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Cruise port review: Shanghai, China

There are about as many opinions about Shanghai as there are dialects to the Chinese language.

Part of my Asian enrichment program for 2011 is to see how the ports and the ships that are serving them are fairing.

The basics:

Time Zone: GMY + 8
Size: 3,705,472 square miles, slightly smaller than the United States

Meet Shanghai

Shanghai bike — I should ride a bike in Shanghai too – photo by James D. Schwartz

Shanghai is situated at 31°41′ north latitude and 121°29′ east longitude.
There are 16 districts and 3 counties in the city, comprising of 205 towns, 9 townships, 99 subdistrict committees, 3,278 neighborhood committees and 2,935 villagers’ committees. Apart from being a major business center (http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/facts-about-shanghai-1769.html)
Shanghai is on the Yangtze River delta with an elevation of about 4 meters.
Shanghai is the largest city of the People’s Republic of China and the eighth largest city in the world.
Shanghai is also known as the ‘Paris of the East’ and the ‘Queen of the Orient’.

Finding Shanghai City Center

Shanghai Old City — Shanghai – Old City by jaaron

Central Shanghai is divided into two areas: Pudong (East of the Huangpu river) and Puxi (West of the Huangpu river). On the east side of the Huangpu is Pudong, a special economic zone of banks, skyscrapers and new residential compounds.

The bund lies on the historic Puxi side of the Huangpu river and looks across to the new skyline of Pudong business district. west of the old town and hidden in the backstreets north and south of Huaihai street (Shanghai’s premier shopping street) is the former French concession, with tree-lined streets, 1930s architecture, and cafes and bars.