I have written this after the Working Mother Media Global Advancement of Women Conference we held this month in Shanghai.

One of the most unusual attributes of Working Mother's Global initiative is that we encourage our sponsors and our team to bring their families on each of our trips. Mothers, aunts, husbands, children, sister come along and participate in the experience. This work life integration made the time we had in China extra special this year: I brought the whole family and was able to make this trip part business and part family vacation.
 
We were in Shanghai for 10 days. I was a bit busy with our 5 events--one each day from Nov 14 to Nov 18. All of the events were successful and we met amazing people at each one. I also had dinner on Monday night with Ambassador Verveer, the US ambassador for Global Women's issues. More on that exciting experience later!

Shanghai is an architectural wonder. With 24 million people, it is a vertical city with so many skyscrapers that it makes Manhattan look quaint. I've heard that the great architects of the world are all working in Shanghai because it's like an empty canvas and most of the skyscrapers have been erected in the last 15 years or so. Many of the skyscrapers are truly beautiful, with shapes and twists and exteriors that you've never seen before. The city is in love with neon, so at night it is like a parade of lights with unusual neon decorations on the buildings that turn the city into a totally new experience. Traveling by cab thru the city is completely different by night than day.

After our 5 days of conferences were concluded we moved to the Bund. If the skyscrapers are mostly new, the Bund is the opposite. It’s a riverbank section of Shanghai that was built from 1800 to 1940. It is a long row of gorgeous European and art deco buildings like the Custom House, the Peace Hotel, the Peninsula Hotel and the Roosevelt. Each building faces the Hupong River, forming a riverfront of stately beauty. They have built a river walk that is wide and rises above the river–just perfect for strolling and taking pictures. The river walk is filled with families--mom, dad, grandparents and one child–enjoying the views. Dozens of brides and grooms come to the Bund to have their pre-wedding photos taken. What a good idea--they have a beautiful wedding photo taken weeks before the wedding and then blow it up to welcome their guests to the reception.

The Bund is like Michigan Ave. or Park Ave. or Rodeo Drive–a shopping Mecca. The old buildings have been restored to perfection and are now fancy hotels and hip restaurants and luxury stores like Prada and Chanel. There is a commission that protects the historic nature of the Bund and carefully controls what is done to each building. Ten years ago a lighting project was undertaken so that each building on the Bund is lit with the same kind of lighting, making it spectacular at night from every angle–especially from the dinner boats that go up and down the river each night. The Bund History museum said that Mao was careful not to let any harm come to the Bund, ordering soldiers not to use any cannons or large weapons in the battle for the historic district. Thanks, Mao.

We stayed at the Astor House Hotel–one of the oldest on the Bund. It is a hotel of many firsts: the first electric light in all of China was installed outside the Astor House; the first telephone in China was in the Astor House. Charlie Chaplin, Ulysses S. Grant, Einstein and Chiang Kai Shek all stayed there. The lobby is just like it was last century, making the hotel a perfect backdrop for movies set in the old days. In fact, they were shooting a movie in the lobby of the hotel while we were there. It is also a major wedding hall. There was a wedding there every evening during our stay. It was fun (and inexpensive) to stay there.

Our favorite restaurant was Shook! in the Swatch Art Peace Hotel, where owner Julien let us go up to the rooftop for the most delicious hot fudge sundae to top off our meal. There was a party going on for Swatch collectors from all over the world.

We didn't shop on the Bund, preferring to go to the markets where shopping is an extreme sport. It takes some practice, but bargaining is expected, and like any sport the more you practice the better you get. Julia was hesitant at first but quickly became an expert. The merchants know their lowest price but you don't. However, if you offer too low they just say no. They might offer ten times what they will accept so it’s difficult to find a happy medium at first. When you are getting close to the right price the merchants cry foul and beg you to let them make a profit. "Lady, lady, how can I make a living with you bargaining so hard?" If you stay firm they will accept your price. I developed a bored kind of I don't care look to get the price I wanted to pay.

We took suggestions from well-traveled business people about where to shop and went to the underground mall near the spectacular Museum of Science and Technology. As plain as the subway-looking mall was, the Museum is spectacular--like a giant winged victory with a huge orb in the middle and steel wings flying out from the center. We never happened to be there when it was open, but we enjoyed its exterior beauty.

Shanghai doesn't have the amazing heritage sites of Beijing, but there are lots of places to visit including the tradition rich Yu Gardens, the exquisite Shanghai Museum, the gritty French Concession and the powerful Jade Temple. We also spent a great afternoon at the Pearl Tower, Shanghai's answer to the Eiffel Tower. It's not as elegant but then it has some attributes that the Eiffel Tower is missing--like a roller coaster inside the 90 meters level that we couldn't resist going on. But the best is the glass extension floor on the 300 meters level where everyone was terrified of the optical illusion of falling--but game to try braving it. Robert and I loved it but Bob's fear of heights kicked in just watching us.

The people of Shanghai are warm, friendly and helpful. And the women are very stylish, whether dressing for work or a stroll on the Bund. Julia and I took pictures of women, families, merchants and of every bride we saw--as well as buildings of course. I'll download them to Flickr and post a link so you can get an up close and personal view of this remarkable city.