KLM captain Jan-Jaap takes you to Shanghai
Tips from an insider
Jan-Jaap Hartog, captain of one of KLM’s Boeing 747s, takes us on a whirlwind 30 hour stopover in Shanghai with some top tips on how to best experience the local nightlife or go wild on a shopping spree.
We arrived at the hotel at 4:30PM. I did get some sleep on board tonight, but I can’t say I’m well rested. Despite the late departure from Schiphol and the 10 hour flight, the question remains, “What to do now?”. The hotel bed is calling me, but is it wise? Having a short nap seems like the best choice, or maybe: the least bad one.
Shanghai: a hip, hot and trendy city
The alarm goes off two hours later and I’m still not feeling up to speed. I force myself to get up and take a shower, but it doesn’t really help. The bed keeps calling me, “Come on, sleep some more.” It’s not a very good idea though, and could result in me lying awake all night… Plus, Shanghai’s nightlife is calling me! Shanghai is hip, hot and trendy!
We meet at Cotton’s, a bar around the corner from the hotel. Cotton is the perfect location to get together, to catch up and of course much nicer than the lobby of the hotel anyway. We pile into a taxi to get a bite to eat. If you’re traveling to Shanghai with your iPhone, the app Shanghai Taxi Guide is an absolute must-have! It can be hard to communicate with the local drivers. The way we pronounce destinations is completely unintelligible to them. With this app you can select your destination and let the driver read it straight from your screen in Chinese characters.
Shintori: beautiful ingredients, exquisite dishes
We head to Shintori, this Japanese restaurant is an exponent of the hip side of Shanghai. In the empty concrete space with an open kitchen they serve amazing food; beautiful dishes prepared from beautiful ingredients and presented in the most exquisite ways. A real treat! Even the powder room is trendy! Afterwards we have a drink in the bar next door. The entrance is an attraction in itself. There’s no door, but if you touch the lit cones in the right order, the siding opens up. If you can’t manage that you’ll have to wait for someone to come outside and slip in past them.
Shopping: convincing imitations
The next morning, I have croissants, bacon and rice for breakfast. After that, it's time to hit the shops! Shopping in China gives you two options: cheap or expensive. You can buy non-cheap items in official stores. Goods here are probably originals. Just make sure you try everything on. A Chinese XL is not the same as an American XL.
‘Cheap’ means imitation. Both the look and the sales pitch can be very convincing. However, it’s all imitation. That sailing coat might turn out to be less than waterproof once you experience the first heavy showers. Still, it’s nice to buy a name-brand watch for €15. With a little luck it’ll keep the time for the coming year. Before you buy: check how many imitation goods local customs allows you bring into your country. For example, we’re only allowed to bring three imitation items across the Dutch border.
You can do your imitation shopping at ‘580’. Look it up in your Shanghai Taxi Guide and a taxi will take you straight there. It’s a department building consisting of six floors of garage boxes. Every shop owner tries to pull you into their store. Usually verbally, but sometimes even physically. Once inside the garage box the mood changes and the owners are very helpful… Until you start to barter. Top tip: never pay more than a third of the opening bid!
4:30pm again and I am back in the hotel. Just a few hours before I start the flight back. 30 hours in Shanghai really is 30 days too short!
Some other tips from Jan-Jaap include Bar Rouge, a lounge with beautiful views of one of Shanghai’s most famous districts: The Bund. And Mint, a club that boasts a shark tank by its main entrance.
