I spent a very enjoyable morning in the company of Ellen, who guided me around the streets of the French Concession and old Shanghai town.
I got lost and was late for our rendezvous at the hotel, but luckily Ellen had persevered and was still waiting for me.
Ellen is a mine of information on the history of the area, and at each stop we made, she would recite interesting historical facts. We made numerous stops along the way, including Fuxing Park, where there is a French and a Chinese garden. Ellen explained how the Chinese garden's design was
culturally influenced. We watched groups of retired Chinese who used the park for social activities, including singing and Tai Chi. We also made stops at restaurants to savour local food. My favourite being the pork dumplings. The bike ride lasted about 4 hours, covering quite a few miles and many interesting sites. Afterwards, I was fitter and richer in the knowledge of this wonderful area of Shanghai. I would highly recommend this bike tour, and if you are lucky, you might get Ellen as your guide.