Thanks to my company, Pernod Ricard , I was able to spend a couple of days in Shanghai last August for some R&R.  As was the case in Jerusalem , I got giddy over the fact that I could explore another great city, full of rich history and booming with  (Yes, that’s 23 MILLION) people. Though I had been to Shanghai a couple of years ago with my folks, I knew I wasn’t seeing the total picture as guided tours rarely give you the satisfaction of just “hanging out”, getting lost in the place and getting a true taste of the people and culture. The adventure starts when the taxi driver drops me and my three buddies from work at some “shopping area” (think Greenhills) for foreigners.  Originally, we had asked to be dropped off at Nanjing Road (the central commercial center, think Times Square) but he dropped us off around 6km from our intended destination. ** I think it’s safe to say that among Asian countries, it’s only truly the Philippines where you can talk to ANYONE in English