The French Concession in Shanghai Exceeded My Expectations | A Shanghai Vlog

Having been to Shanghai before I wanted to explore more of the French Concession. In this video I explore FuXing Park, Get a Massage, and check out the Famous Normandie Apartments one of the most famous buildings in Shanghai.
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[@et5222]

5k and moving quickly to 10K.... great filming of one of Chinese most interesting and historical neighborhoods (and thanks for being kind to the French : ) We enjoy your postive videos in what is a difficult time for many people around the world. 'Hope you can "report" from the Olympics next month!

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks David. I sure hope I can go. Rules keep getting more strict however I am paying as close attention as possible.

[@lohas663]

I lived in Shanghai in French concession area for more than 11 years, can’t go back there because of the pandemic, miss Shanghai a lot , hope you enjoy everything there

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

I enjoyed it very much.

[@user-xg3bz1cq7v]

As a local shanghainese, I have to say I LOVE wander in French concession. The quietness, the trees and the architectures, I’m always falling in love with my city again and again. You can walk there in spring with the beast weather and warm air. Hearing the cicadas singing on the trees in summer. And the leaves turning yellow with some streets are not cleaning them in autumn. It is so much fun!!! To know shanghai, here’s one of the best place!

[@hiyukelavie2396]

Just a friendly suggestion, if you are not too attached to the term "Shanghainese", maybe going forward you can try using other adjectives/demonyms like Shanghainian instead

[@chuge4105]

法租界？

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

Such a great video, a brilliant history lesson and you always look like you are having crazy fun. Thank you

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks Iain! I had so much fun in Shanghai. You and Bruce always share so much incredible history about Beijing. I have really enjoyed the series.

[@ForAllLifesAdventures]

@@JohnThomasAbroad Thanks John, more to come from the time we spend out and about in Beijing and so glad you enjoy it.

[@user-xs5et6pe3h]

Thank you very much for sharing the best part of Shanghai.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

It's my pleasure! I absolutely loved it.

[@freelunchforchildren4040]

We love Shanghai, the city is so beautiful ❤️

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

It really is wonderful.

[@violetz9962]

So happy to see my hometown especially french concession where I grow up. Thank you John. ❤️

[@TL-fe9si]

I love your positive energy, you're always smiling :)

[@StephenandAndie]

Happy New Year, John! Wow, the hotel is STUNNING! Love the Christmas tree "walkthrough." 😊 Congrats on hitting 5K subs, but wow - you're already up almost another 2K already! That's amazing, and so well-deserved. The French Concession and Shanghai (from what you've shown) is Gorgeous, and the no-horn-honking is amazing, but must be somewhat surreal at the same time. This was awesome!

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Happy New Year Stephen and Andie! Thanks. Excited to be at 6k. Thanks to all those peeps who watched the video about the mall and decided to subscribe. 😆 It was such a great trip to Shanghai.

[@sharonsoon4866]

Love your cheerful personality. Thanks for a good video. The place is rather empty, usually it’s mountain people and river people (a Chinese way of saying, the place is very crowded).

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

人山人海 Is that right? I’ve said it a few times in my videos. I say people mountain people sea. 😂

[@hliska03]

Great video. The French Concession looks really pretty. I like the little bits of history mixed in.

[@debbiechan3887]

Massage is the best in China !!! I always get massages when I go back !! Shanghai a lot to do !!

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

So much to do Debbie. I was only there a short while but I’ll be back soon.

[@weizhu5603]

Love to see your smile 😃. Thanks for another beautiful episode.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thank you! So appreciate it.

[@66toonie]

I like this part of Shanghai too, the trees, the old buildings and all the small cafes and shops that line the streets. Thanks for sharing.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

It’s such a wonderful part of the city.

[@jennyohara4011]

Fabulous video!

[@weifengjiang7579]

The improvements in driving standards are a fairly recent thing - the last 10 years or so. Even when the Expo was on in 2010 honking was everywhere and giving way to pedestrians while turning wasn't a thing. In 2018 scooters were still riding as though they were above the law, I don't know how much that's changed.

