The Life of a Rock Star

I love that I can live the life of a Rock Star here in China. There are two things that I mean by this, one, I attract a certain amount of attention just based on my European desent which I have already talked about. The second way is that I have a very high standard of living here.

This was demonstrated in Shanghai where I was able to live in relative style for not much money at all. My general philosophy while traveling is to spend as little money as possible on where I am staying, and how I get there (assuming quick and convenient travel), instead using the money I saved to eat well, do as many activities as possible and as much shopping as I want. In Shanghai I stayed at a hostel that cost me 6 dollars a night. This place had a great location, was clean and pretty much all I needed in a place to sleep. It was not the most comfortable bed in the world, but it did the trick. With the money saved on lodging, I was able to eat like a king.

There were numerous culinary highlights on the trip. Shanghai is world famous for their dumplings, and they did not dissapoint. This is a ridiculously inexpensive meal (1.25 for 16 dumplings) that is a match for any food anywhere. Given the option of having dumplings soaked in soy sauce and vinegar compared to almost any meal would be a very difficult choice for me. The combination of the dough and filling is nearly perfect. This was the least expensive meal I had, but also one of the best.

I also went to a Tapas restaurant which was excellent. Nothing exceptional compared to other Tapas places I have been, but excellent. A nice change of pace from typical Chinese and Western fare that is available in China. The highlights of this meal were the fried Mozzarella and Chedder, wine soaked beef tenderloin, great bread and above average Sangria. It was a very good meal that was, with all I got, on the cheap side.

I had two meals that broke the bank, the first was a Sunday Brunch at M on the Bund. This is a 5 star restaurant that has been reviewed by the New York Times as well as other major publications. The food here was exceptional, though arguably not quite worth the price. That said, the cost in Shanghai was really low compared to major U.S. cities. Brunch was about $25 dollars which included a cocktail, coffee and three courses. I have no doubt that a comparable meal in New York or Chicago would have pushed $100. The best part of the meal though, was not the food, nor the service (very attentive for China) but instead the view...which is probably about 1/2 of the cost of the meal. The table that I was at overlooked the entire Bund as well as the Pudong area of town. This made for a fantastic contrast of the new Shanghai and the old colonial influence in Shanghai. The Bund is comprised of classic, European architecture that has been very well preserved. The building that line the river are the former homes of banks, the Shanghai stock market, trading companies, shipping companies, pretty much where all money in Shanghai used to go through. Today these buildings have been turned into 5 star restaurants, upscale retail and still an occasional bank. They are lit up at night which makes for a very impressive sight. Wandering around the park that lies in front of the Bund in the evening is one of my favorite things to do in Shanghai. The other side of the river is about as architecturally different from the Bund as you can get. The skyline in Pudong (the recently developed Commercial center of Shanghai) is something straight out of science fiction. The building all stretch skyward with unique design. The most recognizable building is the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, a tall tower decorated by three large globes that shine Purple and Pink in the sun. Some call this an eyesore, which I suppose it kind of is, but it is a unique building that helps make Shanghai the city that it is. There countless other skyscrapers in Pudong, my favorite being the Jin Mao tower. The food at M on the Bund was excellent, but what really made this meal memorable was the view. The experience of eating here is totally worth the cost, something that I would recommend to anyone spending a weekend in Shanghai.

My favorite Pudong skyscraper, the Jin Mao building was the sight of the second break the bank dining excursion. The Jin Mao tower is home to the Hyatt who occupies the 54th floor to the 87th floor. On the 87th floor lies Cloud 9, the tallest bar in the world. I went at night to have a drink here, just to say that I had been to the highest bar in the world. The views that I were rewarded with, I feel, are unmatched anywhere in the world. I strongly believe that there is no other skyline in the world as impressive as Shanghai's. There is the mix between old and new, a mix between radical designs and traditional skyscrapers but most of all there is an astonishing number of tall buildings. From Cloud 9 the view stretches in every direction, with countless buildings stretched as far as the eye can see. I was rewarded with an amazingly clear night which made the view even more spectacular. For anyone that has been on top of the Sear's Tower or John Hancock building and been impressed, the view of Shanghai's skyline made Chicago's look shockingly bland and unimpressive. The drinks at Cloud 9 were excellent, but pricey. That said, I would have paid double just for the view.

There were a few things that I wanted to have in Shanghai that I did not get around to sampling, but there will always be another chance. The food on this trip made the weekend very memorable. If anyone is planning a trip to China let me know and I will be more than happy to share some recommendations, give directions to great restaurant and serve as a general culinary advisor if you are interested.