Formerly encircled by ramparts, the old city of Shanghai has undergone massive restoration work. Around Yu garden, which dates from the Ming period, note the hundreds of curved roofs of the new bazaar. For the time being, the area around the Confucius temple still retains its old winding alleyways with its bird, plant and flea markets, where the ambience is light years away from the frenetic pace of the rest of the city.