A Sense of Wonder

Almost 100 years ago, San Francisco hosted the greatest international event ever held in this city. The event was an international world's fair named the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Held in 1915, it honored the completion and opening of the Panama Canal the year before. More than 18 million international visitors came to San Francisco, each marveling at the incredible achievement this event represented, just nine years after the great earthquake of 1906.
For those who know this city well, a look at a map of the exposition grounds is shocking. Stretching from the Presidio to Fort Mason, the PPIE grounds covered an immense piece of land. Looking at old photos of what the buildings built for the Exposition looked like, it is hard to believe that all that remains of the dozens of buildings is the Palace of Fine Arts. On the Exposition map, the Palace of Fine Arts is a mere speck.
All buildings were built in a disposable manner. They were built of plasters and light materials. The plan was for them to be demolished following the closure of the Exposition. Again, when we see photos of the grand structures, statues, fountains, arches, and more that were built for the event, it is hard to imagine that all were temporary.
Many say that it is amazing that the Palace of Fine Arts remains. The Palace is beautiful, but I can't help feeling sad whenever I see it, knowing that it is the only structure that remains from a complex that was truly incredible. I find it even harder to imagine that the same construction workers that built the buildings were probably the same that had to dismantle and tear everything down. That job wouldn't be one I'd want to do. Rai, maybe you could undo the wrongs of the past, beginning today. Why not use those plastic tools of yours to bring the Exposition grounds back to the grandeur of 1915. Can you do it?