[@veiking]

I once read from a history book that the reason why French Concession is so beautiful is because the French colonizers wanted to win their British neighbors who controlled the Public Concession (Apparently French people didn't have a good relationship with Brits at that time). It was so hilarious that French invested so much there that they didn't benefit economically from the colonization in Shanghai😂😂( disclaimer: the history book's point).

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

So interesting. I need to read up more about it because I’m really interested.

[@shuhewa]

​@@JohnThomasAbroad And qingdao consession of germany is so beautiful too, because Qingdao was administered by the Imperial Department of the Navy rather than the Imperial Colonial Office, germany navy invested a lot of mony .

[@prince_yt3406]

China was never colonized though?

[@veiking]

@@prince_yt3406 When foreigners control a place for a century, this is colonization in its purest form.

[@prince_yt3406]

@@veiking yeah but the influence in colonial rule has mostly gone away. Since they don’t speak the language. The only influence you might find in colonization is in Hong Kong and Macau

[@johnrogermaghuyop6106]

Happy New Year! Such a great vlog of Shanghai indeed! Explore the ancient Shanghai soon! :))

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Happy New Year to you John!

[@hawkeyehelen]

Happy new year. Been there in December years ago and it was freezing then. I love Shanghai and we stayed at the Peace Hotel before the renovations.

[@Juizhaigou]

My mum lived near Fuxing Park in the French Concession.

[@nurcandy7194]

Congratulations John! Merci Beaucoup! We all love you!

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks nur candy!! Appreciate you.

[@金鹏]

I really enjoy watching this one vlog,nice editing,and Shanghai is much much more fun than Tianjin,expecting more of these to come.🙌

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Don’t have your hopes too high. I was only there a short time. 😂. I will hopefully be back in January.

[@gyxtc]

“太贵了”。 Then proceeds to take the massage. LOL.

[@bombomu2]

Nice place , nice video shoot, nice personality. Those thing described your video and you

[@louisemann3306]

Happy New Year John! Just discovered your channel and think it's great, thanks for sharing. Can't wait for China to open up again so we can go visit.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Happy New Year. 🤞🏻 Everyone will be able to travel more this year.

[@tamterence5561]

dear John， happy new year to u

[@longyou8254]

Hey, happy new year 🎊🎆🎈

[@taboobunny9186]

Mon dieu! C'est manifique!!! J'adore!

[@Sophia-ox7tx]

Welcome to Shanghai 💕👏👍🍷🍾🥃🍵🍹🍸🥃🍷🥂🍻🍺🍶🥤🍵☕🍼🥛🍯🍪🍩🍿🍫🍬🍮🎂🍰🧁🥧🍦🍨🍧🥮🥠🍥🍘🍚🍤🥟🍱🍣🍛🍲🍜🍝🥫🥘🥗🌯🌮🥪🍕🍟🍔🍔🌭

[@josechong8207]

Nice hotel you were staying at and nice foyer... it does have that classical European/French feel to it... And the black/white effect and the music was like watching the silent movies (Charles Chaplin)... it was awesome...

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Jose that is the total effect I was going for. I even looked up silent movies to try to find a song! You nailed it.

[@xintian2299]

already over 5000. congrats

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thank le le.

[@cindywuzh1]

I like the French concession and you can check out Hu Nan Road.

[@chelu9820]

First😁

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

You sure are! Thanks for being here.

[@SohThirsty]

Haha Q and I went over to Shanghai 'hoping' to escape the cold too~ Congrats on hitting 5k before New years!

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks!

[@atlastang7909]

Welcome to Shanghai. It does be very cold in recent days. But I didn't realize that it snowed since I stayed indoor most of the time.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks Atlas. It was only for a little bit and then it stopped. Good to stay indoors during this cold weather.

[@perile]

The correct name of that quarter is Luwan Qü aka the FORMER French concession as the French or any other foreign countries have zero concessions in China anymore and ever again.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Great info! Thanks for sharing that.

