The rain can't dampen the smiles on the faces of these walkers who took part in one of the five free guided tours yesterday designed to highlight Shanghai's beauty spots, history and culture. Their tour took in, among others, the historic Normandie Apartments, designed by architect Laszlo Hudec, Shanghai Camera History Museum, and the former residences of Chinese writer Ba Jin and cartoonist Zhang Leping. The walks were part of the ongoing Shanghai Tourism Festival.(Wang Rongjiang)
More than 500 residents, tourists and expatriates braved the rain to take part in free walking tours in five districts yesterday.
The walks exploring the city's beauty spots and looking at history and culture were a highlight of the Shanghai Tourism Festival.
The walking tours took in Xuhui, Hongkou, Huangpu, Jing'an and Changning districts and guides told the stories behind landmark buildings and exquisite garden villas.
The Xuhui tour started from the tranquil though trendy Wukang Road and then went along Anfu Road, Wulumuqi Road M., Wuyuan Road, Yongfu Road and Huaihai Road M.
Walkers were told about the historic Normandie Apartments (Wukang Building) designed by architect Laszlo Hudec, born in 1893 in today's Slovakia, during the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.
The Xuhui walk also encompassed Shanghai Camera History Museum; the former residence of Chinese writer Ba Jin; the renowned balcony of a Spanish-style villa on Wukang Road, nicknamed "Juliet's balcony;" and the former residence of cartoonist Zhang Leping on Wuyuan Road.
The Xuhui route called "Walk For Health and Life," was sponsored by the healthcare company Abbott.
"I think the tour is very interesting for the houses that have been chosen because they are of different times and now you can imagine how people in Shanghai lived years ago," said Susanne Koster from Germany, who has been living in Shanghai for three years.
