Random Other Shanghai Sights

In my morning strolls through Shanghai, I run across many random sights.  But, one that I see in every China city is the morning is the exercise group in the park

Morning exercises

Nearby, the trees are getting a good trim, while the the more tropically-related plants are not doing so well in the winter weather.

Trimming the trees, with spectators

Shanghai winter is not kind to the tropical plants

 People are using the sunny winter day to dry nuts on the sidewalk and we all walk carefully around them.

Nuts drying

 And the small parks that bring just a touch of color to a neighborhood have tiny statues to delight us as we walk by on the sidewalk.

  Along the sidewalk

 I'm looking for silk pajamas this trip and find the Jiangnan Silk Museum (and store) next to a hotel equipment store and across the street from the 3 small statues.  The museum provides a good overview of the steps of the silk production process and the associated store is large, with a great selection and good prices.  All about a 45 minute walk from People's Square.

Jiangnan silk museum

Walking back, I find a guard cat protecting someone's bicycle.  Later on, a different guard cat is off the job and, apparently, not afraid of being stepped on (as safe as the drying nuts).

 Guard cat on and off the job

A little further along, a great juxtaposition of old and new shows up, the Jing'an Temple nestled between the modern city buildings. The temple is located on Nanjing Road, above Xujiahui, about 45 minutes (3.4 km/2.1 miles) from People's Square.  The Jing'an Temple is a Buddhist temple, first build in 247AD and relocated to its current site in 1216.  During the cultural revolution, the temple was turned into a plastics factory, but returned to serve as a temple in 1983.  It fits perfectly into the modern structures that surround it.

Jing'an Temple

As we head back to the hotel, we end on a whimsical note, with a fast-food store sculpture, modern water delivery vehicles and with our lunch for four a little later that day.

 Fast food here

Bottled water delivery vehicle

 Lunch for four

I love wandering around Shanghai, I never can tell what I'll run across.  And, to have a mission, such as the hunt for silk pajamas takes me off into new parts of the city and new adventures.  But, it's time to move on.