Meet B at Quarry Bay MTR. B is my friend that I met in San Fran. She and her friend R are going to Guangzhou for trade show. I will travel with and visit J and I in Guangzhou. J was pianist in MDF competition in 2001 in Miami. B and I go to TST MTR, and then to Miramar Hotel, where we have a cup of coffee and wait for R. Soon R comes and we take taxi to Humg Hom Train Station. There we get tickets for thru train to Guangzhou. $190HK (about $25). This train does not stop in Shenzhen. The train ride is very pleasant. I do not notice any real change when we enter PRC--my first time in a so-called communist country. We arrive in Guangzhou and go thru immigration and customs. I have a dual entry China visa, so no problem, and I will still be able to go to Shanghai this weekend.
J and ZZ meet me at train station, and I say goodbye to B and R.. J and ZZ have arranged for a hotel room for me at Wen Zing Lou Hotel, near their apartment. We take taxi. About 15 minutes, cost about 25RMB ($3). Traffic is amazing--lots of cars, trucks, buses, pedestrians, motorbikes, bikes, all at same time. We arrive at the hotel in quiet residential area in gated community. Room is very pleasant--two beds, bathroom, cable TV, phone. J and ZZ give me gift--small set of hanging bells on a stand. Very pretty and very sweet of them to do this.
We then walk to nearby restaurant for lunch. Order fish w. curry and coconut, goose intestines, cold green veggie, rice. All pretty good, even the goose--a little chewy, but pleasant in brown sauce.
We walk back to the hotel. On the way we walk past a small store. J gets some sugar cane. Clerk takes large knife and strips away the hard bark/covering, and cuts off portions about a foot long. You chew on the stalk and suck-out the sugar juice. Same as in Hawaii. When we arrive at apartment we talk and I show them photos of the trip so far. We then take the bus to supermarket (Bai Jia) in central Guangzhou. It is a very big market. First floor has durable goods and electronics/appliances. Second floor is food. We go to second floor, get groceries for dinner. Lots of fresh food, good selection, great prices. Very clean, very busy. New store, about 3 years ago? I notice several foreigners shopping there. ZZ will cook dinner. We get chicken, cabbage, etc.
We take taxi back to their studio apartment. Small but pleasant. ZZ cooks, J and I listen to music and watch video of her performing. Nice to listen to classical music again. ZZ does wonders in small kitchen--just a one burner stove! ZZ is vocal/tenor grad student at college. J works with Guangzhou Symphony and teaches piano. Nice young couple. ZZ's dinner is very good.
We then we take taxi to Pearl River for night time boat ride. The city is really beautiful at night. Many buildings have lighting just for visual effect. Bridges are all lit-up. Riversides have walkways with lighting in trees. It is a world class appearance. I try to take photos, but the motion of the boat makes all of the images blurry. Oh well. Night is very pleasant, light breeze. Ride is 68RMB each (about $8), for upstairs seating, including coffee/tea and fruit. Nice tour boat. Some commentary (in Chinese). Mostly Chinese people, but some trade show people also, including very happy group speaking middle eastern language (perhaps Arabic?). Very international! I notice river is dirty, tell J that I hope the govt cleans-up river. It is possible to do this. Remember the burning river of Cleveland?
We get back to hotel about 11:15. Say goodnight. Watch some TV. Some English language programs. HK news program, and CCTV and local stuff. Then to sleep.
I awake at about 8:30 AM. J and ZZ will come to room at about 9:00 with Chinese breakfast. I don't know what it will be exactly. I told them I do not want too much food! Then after breakfast I think we will go to a park. This afternoon I will go to trade show, meet R and B, then we will take train to Shenzhen, stay a couple hours, then back to HK.
As agreed, J and ZZ arrive soon after 9:00. They bring 3 boxes--one is combination of egg and very wide/soft noodle; two is same with beef; third is ???. We share all 3 boxes. The combo of noodles and egg is quite good. I check-out of hotel (J and ZZ had already paid and refuse my attempt to repay them, won't even tell me cost!). Luckily I am carrying only one overnite bag.
We take taxi to Jin Shing building, the tallest building in Guangzhou--88 floors. There is no observation deck, but you can go to 48th floor (where elevators change between lower and upper floors) and look out the window. Even with hazy air the view is very nice. So much new high-rise construction. Amazing. Then we walk to subway and go to XXX park. Admission is 5 RMB (about $0.70), and they let me pay it! We walk into park--very large. We find large pond/small lake and rent foot paddle boat (similar to what I did in Seoul). While boating we notice that the lake has lots of goldfish type fish, very large. Along the shore some people are feeding the fish. Wow! What a frenzy of fish! Fun to watch.
We go back to shore and then search for the 5 Goat Statue. Very famous Guangzhou statue and myth--Guangzhou founded by these 5 goats. The statue is at the top of the highest hill in the park. Chinese tour groups taking photos near statue. So do we. Then exit park for lunch.
Go to Shuang Pi Nai restaurant, which serves dish of same name--custard of milk and egg. Slightly sweet, cold, good. We also have local meal served in large bowls, with rice, veggie, chicken (mine). Total cost of meal for 3 people, 40 RMB, about $5. Time now to head to China Hotel to try to meet-up with B and R. Short taxi ride. Say goodbye to J and ZZ. They were so nice, gracious. I thank them for their kindness.
I get to the China Hotel, and I manage to telephone B. We agree that it is too late for me to come to the trade show, and that we will meet at her hotel later. About 6:00 I meet B and R at their hotel. We have dinner in a nearby seafood restaurant. We select 2 live fish for our dinner, and soon we are enjoying a delicious meal. I am getting spoiled with such fresh fish! Like Sunday on Lamma Island, the fish is like butter, just melts in your mouth.
We then take a taxi to the main Guangzhou Train Station, and catch a take train to Shenzhen, about 70 minutes. Get off train, follow B and R to spa. Caters to both men and woman. My first time in such a place. Go to locker room, strip, take shower, then massage table where masseuse scrubs back with sponge (?)--very nice, my back has never been so clean! Then put on pajamas, go out to foot massage area, get massage with B and R. Room is large, well-lit, men and women customers and new and women masseuses. While your feet are being attended to, you are served tea or soft drink, and fruit. You can talk, watch TV, or snooze. Very pleasant.
Then time to go, catch last train to Hong Kong at 12:00 midnight. Get back to HK about 12:40, then take the last MTR train home. Get to bed late. Whew! Tired! What couple days!
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