Many of those buildings are still standing today , and give the island a laid-back , old-world feeling , similar to the french concession in shanghai , now rapidly being gentrified with boutique hotels and high class shops and restaurants .
It is easy to see why the perfectly gentrified , former working-class jordaan is a favourite of overseas buyers , but it is also a place of contrast , with a pervasive , kooky atmosphere rather at odds with a deep-rooted conservatism .