Talk about going to a country where their food is one of your favorites, China was a gastronomic dream come true. Specifically, Shanghai and their variety of street foods. One of our favorites was scallion pancakes, a crispy savory pancake laced with green onions, lightly fried until golden brown. They were melt in your mouth delicious.
We went to many restaurants and one where the Peking Duck was the best I have ever had. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the restaurant. But what I do remember was Ningbo Dumplings
, a small 
restaurant across the river from the Shanghai Financial Center. Be prepared to stand in line that goes out the door for these, but it’s well worth the wait. We went back three times.
Once again, I was most enthralled with the many food markets throughout the city.
I saw some of the most unusual food I had ever seen.
It was so interesting to see and sometimes taste. When there was not a language barrier it was wonderful to talk to the vendors about the food, how it was prepared and its origins.
Besides the food, the city is brimming with so much history and beauty. Two of our favorite spots were the Yuyuan Garden and the Jade Buddha Temple.
The Yuyuan Garden was built in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty by Pan Yunduan, a high-ranking government official.
The garden is comprised of 5 acres and boasts pavilions, ponds, rock formations, cloisters and streams. 
In existence for over 400 years, the gardens were specifically constructed for Pan’s parents as a sanctuary in which to live out their lives. Lots of photo ops at this beautiful site. It was declared a national monument in 1982.
The Buddha Temple is the most famous and one of the most active Buddhist temples in Shanghai. It was built during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty to enshrine two spectacular jade Buddha statues that were brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. 
The statues are rare relics of porcelain artworks. They are carved in crystal clear 
white jade. Going through the temple, you sense a feeling of peacefulness and a transcendent atmosphere.