[@weifengjiang7579]

There's no Luwan anymore, it's Huangpu now!

[@jcyeo75]

Which camera system u using? I can see the video portrait effect .

[@ellashy6539]

I remember the night scenes there was pretty awesome I partied all night at the French concession just can't remember that road name :(( I want to go back there one day

[@preciousjewels5921]

Your video exudes positivity, leaving out the negative anti-china propaganda lies.

[@Sophia-ox7tx]

Every thing is familiar

[@kingofhotpot1599]

WOW Love 2 videos in a week.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Glad you like them! I so enjoy making them.

[@hliska03]

Lol those cats are like ‘nope! That guys a dog person!’

[@SCIFIGAMESFANS]

we need see the bamboo sea ！！！

[@facefunny2518]

Nice video!

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@user-nz5qj6lc4m]

very nice hotel near the Bund.

[@pisces5144]

👍

[@yurimiyake]

Hi, John, enjoying your videos. I am living in Ningbo which locates 200 km away from Shanghai. If you have any plans to visit Ningbo, I would be happy to be the local guider. Have a happy new year !

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

I need to go to Ningbo. Thanks for the offer. I would love that.

[@Makaash]

@@JohnThomasAbroad we go for a beer then!

[@tottiwang4150]

Mr. John, Long time to see you,how about your New year 🎊 holiday?

[@azharidris7092]

that hotel lobby reminds me of the grand dame ''the Raffles hotel'' in Singapore.. OMG.. i didn't know you're a rich kid..

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

It totally reminds me of Raffles in Singapore. Great call! Haha, I absolutely splurge a little bit. In my last video I explain about my Christmas present to myself was a beautiful hotel for the holiday. Thanks for watching Azhar.

[@jpdemontigny]

It is actually called the Former French Concession.

[@bz1138]

you should have flied to a southern city in China. If not allowed to Macau, you can fly to Zhuhai, which is next to Macau. Zhuhai is much warmer in winter time.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

I totally thought of that. They only had two flights out of Tianjin and they are in the morning and I missed them that day. I really wanted to go there.

[@back_to_the_future9187]

Shanghai is also cold in winter, problem is there is no central heating system like in north..so people try everything to keep themselves warm at home😅 ......btw the kitty is so cute 🐱 lol

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Luckily I had heat but I had heard that it can get cold at night. They were cure kitties for sure.

[@back_to_the_future9187]

@@JohnThomasAbroad FYI: Yu Garden is also famous and worth to visit and try some Xiaolongbao(Soup Dumpling?) at meantime .just like every tourist did in SH😉

[@weifengjiang7579]

@@back_to_the_future9187 I wouldn't bother with Xiaolong at Chenghuamiao / Yu Garden - they are tourist traps. There are loads of other Xiaolong joints dotted all over town, Fuchun, Jiajia, etc, even the Laoshengxings, Laoshengchangs or Laohongxings of the world are better.

[@Pixmosphere]

Enjoy Shanghai. I never saw the Bund so empty 🤭

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks. It was cold outside. Not Shenyang cold though. 😂

[@Pixmosphere]

@@JohnThomasAbroad with the right clothes you're good to go anywhere 😁

[@samuelyang9729]

Good video. Normandie Apartments is located in Xuhui District. Wukang Da Lou or Wukang Mansion is its Chinese name.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks for coming through with the all the great info Samuel.

[@GeorgeLouVideo]

Cars are not allowed to honk? That's great. Thanks for the tour.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

It’s wonderful!

[@alextjflorida]

I really hate this name: French concession. I know it is the history. But it hurts my feelings. Those western countries invaded into China and plundered my country. Please don't use that name. In Tianjin, I never, ever call an area as french concession. NO WAY.

