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Shanghai

Shanghai is situated on the Yangtze river which the Chinese call Huangpu river about 40 miles from the sea. As the docks lie along the river from the mouth to Shanghai they are the second largest in the world after Singapore.

We docked amongst miles of derricks and stacked shipping containers as far as the eye could see. We took a one hour bus ride into Shanghai passed masses of new high rise apartments and crumbling ‘pigeon houses’. These house were given that name by the Chinese as they were so small and cramped. They originally housed the poor of Shanghai during colonial times. Shanghai has a horrible history and remnants of it still show.

So we approached the city through the network of intertwined roads over passes and tunnels that made LA look like a village. The building buildings became more and more impressive and luxurious. Unfortunately it was misty so the full panorama could not be appreciated as some on our tour were to find out when they went to the top of the tallest building in China at 1500 ft. It is called the Oriental Pearl Tower situated in the down town area.

We took a different tour in the Yu Yuan district of Shanghai, or old town as it is known. In the midst of markets, malls, arcades, peep shows and much crowded and jostling space we were taken to the Gem of Shanghai in my opinion.

Yu Yuan the park was begun in 1559 (Queen Elizabeth the first to put it perspective) by a Ming dynasty official called Pan Yunduan. He build it to honour his parents, the wealthy Pans. After WW11 the government turned the palatial estate into a park and restored the buildings and landscaping into a real gem we can see today. We took lots of pictures and listened to the legends and stood in awe at bridges and pools full of Koi, the temples, libraries, and art galleries and other treasures. If you visit Shanghai this is a must see.

Next we visited the Jade Buddha Temple. famous for its white Jade reclining Buddha it was built in 1882 when a Chinese monk brought the figure from Burma. It was made from a single piece of highly prized pure white Jade and weighs a ton. We were allowed to photograph this as it was not the original but a copy made in cheaper material. The original was destroyed by the People’s Revolutionary Guards. Save us from the zealots!

The other venerated Buddha images in this complex were to sacred to photograph as they were original. Weird isn’t it?

Back to boat by bus it was getting colder and fog seemed to creep in along the river. After dinner we still hadn’t sailed away. No news from the bridge. After the show we were still tied up, the customs officials had departed, the gangplank withdrawn and the ship was in port but locked down. The captain explained that the pilot station was closed on the river due to fog and we would sail as soon as the pilot station reopened.

So all Sunday we sat in a miserable foggy dock while the chances of visiting Halong Bay and Hanoi receded. Early Monday morning we cautiously sailed along the Yangtze river joking about the Amethyst a British warship that had to fight its way out of the Yangtze in the 50’s over a cheerful breakfast. It turned out the Chinese did their best for us and we were the first of many ships to clear the channel.

And so to sea for four days as the weather changed from a force 8 gale to force 4 and then to warmer and calmer water as we made our way to Saigon. Interestingly the force 8 gale was coming at us from the stern so the pitch of the ship was minimal but the slow role did get to some people. We managed to go to five shows, three balls where we danced more than any time in the last five years, three dance classes and a 12 trips round the deck walk. I think Sheila is better! So life on or off the ship suits us well. Buy a ship?