3 'specialties' in Shanghai

"Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen! Do you know what three specialties of Shanghai are?" - A Tien, a Chinese tour guide, asked in Vietnamese as the vehicle moved between tourist attractions in Shanghai, China.

Tour guide A Tiến understands Vietnamese language and culture well enough to say things like "you're all so full you're practically drooping with sleepiness," "young hooligans," "money flows in like the Da River, but flows out drop by drop like filtered coffee," and can explain "fermenting bacteria" when talking about stinky tofu - Photo: MINH KHUÊ

Now 50 years old, having studied Vietnamese for three years in Guangxi and "one year in Cau Giay, Hanoi ," A Tien speaks Vietnamese very fluently.

"Shanghai only experienced a traffic jam once."

A street in Shanghai, China, one morning in late July 2025. Vehicles with blue license plates are gasoline-powered, and those with green license plates are electric vehicles. - Photo: MINH KHUÊ

"Did you know? Shanghai has less traffic congestion than Ho Chi Minh City," A Tien said in Vietnamese with a Northern Vietnamese accent.

Having traveled to Vietnam many times, this tour guide knows that Ho Chi Minh City experiences traffic congestion during morning and afternoon rush hours.

"Shanghai only has one traffic jam. That's from 6 am to 10 pm. So, traffic jams in Shanghai are less frequent, right?" - A Tien said, then laughed loudly.

A Shanghai city tour itinerary for tourists would include places such as the Bund, the Oriental Pearl TV Tower, the City God Temple, Nanjing Avenue, etc.

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"If you ask A Tien about the distance between the attractions, he'll say it's only about 3-4 kilometers. But if you ask how much longer it takes to get there, he can't answer because of the heavy traffic," added the tour guide, originally from Nanning, China.

To further illustrate the long lines of cars on the street, A Tien said: "In Shanghai, if two lovers arrange to meet by car, chances are they won't arrive on time."

Due to traffic congestion, people in China's most populous city (around 24 million people) often prefer to use public motorcycles or electric bicycles, which are very convenient.

In Shanghai, you can see many public bicycles on the streets in yellow, green, and blue colors from various manufacturers. These public bicycles are placed on the streets, near subway stations, for the convenience of residents - Photo: MINH KHUÊ

The rental fees are quite cheap. Occasionally, to encourage people to cycle, there are support programs that allow people to rent bikes for free for a month - Photo: MINH KHUÊ

"Elevated road"

"Do you know what the second specialty of Shanghai is? It's the elevated road," A Tiến continued, introducing.

Indeed, Shanghai's elevated road system is truly impressive. As vehicles travel below, they constantly encounter networks of roads and pathways spanning two or three levels above.

Both sides of the road, both below and above ground, are always decorated with colorful seasonal flower pots in shades of green, red, purple, and yellow, creating a beautiful sight.

A Tiến didn't elaborate much on the elevated road system, but online research reveals that Shanghai built a complex network of elevated roads to support its logistics. This is also one of the city's unique features and specialties.

Shanghai has a highly developed transportation system. Its elevated road network is a distinctive feature of the city. - Photo: MINH KHUÊ

Laughing at the "flag of nations"

As the car weaved through the lush green trees along the Huangpu River, the tour guide recounted how, in the old days in Shanghai, each married couple of civil servants was allocated a 50-60 ^{square meter} apartment .

The apartment has two bedrooms but is home to three generations: grandparents, parents, and children.

"The kitchen was renovated to make a sleeping area for the children," the tour guide explained. "So what about the kitchen, ladies and gentlemen? The kitchen had to be moved to the balcony, so there's no place to hang clothes. Therefore, each apartment will have an additional clothes drying rack installed outside."

"The 'Flag of Nations' is how Shanghai residents jokingly refer to drying clothes on balconies in apartment buildings. Most apartment buildings have these clothes drying racks, partly due to tradition and also because residents enjoy the 'fragrance' of sun-dried clothes. - Photo: MINH KHUÊ

Pointing to an apartment building with clothes drying racks outside, Mr. Tien said: "Shanghai people jokingly call it the 'flag of ten thousand nations.' It's so colorful."

Nowadays, in modern life, young people can buy their own apartments instead of living with their parents or grandparents.

"But many apartments still have clothes drying racks on the balcony. Because many people believe that clothes should smell like sunshine," A Tien added.

As the car drove down a street towards Nanjing Avenue, it started to rain. Interestingly, however, we could still see the kangaroo flags of many apartment buildings.

After the rain, the clothes are brought in, leaving behind reinforced clothes drying racks outside the balconies of Shanghai apartments. These clothes drying racks attached to balconies are a unique feature and characteristic of this city. - Photo: MINH KHUÊ

Whose pocket is the easiest to steal money from?

Shanghai at night, viewed from the Huangpu River. "If Shanghai during the day is like a black and white TV, then Shanghai at night is like a color TV," the tour guide recounted, noting a comment once made by a leader. - Photo: MINH KHUE

Upon arriving in Shanghai, tourists are overwhelmed by the skyscrapers, the clean streets shaded by paulownia trees, and the bustling old neighborhoods filled with young men and women checking in, waiting to buy xiaolongbao or bubble tea.

"The Chinese believe that money in a woman's purse is easiest to take, money in a child's purse is the second easiest, and money in a man's purse is the hardest to take," A Tien explained as the car arrived at a shopping mall.

"Therefore, the first floor will sell fashion and cosmetics for women. The second floor will have children's toys, and the top floor will sell items for men," the tour guide explained.

Minh Khue

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/3-dac-san-o-thuong-hai-20250726100918625.htm