On to Shanghai.... Christmas day we flew from Paris on to Shanghai...another long haul but wonderful thanks to first class Air France. Shanghai airport was like out of Star Wars. Gorgeous, effecient and very easy to negotiate.

Let me preface this with the fact that we did not do a tour group thing. Don't like to travel that way...much prefer independent travel. Anyway, I obsessed about each hotel we selected, and Shanghai has many wonderful choices. We ultimately decided on the Grand Hyatt,which does not have the best location (it's in Pudong which is potentially a half hour taxi ride from the center of things) but is supposed to be the most stunning hotel. We were not disappointed!!

We had booked all our hotels thru AmEx Platinum Travel service using the Fine Hotels Program. Upgrades based on availability is one of the attractions of that program for us and they came thru for us each time...big time!!

Anyway, a travel desk at the airport easily arranged a taxi to the hotel that was every bit as magnificent as the pictures and descriptions! Again, I felt like I was in the middle of this really cool Star Wars movie! We were upgraded to a huge suite on the 66th floor overlooking all of Shanghai. I was done. Did not have to leave the suite. Could have stared out the floor lenght windows all day long!!!! And just as important to us as the accommodations is the service...and I'm happy to tell you the service was over the top!!! Had read that service in China can be a bit dicey. Not true at the hotel. The staff was consistently wonderful. We were also upgraded to the Club Room. Hard to leave for dinner after the cocktails and incredible hor d'oeruves each night!!

Our arrival in Shanghai began and continued the entire trip with my mouth open at the development and profusion of huge high high rise buildings. This city makes NYC look tiny. No kidding. I was totally overwhelmed.

Falling asleep again. Nap time. More later!