Forever Friends: Shanghai, China!

Ten years? One decade? So, that was June 2015? Yes, during the time of that summertime trip, I celebrated my almost ten year mark since arriving into Shanghai, China! OK, I'm late to party for this blog but I couldn't give a monkeys because life has been a lot! Shanghai showed me her good side as I clocked that Chinese city ten years on! Oh, I had a lot planned, it would be eventful, SH!

Since returning to China after the Pandemic, I had been to Shanghai on two previous occasions but this 'Forever Friends' instalment hit different! I had first arrived in China through means of Shanghai during the latter part of June 2015, it had been ten years since that moment. I knew that a weekend to remember needed to be had, I had already executed a chaotic 'Third Strike!' I wanted more! Living in Ningbo has allowed me to leave work once again on a Friday afternoon fresh from work, the train station was in my sights for an evening departure to Shanghai! Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station felt different as the summer night hit with that warm air, I had arrived feeling very smug that myself and Shanghai could reunite on very different terms. I remembered first arriving into Shanghai feeling very intimidated by the changes that faced me, June 2025 saw me put that megacity in its place, respectfully. I knew how to navigate things after ten years! Heading to my hotel, I didn't need help with directions. 2015? I don't know her! 

Growth saw me wake up sober on that Saturday morning, my walk to the Bund didn't take long from my 'Campanile Hotel'. I was able to stumble upon a street with period architecture, it reminded me of those first days as I walked around the city with the enormity of the life in real-time. I clocked a bakery, that was another flashback because I remember the cut-price cakes that I was able to buy near the Bund! It didn't take me long until I saw the impressive skyline that had saw me lost for words during that first encounter in June 2015! It was a very different mood because those neon lights had been turned off, the mornings light served a whole other view, I wasn't mad! I soaked in those Bund views with a sense of gratitude and completion, I knew that ten years had passed without being the easiest to face. The Bund spoke to me, it told me that we would meet under different circumstances, from a different viewpoint. That sunshine view was like no other! Those morning moments felt correct, Shanghai will always be a 'Forever' friend! 

Before I crossed the road towards '南京东路/Nanjing East Road', I had a moment with the 'Neo-Classical style' 'Victorian Era', 'China Merchants Steam Navigation Company' building. Known also as 'No. 9 Bund Building', I lovingly remembered standing opposite this Shanghai icon, feeling extremely bewildered. No longer did I have any 'inferior' complex because I owned that June 2025 moment like a boss, I had weathered a succession of storms and the sun shone down so brightly. '中山东一路/Zhongshan East 1st Road' served up elements of 'Liverpool's Historic Waterfront' once again. I always feel closer to England being along that epic period feature avenue, it will always be a whole mood for me to experience. During November 2024, I had not reached the Bund nor that part of the '外滩/Wai Tan' due to the weather being crappy, the weather played ball and scored an epic goal! I felt that this portion of my day was all about nostalgia, for me to take a moment to be humble. Shanghai was blooming, things felt so correct! 

Turning another corner, I made it to Nanjing East Pedestrian Street, it was another blast from June 2015. I had briefly waded through some crowds near that joint during December 2023 during a very unplanned day trip to the 'Christmas Markets'. June 2025 transported me back to that huge pedestrian street, that first visit had been filled with neon lights, the evening made everything look so brightly lit during that initial visit. Being almost lunchtime, that street looked very different and the mood of the street looked still impressed me much. It was like the mood was 'souvenirs and snacks' two things that I could buy on '淘宝/Taobao' from the comfort of my rented apartment. I clocked something really muggy, sure the weather caught my breath but the 'Let's have a cup of tea' scam brought out my Mandarin Chinese skills, quick-time! I was not a tourist and could understand the ploys of those who wanted to exploit that naivety, they could never with me! No, I wasn't mad because I wasn't getting scammed! Shanghai, I stayed curious! 

Heading down to the Shanghai Metro, I had a 'Pie Society' plan to execute! As planned, I got off at my desired stop but I got side-tracked in a big way! Everything can change and I knew how I felt about that day, I sensed a diversion wouldn't be a problem, my plans would come back around! I walked along that ordinary Shanghai street with something telling me that I had an impromptu stop to make. Before that stop, I want to backtrack because the difference between Ningbo and Shanghai's Metro systems really had me walking a lot! I only took the metro once during that first ever Shanghai visit, although thereafter I wouldn't take any other mode of transportation! From Nanjing East Road, I took the metro once more and it really felt like long thing, the distance between lines and stations reminded me of my Beijing days. I take that back because Beijing saw me walking much further! Back to the program, I wanted to embrace a little bit of something different. Ten years since first arriving, I had fallen more in love with Shanghai!

'The Office Bar' oozed a certain 'Pinoy' energy with Filipino flags adorned outside, I saw that they served food! I still had time before my temple entrance time, I wanted to see if I could find a serving of 'Longsilog!' What's 'Longsilog?' Now, that 'Longanisa' sausage, rice and egg dish reminded me of my visit to Taal, in the Philippines. I had looked far and wide for a slice of 'Longanisa' with even restaurants in Macau substituting it for a 'Hot Dog' sausage! No, Ma'am/Sir! I was lucky enough to confirm that the kitchen had the real deal from the Philippines! I loved my lunch, I still couldn't believe how random it felt to find a Filipino style 'Resto Bar' in Shanghai! I got talking to one of the servers, it was great to talk about my two previous visits to the Philippines, he was immensely impressed that I had been to Zamboanga! I think that I might need to go back for another 'Red Horse' soon! Talking about the near future, I really need to return to the Philippines also, it remains to be a pressing matter! Sigue, move on! 

The weather was playing games, I still had some time before my theatre show would start! Moreover, I had more to do! I could've kept speaking to that 'Office Bar' staff member about the Philippines but I needed to head towards Shanghai's '静安寺/Jing'an Temple'. I had been skeptical about that landmark place of worship for a long time, I felt that it looked very touristy but with it being the tenth anniversary since arriving into the city, I wanted to try something new. I had gone one step further to avoid chaos, I had preselected a time slot for my visit. I actually needn't have bothered because it wasn't needed, I didn't even need to show any identification. It was practically heaving but the blessing was the temple was huge, people could do the most and stay away from me, protecting my peace would be easy! I didn't mess around, I got my photos of that temple and even wrote a message in the visitors book. I wanted it to be cryptic! Heaven needed to help me because the rain really tried to pour on down! Don't do that! 

Life had been berserk, I had been preparing for a residential study visit to London, England! August 2025 was more than a minute way but I had really needed that weekend to Shanghai for my soul to reset, the temple visit helped somewhat. I didn't light any incense but I did spend sometime gazing at the altars and shrines, it's always about the feeling for me, I needed some good energy. Jing'an Temple was massive as previously mentioned, I was able to see how this temple was surrounded by the city, the towering glass buildings really set an almighty juxtapose! The day was wearing on and I had a feeling another delicious meal would be on the cards. If truth be told, my day and night has only been half told, I have decided to create another four photograph feature to carry on the party! Jing'an Temple calmed me, it marked the halfway point in my day and it was only two something in the afternoon! Where was my pie?! Shanghai had its own 'Flatiron Building?' B, I was about to find out for myself! Shanghai kept on serving! 

Friendship Never Ends! 

Desperately Seeking Adventure