Old Town - Shanghai - page 85

Chenxiangge Nunnery
Seek out the tidy floral courtyard at the rear of this delightful retreat ( 29 Chenxiangge
Rd; admission ¥10; 7am-4pm; Yuyuan Garden) , with its muttered prayers and brown-
clothed Buddhist nuns, to climb the Guanyin Tower (admission ¥2; 7am-3pm) , hous-
ing a compassionate effigy of the goddess of mercy, carved from chenxiang wood
and seated in lalitasana (seated half-lotus) posture.
Wangyima Alley
Bypass the lion's share of the souvenir free-for-all outside the temple by following
this twisting alleyway. You'll still find carved gourds and pseudo antiques alongside
the sizzle of woks and makeshift noodle stands, but the shops soon give way to dot-
ing grandparents and banners of drying laundry. It's a veritable maze; look out for
Zhongwang Yima Alley and turn right.
Old Street
The morass of Mao-era keepsakes brings no surprises, but the ye olde China streets-
cape of Old Street ( Middle Fangbang Rd) - once a canal - is entertaining. Vendors are
tamer than at Yuyuan Bazaar, and there's a glut of souvenirs: shadow puppets, calen-
dar posters, Yixing teapots, Tibetan jewellery, calligraphy scrolls and kites.
Antique Hunting
There's a permanent antique market here on the 1st and 2nd floors, but the Fuyou
Antique Market ( 459 Middle Fangbang Rd; Yuyuan Garden) really gets humming for the
'ghost market' on weekends, when sellers from the countryside fill up all four floors
and then some. Mornings are best.
Tea Time
Dropping in at the Old Shanghai Teahouse ( 385 Middle Fangbang Rd; 9am-9pm; Yuy-
uan Garden) is much like barging into someone's attic, where ancient gramophones, re-