Zhujiajiao (朱家角) and the Bund, Shanghai, China

My first posting of 2013 is from China. Zhujiajiao is an ancient town located in the Qingpu District of Shanghai. The population is about 70,000. It is a water town on the outskirts of Shanghai, and was established about 1,700 years ago

Archaeological findings dating back 5,000 years have also been found

It was a cold and early misty morning when I arrived

36 stone bridges and numerous rivers line Zhujiajiao, and many ancient buildings still line the river banks today

Already bus loads of Chinese tourists were arriving

Beautiful colours on either side of the waterways help to make this ancient town an enchanting place

This area was not so full of people

The old town is thoroughly connected by the 36 delicate bridges in different shapes and styles, from wooden to stone to marble

The water is an integral part of the way of life of the people who live here

Endowed with another elegant name - 'Pearl Stream' - the little town is the best-preserved among the four ancient towns in Shanghai

As you would expect there are many boats taking tourists on scenic trips around the town

This chap kept his beady eye on me while pretending not to be there!

There are temples, museums, gardens to see as well as walking around the town along the many waterways

I only had a short time so I will have to return to explore more fully what the town has to offer

An artist at work. She painted everything that was for sale in her shop

Unfortunately I couldn't get closer. Kissing the bride on the crossing seemed to be an important photo to have! We are now in Shaghai

I don't see these beautiful colours in Singapore!

The famous Shanghai cityscape view. The sun had come through but the smog never went away

I really liked the facade of this building

You can't take just one photo! As the late afternoon was setting the reflections kept changing

A close up view of part of the riverside

The Bund. European buildings are the sign that this part of China opened up to foreign trade more than others

The word "bund" means an embankment or an embanked quay

The Shanghai Bund has dozens of historical buildings, lining the Huangpu River, that once housed numerous banks and trading houses from the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Italy, Russia, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and Belgium

Sunset on the Bund....

....and a final shot of that beautiful view