Shanghai is almost a different world from Beijing. Most of the city centre is very modern, loads of tall buildings packed together and endless shopping malls. It is the shopping mecca of China, something like Hong Kong and Singapore. It also reminds me of Hong Kong because it has a very busy river. Unlike most European cities, Beijing is not built on a river. Being close to the mouth of the mighty Yangzi River means that shipping and commerce are major forces in the economy of Shanghai. Historically large areas of the city were controlled by the European powers, in so-called "concessions". Much of the architecture on the waterfront is therefore European in style. Last night we ate at the Peace Hotel, a building which might have been transported directly from Vienna. Shanghai is also much more cosmoplitan in outlook and in character - I have seen more Europeans just walking along the street here even than in major Bejing tourist sights such as the Forbidden City. Even the babies are dressed differently with far more of them wearing nappies than in Beijing. I suppose it's interesting to see briefly, but for me, being much less Chinese in character, it is much less interesting than Beijing.
Shanghai is not dusty like Beijing. There are far fewer bicycles on the main roads, although on the back streets they are still very much in evidence. Many junctions have "traffic assistants" in brown uniforms with a whistle in their mouth, trying to control the traffic and to herd the pedestrians across the road only when there is a green man. Another difference in Shanghai and Nanjing is that coins are relatively common for the small denominations.
I don't really feel that I have much impression of Nanjing. It is an old city and parts of the old walls remain, but only a few areas retain the tradition buildings. Like Beijing and Shanghai, there seems to be a building mania. It was the capital of China at certain periods in the past. As a consequence of this, it was known as a place of intellectuals, perhaps the Chinese equivalent of Parisian cafe society. It has several buildings which are very interesting because of the events they represent, but I don't intend to give you a lecture on Chinese history so I won't bore you with those.