Beijing and Shanghai, February 2011

I was just in Beijing and Shanghai again.  I was struck by how much better the food in Shanghai was.  Indeed, I was struck by how in general, Shanghai was so much nicer than Beijing.  The service at the shops and restaurants was better.  It was generally tidier and more orderly.  The traffic was better.  And yet, for all of that, I guess I retain an affection for Beijing.

In Beijing, I spent one evening in a hotel in Nanluoguxiang, Courtyard 7, which I have already discussed.  I walked around a bit in the evening, and then again the next morning, and took pictures.  I already uploaded a gallery containing my evening pictures of Nanluoguxiang, and another gallery with my before dawn pictures of Gulou East Street, including the Bell and Drum Towers.  If you want, you can cut to the chase, and go directly to a small selection of favorites from both galleries.  I was actually in Beijing for several days, but the other days I was in Zhongguancun, and was too busy to get out and take pictures.

Here are a few of my favorites from those two galleries...

A bicycle parked on Gulou East Street...

A snack stand in Nanluoguxiang....

Another shot of Gulou East Street, before dawn..

Nanluoguxiang...

I also spent one evening in Shanghai.  I stayed at the Jinjiang Hotel, on Maoming Road.  I didn't have time in the evening to get out and take pictures, but I did wake up before dawn and walk around a bit and take pictures.  Here are a couple favorites...