[@ramenfit5983]

It’s fine bro, let’s be more自信

[@ramenfit5983]

现在法国连动动嘴的能力都没了，就让他叫租界吧，他又能怎么样。现在的兔子可没人敢小看了

[@cchen6522]

@@ramenfit5983 不是自信不自信的问题，这和把美国叫成大英殖民地差不多，活在过去

[@weifengjiang7579]

覅介玻璃心

[@paxpolitica5451]

Was honk not allow in the whole Shanghai or only the French Concession?

[@alennag7558]

No honking inside the outer ring。

[@iseeflowers]

If you don’t mind me to ask you, are you teaching or doing business in China? Just curious what visa you’re holding. Thanks

[@twist777hz]

I always thought the Normandie bldg has the same vibe as the Flatiron bldg in NYC😊

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Good call. I could see that.

[@ItStartsWithAStep]

Looks like a beautiful area :) love the streets and park is beautiful :) love the fountain

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks Kate!

[@kingofhotpot1599]

Maybe 6k by New year? Let's hope!

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Maybe?! 🤞

[@kingofhotpot1599]

Hi John! (I don't want to rush you or anything) but just want ask you: Any update for your new video?

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Haha. I just posted a community post about the video out tomorrow! Hope you enjoy it.

[@tamterence5561]

also very cold in Shenzhen lately

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

I was surprised how cold it was in Shanghai.

[@tamterence5561]

@@JohnThomasAbroad lol

[@chiaweinam]

That art deco building is said to be haunted. A few famous personalities committed suicide there during the cultural revolution.

[@ubermenschen3636]

@8:38, now that you pique our interest in the French “Art Deco” style Normandy building, why didn’t you offer us a closer look? Are you a big teaser?

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

😂 I am. Sorry about that. Good idea for another video.

[@kingofapex9493]

Waldorf Astoria, dude, are you super rich?

[@ubermenschen3636]

@3:06, Are those single family homes? Who lives there?

[@junliliu4997]

You got the meaning of Fuxing park wrong. This park is 3 bus stops from my home in Shanghai. Fuxing or 复兴 means revival, rejuvenation. For a hundred some years China was taken advantage of and oppressed by the western powers and by the Japanese since the Opium War. The park was named to show Chinese people's resolve to take our country back. This has mostly be fulfilled, wouldn't you agree? The only thing left is the reunification of Taiwan province. This will come to fruition in a few short years.

[@weifengjiang7579]

No need to be so political on a tourist channel.

[@fmchen4533]

fuxing doesn’t mean light star. But idk how to translate either. Lol. Somebody help me.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks. There was a plaque on the outside of the park with English translation but forgot to get a photo.

[@kevinyang3949]

@@JohnThomasAbroad 复兴（Fu4 Xing1） means revival. 兴 is different from 星（star）though they have the same pronuciation😁

[@chriswang6180]

You need to turn off the portrait mode but nice video.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks for the tip. I have been playing with the Cinematic mode but I agree with you it was challenging and I had some footage I could not use.

[@ubermenschen3636]

@4:34, are these stray cats?

[@AmelieZh]

yes

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Yes. Sometimes you see them in parks.

[@kittyyodatv1432]

massage in canada cost more than $45/hour😂 it is not too expensive.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

For China it is a little pricey but to be expected in this area. 😆

[@charleneji6759]

I've always liked your videos. Do you have a bilibili account? If yes, sharing your videos would be much easier.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

Thanks Charlene. I have one but I haven’t uploaded to it. In the new year I look to see if I can get help with that. I’ll let you know.

[@wl6283]

Cat is so faaaaaaat!

[@jadenng1137]

I wonder if u can speak or read or write some Chinese.

[@JohnThomasAbroad]

I speak a little and can’t write but learning to read more.

[@jupplut6159]

The reason the French and all other western colonialist gave theirs concession real estates Chiangkaishek KMT, so he has the incentive to fight against the invading Japanese army, rather then joining the Japanese army to throw out the Western colonialism,

[@ubermenschen3636]

Plug::: I really doubt you have studied much of recent Chinese history, especially the 1900s.

[@hliska03]

Wow can we get that ban on honking your horn in New York 😂