Arriving in Shanghai 

Arriving in Shanghai at 7am, after an overnight journey on an 11-hour train, it was safe to say I felt tired, but excitement pulsed in my veins as I had arrived in the city of my dreams. I bid goodbye to my roommate on the train, and met with my colleagues down the corridor. We made our way through the station and hopped into a taxi. Observing the view on the journey from the station to the centre of Shanghai, it seemed quiet, being so early in the morning, but the city was slowly starting to come alive. 

Distracted by the buildings, taking in as much of the city’s scenery as possible, I was not aware that we were nearing our destination, until we turned a corner and I looked out the window to see the Oriental Pearl Tower and towering buildings of the Lujiazui Financial District (陆家嘴金融区, Lùjiāzuǐ jīnróngqū) across the water. My heart leapt at the sight. My colleagues could sense my excitement, pointing out the sights at the window, and I made it my goal to go for a walk along the Bund (外滩, Wàitān) later that day. Being in such close proximity to the Bund was a surprise and a delight, knowing that we were also staying in one of Shanghai’s most famous hotels. 

We pulled into the entrance to the Fairmont Peace Hotel (和平饭店, Hépíng Fàndiàn) and l felt like I’d been thrown into the books I’d read about Shanghai. Making our way to reception to get checked in, the lobby was exquisite with a glass sculpture of a dove in the centre. After checking in, we quickly made our way to breakfast, with a selection of Chinese dishes, and continental breakfast; it was certainly a treat to start off my time in Shanghai.  

Queen’s Event 

The second Alumni and Offer Holder Event was taking place in the hotel; a grand location for an exciting event. After some rest, I made my way down to the lobby, and the hotel was bustling now. A grand staircase was located just to the right of the lobby. And a popular location it was, as wedding photography was taking place, capturing the architecture in the background of the young couple’s photos.

When I arrived to the function room where set-up for our event was taking place, I could feel my eyes widening at the view from the windows which looked out upon the Huangpu River just outside the building, and crowds bustling as they took pictures of the Financial District and Oriental Pearl Tower (东方明珠塔, Dōngfāng-míngzhū tǎ).

Once the event kicked off, it was buzzing, with excitement from prospective students and our alumni feeling nostalgic as they thought back to their time at Queen’s. The event ended with success, and my colleagues and I met to go for a walk along the Bund. As we exited the hotel, groups of tourists from across China and beyond excitedly took photos of the infamous hotel. Turning to my left, the tall buildings of the Financial District and the matching Oriental Pearl Tower stood glimmering colourfully, against the night sky.  

Even after 9pm, the Bund was bustling. People from all over China and the world, taking pictures of the reflecting Financial District on the water, illuminated across the Huangpu River, as the water sloshed under the promenade. I walked along The Bund, taking in the city lights; the lights reflecting off my eyes as I took everything in with awe. It was still warm, indicating summer was here to stay. I slowly walked to the bottom of the promenade and back again, staring at the distant buildings. The streets starting to quiet down as it reached 10pm. 

When I got back to the hotel, I made my way to the rooftop for one more glance at the view of the city lights. It truthfully felt magical. All those photographs I’d seen, all the books I’d read describing Shanghai; nothing could compare to seeing it in person; it felt surreal.  

Discovering my Dream City 

The next morning, the sun was shimmering brightly outside – perfect for a walk around the city. I had the day to explore Shanghai, and I couldn’t have asked for a better time of year to explore China, as it was my birthday!  

To get recommendations on what to see and do, I went to the best source: Red (小红书, Xiǎohóngshū) , a popular social media app in China. One of the main places recommended to see on 小红书 was the North Bund Bay (北外滩航海公园, Běi wàitān hánghǎi gōngyuán), just a short walk away.  

I made my way to the promenade along The Bund again, seeing it in a different perspective in the daylight – still beautiful and gleaming. Colourful flowerbeds lining the promenade, as I made my way towards the North Bund Bay, which consists of a park that leads to the bay, providing another viewpoint of the Financial District. The park is home to a popular photo-op on 小红书, a giant reflective globe in the centre, a futuristic artistic feature, reflecting sights of the Financial District and the park. Seeing the large queue to take selfies in front of the globe, I skipped the selfie opportunity, and continued my walk, which was incredibly relaxing and allowed me to soak up some sun – much missed from the rainy summer back home! I walked along the bay, capturing photos of the sparkling Financial District and watching the boats sail by, a mixture of yachts and small fishing boats floating along the water. 

After enjoying the sunrays, I made my way back through the green trees and followed the stone paths along the grass, noting seating areas and ice cream carts sprawled across the park to beat the summer sun. I made my way back to The Bund, walking through another park on my travels, catching a glimpse of the rays of sun peaking in through the greenery. The warm weather was calling for a refreshment, so I wandered along the row of eateries and cafes just below the promenade of The Bund. I popped into a coffee shop, purchasing the Melon Milk tea drink that had caught my eye in the window – perfect for the nearly 30-degree heat. We certainly don’t have these back home!  

I quickly regained my energy with the refreshing beverage and made my way to Nanjing Road (南京路, Nánjīng lù), a famous shopping street, lined with souvenir shops, luxury brands, shopping centres, markets and more White Rabbit (a popular candy) shops than I could count. The buzz from the streets surrounded the European architecture, then expanded into the modern architecture of the shopping centres.  

Upon reaching a crossroads, I spotted the Shanghai Popmart flagship store – hard to miss with the giant ‘Skullpanda’ figure above the door. Three floors with varying lines and collections littered the shelves, the selection vast. Staff were extremely helpful, often asking if guests needed assistance, which led to one of them being impressed with my Mandarin, although the only words I uttered were 谢谢 and 我会说一点儿, meaning ‘Thank you’ and ‘I can speak a little,’ in response to their question if I could speak Mandarin. But I’ll take the compliment! I made my way around the shop, curving around the corners, admiring the displays, and made my way up to the top floor, where I found the collaboration collections, and treated myself to a little gift. 

