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| Looking towards Pudong, East Shanghai |
I took this photo from the eighth floor of the Peace hotel in Shanghai when I was there with old classmate, Padge for the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament. We sat court side for a Federer match. It was a rare crystal clear day in Shanghai.
The eight floor of the Peace hotel is down by the Bund. It’s a beautiful Art Deco hotel restored to its original glory. And the restaurant on the 8th is a very good Chinese restaurant. One of the best I’ve been to in China. And I lived in China for years, lived in Shanghai 1989 to 1990. Had a Golden Year of my life there.
When I was in Shanghai in 1989, Pudong, above, did not exist. It was bare fields. The mayor, Zhu Rongji told us “we’re going to build a modern financial centre over there” and we’re, like, “sure”. I learned yet again, when the Chinese say they’re going to do something, it’s usually best to believe them. That’s the way to make money. I’d had the same experience back in 1976, when they said they were going to turn the paddy fields into a major city. Today it’s the city of Shenzhen with 13 million people, twice the size of Hong Kong.
