A Walk in Shanghai's Old Financial District

The icons of modern Shanghai are luridly lit, look-at-me highrises, but until the 1980s, the city of 18 million was symbolized in Western eyes by a solid line of impressive, marble- and granite-clad corporate buildings arrayed along the Huangpu River: the Bund.

The heritage buildings of the Bund -- some renovated and reborn as the homes of smart restaurants, upscale bars, stylish shops and a sprinkling of banks -- are still there, and the Bund, while no longer China's Wall Street, is still one of the most interesting places to visit in Shanghai.

	Shanghai

The Bund is best explored on foot, which I did recently in the company of Peter Hibbard, an expat Brit and former urban planner who leads walking tours of the Bund and nearby neighborhoods. It was a revelation. I had strolled around the area on previous visits, armed with a street map and a smattering of information, but I never really knew what I was looking at. When you hear the back story, it all becomes a lot more interesting.

My walk with Hibbard, whose new book is The Bund Shanghai: China Faces West, was arranged through my hotel, the Pudong Shangri-la, which is situated directly across the river from the Bund and has splendid views of its neo-classical buildings.

There are other tour guides in town, of course. And you can set off on your own with Hibbard's book or various travel guidebooks, which outline good walks, but it was fun being able to ask questions.