Well, i'll start by writing a first few things about Shanghai. First of all shanghai is the second largest city of China (16m) and the richest.
The amenities vary and they very much depend on target audience. E.g. hotels: Western chain hotels go for no less than €50-70 whereas Chinese hotels rarely top the €30-35 mark. (Language could be a problem though).
The same for restaurants. A top notch Chinese can feed 4 people on €10-15 whereas a western one would charge €40 per head. Given that there are hundrends of McDonalds and Pizza Huts around, you may perhaps consider these.
Going for a shop at a Carrefour, walmart or tesco is also a VERY cheap way of getting provisions.
Taxis: Dirt cheap and largely honest. a 45km trip (airport to city) should set you back no more than €13-15. Taxis are in ample supply EXCLUDING the 6-8 pm slot.
Metro: 3 lines, daily pass at €0.8. It connects most places of interest quite frequently. Does not operate 24h
Things to see:
The Bund - That's the riverfront. Impressive skyline with the Oriental Pearl Tower and other skyscrapers on 'Pu-Dong' (West side of the river) and plenty of art deco, early twenties colonnial architecture on the Pu-Shi side (i.e. East of the river)
Fakes - Well, that's the second most talked about subject in Shanghai so I thought I mention it. Metro station 'Science & Technology Museum' (actually an interesting museum in itself). A huge market the size of 2 football pitches full of stalls specialising on fakes. Bags, shoes, clothes, watches, golf clubs.... Avoid glasses, they're dangerous.
Bargain rules: Start at about a tenth of what you think you should pay. Negotiate, and never pay more than a third. Be prepared to walk away, and shop around, most stalls use the same suppliers and stock the same gear.
French Concession: As the name implies, it's a part of the city conceded to the french in the late 19th century which is now full of listed art-deco buildings and picturesque little parks. Worth a stroll.
Next post will deal with nights out as I don't want to drag this too long. Let me know if you have any special interests (extreme sports, cycling or anything in particular that you may want to do while there).
P.S. How will you be flying, if two months on the road???
P.S. 2 Make a point of taking the Mag-Lev train from the airport to the city. 420 km/h while still on the ground!!!! 40km in 7' (And only €5 per go)
