LOCAL CULTURE
Cheers
If you toast with someone who is older than you or his position is higher than you, your glass must be lower than his to show your respect in China.
Destination in Chinese Characters
Most people cannot read pinyin language (Chinese in western letters). Make sure that you have the address of your destination written down in Chinese characters and always take a Business Card from the hotel when you leaving.
Keeping face
The Chinese are loathed to say 'no' or admit to not knowing something. If you ask a question several times and do not get a proper answer it is likely that they do not know the answer. Please try not make a Chinese person lose face by asking questions that they cannot answer as it will embarrass them in front of others.
Traffic Rules
Traffic rules in Shanghai work differently to most other cities with the largest vehicle going first. Please take care when crossing the street. A green light does not mean that there is no car turning left. Please make sure you look left, right, front, back, up and down before crossing the road.
DID YOU KNOW ?
Maglev Train
The Maglev Train is the fastest in the world and Shanghai is the only place which has one. It takes you eight and a half minutes from Shanghai Pudong Airport to the Long Yang Road Station, a distance of 30km with a high speed of 431km/h.
Pudong Area
Pudong area, where our hotel is located, was farmland only around 18 years ago. People used to say that it was better to have a room as large as a bed in Puxi than have a whole apartment in Pudong. The InterContinental opened as the first 5-star hotel in Pudong in 1996.
Shanghai Jewish Corner
Shanghai Hongkou District used to be a place where Jews took sanctuary during World War II. Now there is a Synagogue Museum at 62 Changyang Road.
WHAT TO PACK
Appropriate clothing and good walking shoes
Shanghai has four seasons so make sure you carry appropriate clothing. The temperature in winter can be below zero degrees Celsius whilst in summer it can pass 35 degrees Celsius. The humidity is very high all year round which makes the temperature warmer in summer and colder in winter.
Hotel address and telephone number
Taxi drivers are not familiar with the English pronunciation for the hotels in Shanghai. Try to get the address in Chinese characters beforehand or at least the hotel telephone number so you can ask the operator to tell the taxi drivers where to go. To avoid all of that hassle it is best to book a pick up service.
Medicine
If you require medicine for a health condition please make sure you put it in your hand luggage since bags regularly get lost at airports. Chinese pharmacies do not trade in many international pharmaceuticals so it is safer to bring along your own.
