life in Shanghai China

Just a half day trip south of Shanghai the Buddhist pilgrimage destination of Putuoshan or Putuo mountain island makes a wonderful two day trip. We look at the transportation options from Shanghai, the sights on Putuo island and some suggestions on lodging overnight.

A visit to Shanghai's brand new glass museum and Ben Jia may just be the best Korean restaurant in the city - we sample.

First full day of summer in Shanghai - we check up on progress at the Shanghai Tower soon to be the city's tallest building. We take the Huangpu ferry over to The Cool Docks see how big the crowds are at Shanghai's one and only beach.

We experience the plum rains of Shanghai and travel south to Xiamen and the Hakka people in Fujian province.

The Shanghai Eye Glasses Market is very easy to find and well worth the visit for the large savings on good quality eyewear it offers. We describe how to get there, and recommend a quality shop we visit. And, the cost savings possible will pleasantly surprise you.

The abridged Chinese opera set in a beautiful water town is back - we update. Food quality issues in the news again. And, the iPad 2 has them lining up for days.

Labor Day brought serious pollution, but we visited beautiful nearby Hangzhou. We take a follow up look at Shanghai's beach on the Huangpu.

The 14th Shanghai Auto Show kicks off and we attend trade days ahead of the huge crowds. Our review and impressions, and we have some photos at our web site Giverny dot com.

Less of an April fool than initially appeared, we find Shanghai newest, one and only beach! We attend the Tomb Sweeping holiday festival at Shanghai's Longhua Temple.

An excursion to the new Shanghai beach where we're bummed and we wade through the Tomb Sweeping holiday weekend visitors.

Our experience getting a passport renewal at the US Consulate in Shanghai, and spring means getting the Huangpu ships in shape. We take a look.

Good Expos never die, they get redeveloped. The Shanghai Expo lives on, and on, and on. We explore what's still open to do, and plans to renovate and reopen the Expo site and several popular pavilions. In fact, you can visit a Shanghai Expo pavilion today.

We attend two events at the 9th annual Shanghai Literary Festival, held at the restaurant M on the Bund. First a discussion of Chinese wine writing among four local wine writers. Later we attend a discussion between Colin Cotterill and SJ Rozan, to crime writers with Asian characters. Finally an update on Internet service struggles and why salt has disappeared from our grocery stores.

Best Buy suddenly closes, why and what are the options for similar shopping - we discuss. Our newest ferry crossing from the Qichangzhang ferry terminal in Pudong on a gorgeous spring-like day.

The fastest growing and soon to be the largest luxury brand market in the world, Chinese find no shame in flashing out the bling. For business, in personal relationships or just plain pleasure luxury brands reign supreme these days - we take a look. Plus a quick take on what we've seen locally in reaction to the Middle East.