Return to Shanghai March 28-29, 2019 High Tea at Fairmont Peace Hotel and a day trip to a Chinese Watertown

March 28-29, 2019

We returned from Shanghai Disney to spend a day and a half  in Shanghai before our cruise.

After checking in the hotel we went to lunch to plan our afternoon. We decided to have high tea at one of the hotels on the Bund. The hotel concierge was able to get us reservations at the Fairmont Peace Hotel at 2:30 PM.

We crossed the busy street near our hotel and went to the pedestrian mall where we hopped on the Dangdang sightseeing tram to take us to the other end which was close to the bund.
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shanghai/nanjing_road.htm

Little train

After getting off the train we walked several blocks to the Bund and reached the hotel. Since we got there early we went into the Maxim's candy/chocolate  shop and bought some different chocolates to bring home as souvenirs. It was interesting as the shop girls did not speak English so I was using Google Translate to have them  read my questions. They thought it was funny.

Across from Maxim's was a very nice cafe. I was sorry we did not notice it the first time we were in Shanghai as we could have had a lunch there.

The hotel is older and very well preserved. We walked through the lobby to find the restaurant for the tea. The hostess seated us at a nice table near the piano and then took our order. The musicians were scheduled to play in a short while.

The ambiance of the room was one of a quiet calm and peace.

The musicians were a pianist and violinist and played beautiful soothing music.

 The sky was grey from smog and fog. Every day was smoggy in Shanghai.

After experiencing a wonderful relaxing time at the tea we decided to walk a little way down the Bund to visit the Peninsula Hotel. We tried to get a reservation here for tea but there were none available. This is a newer hotel and I guess affiliated with the original hotel in Hong Kong.  The lobby was very elegant and had very luxurious shops.

Afterwards we started back for our hotel for a rest.

Dinner was at the Blue Frog.

Friday March 29 we were scheduled for an all day tour of  a watertown.
After our breakfast we met our tour guide Snow who gave a commentary on the sights we saw on our way to Zhujiajiao. He explained there are several of these watertowns in the Shanghai area and this was a good example of one.

After the driver left us off we walked to a Starbucks- I could never imagine a Starbucks in this small town- for a coffee before starting our tour. The Starbucks was located right on the river.
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shanghai/zhujiajiao.htm

Snow led us through the narrow alley with an assortment of shops and restaurants until we reached a well known bridge for photos. Afterwards we crossed the bridge and walked to a small pier. Evidently our tour included a short boat ride on the river so on the boat we went. After our ride we debarked and he said it was time for lunch. When we reached the restaurant we met the guide who brought us from Disneyland the day before.
We chose our lunch from a simple menu and enjoyed the view of the river while we waited for lunch.

Snow led us along a leisurely walk to go back to meet the driver and van for our return to Shanghai.  After getting in the van around 1-1:30 we still had time for another stop. I asked him if he could take us to the French Concession since all the guidebooks said this was a must see place.

The driver dropped us off and we had a quick walk and stops for photos here. Unless he brought us to the wrong place it was not too exciting. There were fashionable shops and restaurants and new condos.

French concession map

Shop in French Concession

The photos I see now of the French Concession on the web show narrow streets with little shops and cafes.

Done with our tour we were dropped off at the hotel around 3.

Dinner was at the Blue Frog again. We had a hard time finding restaurants along the pedestrian mall as all of them were in mall complexes and we did not want go from mall to mall looking for one.

After a friendly greeting from  the restaurant staff who had gotten to know us we were seated. Over cocktails- they had a great happy hour- we asked if we could buy some souvenirs and we got a cocktail glass  and coasters as  gifts.

Back to the hotel to pack and get ready for the next part of our trip- the start of the cruise.