Travel Log: Shanghai in March

As many of you know, I have traveled to Shanghai repeatedly over the last year as part of a project team for work.  My first trip was last June, and my fourth trip spanned two weeks during the end of February and beginning of March.  I have very much enjoyed visiting this exciting, fast-paced, and ever-growing city and also love to share my photos and travel experiences here on the blog.  Please read on for photos and details of this visit.

Scarf: Burberry, similar "Burberry Check Merino Wool Scarf" in ivory check, $295 at Nordstrom here
Long-sleeved tee: H&M Long-Sleeved Jersey Top, similar "Vintage Cotton Long-Sleeve Tee" in black, $34.50 at J Crew here

February is typically cold and wet in Shanghai, but that weather makes a perfect opportunity for hot pot with a group.  We went to a restaurant called Faigo Hot Pot inside of the Cloud Nine Mall one of those rainy evenings, where we each had our own individual pot of broth plus plates of meat, tofu, and vegetables to share.  I think this is a great way to do hot pot, because everyone can add chili sauce to their desired level of spiciness.

The weekend was more clear, so we took the opportunity to visit the Oriental Pearl Radio & TV Tower (Dōngfāng Míngzhūtǎ) in the financial district of Lujiazui on the Pudong side. We opted to purchase tickets that allowed us to have lunch in the rotating restaurant and also visit the observation decks.

View of the Bund from the rotating restaurant.  The windows are tinted, so it looks gloomier than it really was.

View of the Shanghai World Financial Center (left, looks like a bottle opener), Jin Mao tower (middle, shorter building with tiered exterior), and the Shanghai Tower (right, tallest building of the three and still under construction but it will be 121 stories when complete).

Standing on the glass-bottomed skywalk 263 meters (863 feet) above the ground.

My colleague Colby and I on the glass-bottomed skywalk!

This guy has a terrifying job, in my opinion.  He was standing on a tiny ledge washing the exterior of the observation deck windows, tethered with just a rope.  Eeep.

Another view from the glass-bottomed skywalk, looking at the river with the Bund on the other side.  Everyone else was sitting on the deck taking pictures, so it seemed like the thing to do.  =)

Roasted pig neck with lemon at a Cantonese restaurant called Charme.  Delicious!

Baked eggplant stuffed with pork and a delicious sweet sauce, also at Charme.  This and the pork neck were my favorite dishes from this restaurant, but everything we had was very good.

My last night in Shanghai was beautiful and clear, so our group decided to go out to a French restaurant called the Cathay Room in the Fairmont Hotel on the Bund.  We had a fantastic meal, and were also able to go out on the deck to take some amazing photos.  Check out the details below!

These bread baskets were different types of white/wheat bread roll dough baked together in the same pan, so you could pull apart the rolls and have whichever type you preferred.  Genius!

My poached lobster both looked and tasted incredible!  I definitely recommend this upscale restaurant for a fancy meal.

Several of my colleagues had this tender lamb - and of course I sampled.  It was also amazingly good.

This is the view from the Cathay Room's outdoor patio.  Their location is perfect for photos of the Pudong skyline!

The view of the Bund from the Cathay Room's outdoor patio - the Fairmont Hotel is at one end of the Bund, also perfect for looking down at the busy evening scene.

Colby and I enjoying the view!  We just met each other this trip, because we work in two separate groups within the company, and I am so thankful for her sweet and cheerful attitude!  We had so much fun together as the two girls of the group.

Of course I had to include a photo of the entire team, with the boys!  We had such a great group of people and I truly enjoyed working with each and every person on this project.  This trip was supposed to be my last to close out the project, but now there is talk of one more follow-up trip for me in April.  Of course, I won't object to another visit to Shanghai (especially because the weather should be warmer and sunnier in April) and look forward to sharing even more views and meals from this fabulous city during different seasons of the year.  Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you have a great week!