Shanghai and Shopping

One day of our stay in Shanghai was entirely dedicated to shopping. Let me say right away, one day was not enough, and ideally, you would need 2 or 3 days. The five-story Uniqlo alone is worth mentioning. My goodness, the store is so massive that we got lost in it for several hours. There are plenty of high-quality items for every taste and lots of discounts. We left with several shopping bags and spent only about 2,000 yuan. Next, we visited Adidas. Their unique collection with elements of Chinese culture is simply spectacular. I couldn't resist and bought sneakers with traditional patterns and embroidery for just 600 yuan. Amazing! Evening came quickly, and we headed to the heart of the old town to wander through the shopping streets. Elegant buildings in Chinese style stretched before us, combining restraint and grandeur at the same time. Bright red houses adorned with oriental patterns and thousands of lanterns beckoned us to keep exploring. In the countless shops and pavilions, you could find everything imaginable—from clothes, toys, and souvenirs to food, handmade crafts, and tea. Speaking of tea, you need to be cautious, as there are persistent vendors on the streets who insistently offer you to try and then buy tea at very high prices. It's a scam, so don't fall for it. You can find delicious tea at much better prices on nearby streets or in stores. Another interesting feature was that in every shop, you had to bargain. Sometimes, we managed to lower the price by two or even three times. So, don't be shy and stick to your price. In the end, we bought souvenirs, postcards, lanterns, and cookies at very reasonable prices. It seemed like enough for one day, but not quite. With our last bit of energy, we made it to the longest pedestrian street, Nanjing Road. The scale is impressive: thousands of people, hundreds of shops, bright signs, noise, and hustle. We strolled through a few more stores, had dinner (I'll write separately about Chinese food), and headed for a well-deserved rest.