - the older part and the new "Pudong" in the East which only 20 years ago was farmland. Until 1995, there were no high-rise buildings - now there are 3,000+ high-rise buildings in Shanghai which are more than 20 stories high. Pudong is now the commercial centre of Shanghai, with the West side of the river containing the area called "The Bund" which has European style buildings fronting the river which were originally banks, commercial buildings, etc before Pudong took over. These buildings now house shops, restaurants, and hotels.
There is a bridge close to the Bund, which was originally built in timber across the river by an Englishman. He charged everyone to cross it apart from the English!! The locals were incensed by this action, and later tore it down and replaced it with a symbolic metal bridge which was free for all. It still stands as an example of the Chinese spirit, and is still used.
Nanjing Road is a major road running through the city, which has 5 km of shopping! One main section is pedestrian only, lined by multi-storey shops and department stores on both sides.
The traffic moves very slowly during peak hours (7.00 - 11.00 am and 3.00 - 8.00 pm), in spite of multi-lane and multi-level roads. Outside these hours, it is not too bad, and the road system excellent. No trucks are allowed inside the city limits between 7.00 am and 9.00 pm - (Melbourne take note!!)