Peace in 2010

Business travelers, tourist and natives alike (especially Chris Arnold) are happy at today's report that Shanghai landmark the Peace Hotel is on schedule to reopen in March of 2010.

A little of the history of the Bund. I recommend Stella Dong's

Shanghai : The Rise and Fall of a Decadent City 1842-1949 for your next plane ride. This is an entertaining history of the days of anything goes Shanghai complete with vice, larger than life charters and the struggles leading to the formation of the modern PRC.