So this is Chenghuangmiao (城隍庙), I actually thought it is only a temple, says C.

Nope, City God Temple is a touristy market today, with shops specializing in snacks and traditional arts and crafts. However, this is a must-see for anyone who comes to Shanghai!

Chenghuangmiao is located in the Old Chinese City (Nanshi district), and it was the first part of Shanghai to be settled. It looks like a temple from the outside and the building has been rebuilt and renovated numerous times to have what it looks today.

A building around Chenghuangmiao. I love the golden dragons that enhances the beauty of the place and building. Besides, there are a lot of jewellery and gold shops around the area. Very well depicts the prosperous growth of the place.

Sidenote: I want similar golden dragons to be engraved onto the back on my new mahjong tiles. I seemed to have seen it in some Hong Kong gambling shows before. Anyone has any idea where I can find it?

Shanghai Lao Fan Dian 上海老饭店. A very traditional but popular restaurant that serves typical Shanghainese cuisine. But somehow I only trust Steven when it comes to food and restaurants over here. The rest attracts more of tourists and are also often those that are highly recommended in guide books.

Inside Chenghuangmiao, also called Town Bazaar. C with all the red lanterns behind him. Me at a small open space in front of a jewellery shop.

(1) Huxinting 湖心亭 – a tea house in the middle of the lake.
(2) A woman selling toys at the side.
(3) A man feeding kois in the pond.
(4) Taken at the Nine Turnings Bridge 九曲桥.
*The chinese loves to associate the number “9″ with good luck. I read that the 9 corners on the bridge are there to frighten spirits away.*

Me and C. Me me me. Oh yes, have lost my red beanie in the cab, so I bought another lovely white beanie at RMB25 yesterday I really like it!

In the middle of this block of building, you’ll see a shop called 上海五香豆商店. There’s some local snacks here which you can buy. Their packaging is very neat and I saw some selling at RMB10 per pack. However it’s usually quite crowded and C spotted 2 groups squabbling in their usual loud rowdy voices in the same shop at one time. Why am I not surprised.

Of course when you’re in Chenghuangmiao, you can’t miss the famous Nanxiang Xiaolongbao. Everyone comes here for these.

Wonder how many xiaolongbaos they prepare in one day. The queue on the ground floor is almost always – neverending.

Very cheap xiaolongbaos. 16 pieces for 12RMB. That equates to S$0.15 per dumpling. Hmmm, mass production creates the volume. Taste? Unfortunately not nice at all. The skin is too thick. There are restaurants above it and I heard the higher you go, the more expensive your xiaolongbaos will get.

Alright, this is what we did. For all 16 pieces, we suck out the soup and ate the meat, then threw away the skin. Fun to do that when you’re freezing in the open!

Very nice architectural background!

Their handicrafts and souvenirs at the little booths. And those usual calligraphy sort.

Shops selling tea leaves eggs, smelly tofu (which predominates the air) and crab meat dumplings that come with a small bamboo container with a straw each.

Santa at the temple!

Missing those old days puppet shows?

Well, pay RMB5 and the puppet master will create slideshows of stories for you when you peer through that hole. We did it and it was rather amusing

Then we sat at Starbucks and started to people watch, scoffing at the people following flags and observing intently touts that are begging for money on the streets. How very interesting.

After this, we walked around the old Chinese streets and we got a sense of traiditional life around the Old Chinese streets. Our walking shoes took us to antique shops, shops selling Tibetan jewellery, paintings etc, and some wet markets. Quite an experience here. Next destination: Xintiandi (it’s christmas eve).