The shop led out into a shopping centre, where I explored the mixture of international and local shops. I stopped by an accessories shop to pick up a gift for my mum. The sales assistant didn’t speak English, and despite my attempt to explain my Mandarin was rusty, she continued chatting away to me, explaining the products, and perhaps it was the best language practice I had! As I navigated the conversation, describing my mum’s preferences and style, the sales assistant helped me pick the perfect gift. I also took the opportunity to visit Muji and stock up on some stationery, as one can never have enough, and snacks for travelling the next day. 

Seeing as the time was well past mid-afternoon, I rushed back to the hotel, to attend a tour, where I was introduced to the history of the hotel, its very own museum housed within, showing photographs throughout the years and preserved decor that made up part of the hotel’s famous history. Gaining an insight into the architecture was fascinating, seeing a consistent style within the smallest of details that made up the grandeur of the building. 

After freshening up, I sat in the lobby with my colleagues as we organised a plan to do some sightseeing that evening. A mother and daughter sat across from us, and struck up a conversation, asking where we were from, as I translated for my colleagues. Their compliments brightened up our evening instantly. 

– 你是哪国人？ (Nǐ shì nǎguó rén? – Where are you from?)
– 我们是爱尔兰人。 (Wǒmen shì Ài’ěrlán rén. – We are Irish.)
– 你们都不是美国人吗？ (Nǐmen dōu bú shì Měiguó rén ma? – Aren’t you all Americans?)
– 不是，我们是爱尔兰人。 (Bú shì, wǒmen shì Ài’ěrlán rén. – No, we are Irish.)
– 啊，爱尔兰人。你们都很漂亮。(Ā, Ài’ěrlán rén. Nǐmen dōu hěn piàoliang. – Ah, Irish. You’re all very beautiful.)
– 谢谢！ (Xièxie! – Thank you!)

We hopped in a taxi using Didi, and for more information on Didi, please check my Guangzhou Travel Diary. 

Our sightseeing goal for the evening included Yu Garden (豫园, yùyuán), located in the Old Town (上海老街, Shànghǎi lǎo jiē) in Nanshi, with incredible, historical architecture, the old buildings now housing a variety of shops selling traditional souvenirs, postcards, tea, snacks and candy, cafes and restaurants, and even small shopping centres. Unfortunately, we were disappointed to find out the Yu Garden was closed that day, however, we made the most of the opportunity to do some shopping, picking out souvenirs and gifts for friends and family, and explore this beautiful area of Shanghai. We also took the opportunity to try some Chinese cuisine. 

One of my favourite dishes from the whole trip, was a scallion pancake (葱油饼 cōng yóubǐng) – a street food staple that was light, fluffy on the inside, and golden brown and crispy on the outside, and filled with flavour! Only costing less than £2, it was one of the most affordable and delicious dishes. I was so excited to try it, the smell of the amazing, crispy pancake permeated my senses, I took a bite without taking a photo first! 

The old town was absolutely beautiful in the daylight, however, in the evening it became magical as the lights came on and illuminated the streets. A sense of warmth and wonderment filled the streets as we explored the Old Town, seeing it from an entirely new perspective. The lights of the buildings reflected off the water delicately like a painting. It was breathtaking. 

We soon began making our way back to the hotel, deciding to walk and explore the streets of Shanghai in place of taking the metro. The streets still buzzing in the evening housed a mixture of Chinese and European architecture, reflecting its history. Shops and restaurants lined many of the streets. The city lights looked beautiful against the dark, night sky. 

In my diary of my time in Guangzhou, I described spotting a poster of Lay Zhang 张艺兴, and how it was easy to spot posters and of many of your favourite Chinese artists and actors across the city, as well as popular video game, movie and TV show characters. Shanghai was no different. When walking past a supermarket I spotted a poster of SEVENTEEN member, The8 (徐明浩 Xu Minghao). 

A Birthday Treat 

I went for dinner with my colleagues to a Thai restaurant, not far from the hotel, which served an incredible variety of Thai dishes, including papaya salad, spicy chicken and seafood dishes, coconut jelly desserts and fresh coconut water. Half-way through the meal, I was surprised when a bowl of noodles was placed in front of me which I hadn’t remembered ordering, until my colleague explained that in China, many restaurants would present a bowl of noodles to those who are celebrating their birthday as a gift, the noodles representing a long life. This was a delightful surprise, the significance of the birthday meaning even more, as 2024 was the Year of the Dragon, and, in fact, is my Chinese Zodiac. 

As we finished up the dinner, stuffed from delicious delicacies, the evening wasn’t over just yet. I was greeted with the most incredible surprise of a birthday cake. The cake was decorated with fresh fruit, and a greeting written in chocolate: 贝拉，生日快乐 (Bèilā, shēngrì kuàilè), meaning Happy Birthday, Bella. My Chinese name is 苏蔓伊, however, my colleagues grew fond of the nickname, 贝拉, a sound translation from English, and I’m quite the fan of it too! 

I was so grateful for the amazing surprise, not only exploring China and getting to enhance my work experience, using the skills developed in my degree, I was also getting to celebrate my birthday in a dream city with a supportive group of people. This was the perfect way to end the night, as the next morning we were up early to catch the train to Jinan! 

Thank you so much for reading this blog of my time in Shanghai, stay tuned to read more about my trip to China, where I visited Jinan, Chengdu, Zhengzhou and Beijing!