Photograph by Justin Guariglia
Today’s Shanghai is a model of progress—not just in China but in all the world. In just a few short decades, the city—known in pre-communist years for its glitz and glamour—has reestablished itself as one of Asia’s most vibrant, forward-thinking, and cosmopolitan places to visit. “This is a city with its foot on the accelerator 24 hours a day, blasting off into the future at speeds that leave little time for nostalgia,” says local journalist Richard Baimbridge. But if you really want nostalgia, among the thrumming nightlife and gourmet restaurants, Shanghai has that, too: Neoclassical architecture, Mao memorabilia, historic museums, authentic food down gritty alleyways—all these and more await.
Read My Shanghai by Gary Krist
