the concessions to soup dumplings

so we left the museums and headed toward the French concession- some of which is still being lived in like hutongs with old mansions divided into multiple apartments and some of which has been rehabbed into an upscale shopping area with boutiques and restaurants--- we see both sides of the historical perspective and then head to lunch at the famous soup dumpling chain-

all the plumbing is outdoors in the alley and each sink has a lock on the faucet to keep others from using the water this owner pays for-

mahjong parlors off the alley where everyone is "shocked to find gambling going on" LOL

once a lovely internal courtyard - now the  laundry porches for many apartments-

the number of meters begins to give an idea of how much these old places have been subdivided into tenements-

vestiges of former glory-

we move on to the rehabbed section where everything is upscale and expensive-

and finally on to lunch!

no dogs and no fast food allowed- LOL

dipping sauce for the soup dumplings and some sides-

advertising for hairy crab season!

we chow down on several bamboo steamers of dumplings (photos missing- must have eaten those too - LOL) we then head on - to the old Jewish section of Shanghai and along the way I catch a photo of a standard street view- and some colorful transportation!

next post- the Jewish Refugee Museum and then along the Bund for a walk and a bit of history from Christine.  stay tuned....