I will have two days in Shanghai before I meet my tour group. Can anyone recommend some interesting things to do?

Perhaps if you could tell us what will be covered during the tour portion, then we could rule those things out and start from there. Also what do you consider "interesting" - would you like to stay in the city, go out of the city, see something cultural, go shopping? If you could be more specific, you'd probably get some answers.

Shopping is always a good thing- though you may not want to carry around your purchases on a tour. But it is one thing Shanghai is famous for. Check out XiangYang market ( XiangYang and HuaiHai Lu ) or the area around Garden Yu ( bordering Henan Lu and Old Shanghai Street ) . They have a couple interesting antique markets in that area - but the best antiques are out around Hong Qiao Lu in the Gubei area. <BR><BR>Depending on what you like to do, Bund, Pearl Tower area -Lu Jia Zui( eat at Shanghai Ren Jia ),Nanjing Lu in the walking street area, science center in PuDong near the new century park is pretty good. <BR><BR>For more about shanghai - checkout shanghaiexpat.com.

Lucky you -- Shanghai is wonderful! If I were you I'd start at the YuYuan Gardens. Ok, it's a but touristy, but it's absolutely beautiful and a lot of fun, and you can pick up great souvenirs at the surrounding markets. Get there as early as possible, before it opens, because a line forms outside. Then, after your tour of the Gardens and the villa, go shopping in the bustling neighborhood surrounding the YuYuan. Then take a walk thru the Old Town section, or take a cab to t he Shanghai Museum. The Museum is excellent, a first-class institution. Shanghai's parks are lovely, beautifully maintained, if you like parks. Or, for a serious shopping blitz, go to Nanjing Road. There's a funny and unusual museum there called the Museum of Sex HIstory or something like that, fascinating and well worth a visit. That museum was the onlyplace I visited in Shanghai that was not crowded. Have a great time in that great city.

Interesting that Elfie mentions the Sex Museum. Does anyone have a current & exact address? In November 2001 the concierges at Portman and St Regis had never heard of it and could find no telephone listing. It would be really nice to find it because I gather it has some unique historical artifacts.

arianna,<BR><BR>Elfie may be refering to the Hua Xia Sex Museum at 1133 Wu Ding Lu (6230-1243). I found the listing in That's Shanghai which is a great source for local information.