The one thing both Joe and I cherish most about that cosmopolitan city by the Huang Pu River was the blending of cultures – European lifestyle amid an Oriental setting! We had the best of both worlds – English discipline, French chic, finest cuisine from all over the world, and entertainment par excellence, including the best Filipino talent.
Our first stop was naturally The Bund, the historical row of European-designed buildings commissioned by the foreign taipans after China opened its ports to international trade. We were familiar with most of the structures since we passed by them on our way to school. The most impressive were the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, Customs House, Sassoon House, Bank of China and Broadway Mansions.
Our next destination was our alma mater – St. Francis Xavier’s College – founded in 1874 by the Catholic Marist Brothers. When we presented ourselves as alumni, we were warmly received. They gave us copies of souvenir programs commemorating the school’s 115th, 120th and 125th anniversaries.
They have made tremendous improvements on the school’s buildings and grounds. The old four-story structure has been completely reinforced and redesigned to accommodate the growing student population. The athletic field has been resurfaced with attractive Astroturf. In place of the handball court was a modern six-story science building (topped by an indoor auditorium/gymnasium) geared toward the information technology age.
The school is very proud of its heritage. A huge blown-up photo of the original St. Francis Xavier’s College is prominently displayed in a specially designated podium. The latest anniversary issue contains historic background on the institution’s many past achievements. Alumni from all over the world continue to visit the school, offering endowments and scholarships.
In the afternoon, we decided to take a leisurely stroll through Nanking Road, the main shopping district where all the important department stores are located. Tramlines used to run through the center, leaving very narrow sidewalks overflowing with shoppers. Today, the kilometer-long thoroughfare is a pedestrian promenade with an attractively designed walkway lined with shade trees and potted plants. It exudes a refreshing garden atmosphere.
At the end of the promenade is an area designated as the City Center. We found three famous landmarks still intact – Park Hotel (the tallest building in the 1940s), YMCA Hostel (which has complete indoor sports facilities) and the Grand Theater (Shanghai’s largest moviehouse).
From the City Center, we hiked the next seven blocks toward more familiar territory – the Bubbling Well Circle – our main after-school activity area. A stone’s throw from picturesque French Town and exuding a Bohemian ambience, it afforded easy access to cafés and restaurants, theaters and parks, schools and churches patronized by the foreign residents. The exciting exuberance we experienced in the past was nowhere to be found.
So on to our next destination a few blocks away – Pacific Gardens – clusters of townhouses surrounding a small garden. The whole compound was fenced in and ready for demolition. What a pity! In the 1940s, a dozen families of Filipino musicians lived there. We even had a barangay captain who saw to it that Filipino festivals were celebrated, folk songs sung in Tagalog, the youth able to dance the tinikling with grace and dexterity.
Now some personal observations on the new Shanghai – Pudong. To say that Joe and I were impressed would be an understatement. We were completely overwhelmed! We never thought we would see infrastructure of such magnitude in a Third World country – the Orient Pearl TV Tower (the world’s third tallest), the circular Nan Pu Bridge, the Yang Pu suspension bridge, the new Pudong International Airport. At such a pace, Shanghai may eventually emerge as the biggest city of the third millennium.