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What an experience and I truly got to admire this hotel for all they offer ... I didn't sleep there but were using a suite my friend booked for friends and relatives to get themselves ready for a wedding reception. I was braiding my friend's cousin's (10yrs) hair, everyone else was getting ready for the reception ... the room had an adjoining livingroom, the girls were putting on makeup and brushing their hair in the bedroom while the guys straightened their ties and tied the shoes in the livingroom side ... we all got into our dresses and combed our hair to get ready for the event! Service in the hall was awesome, food delicious, service quick, and though some food didn't look inviting ... though I tried it and boy they can cook ... whatever I ate at supper, 'it' tasted great! Before leaving Guangzhou for the scheduled trip around China the family and extended family all met for Dim Sum at the Garden Hotel one morning ... now this was even better than supper ... my tongue was 'dripping' for certain dishes (primarily made with rice doe) ... man, it doesn't compare to Canadian Chinese Food ... So even if you don't plan on staying here, do go for their Dim Sum (one morning) to complete your trip to Guangzhou before getting on your next flight!!!!!!!!

After a fair nights sleep at the Hostel ( beds were similar to the comfort of Big Johns )
started the day with breakfast out in the local area across from Shamin Island.
Chow Fun for less than $1 and sticky rice for about $.75
What a bargain!

Went through was is known as Quing Ping Market, lots of kittens, puppies, rabbits, for sale.
Along with snakes, fish, frogs, and other live stuff.  

Made our way to the efficient but crowded metro, and vistited Chan Ancesteral Hall and
Guangzhou's version of Xie Park.  Tried to buy the overnight bus ticket to Yangshuo, but
only 1 seat remained, so we purchased tickets for the next days bus leaving at 9:10am.
That meant we had to stay 1 more night in Guangzhou, so we stayed an additonal night back on
Shamin Island.  Had another bargain dinner in the local area and made our way back to the
Hostel, which had almost a full house  of travelers this night.  We both had lost our prime
lower bunks, so we were both on top bunks for the night.

So we are off to Yangshuo in the morning.........A 9 hour bus ride

I stayed here long ago, so things might have changed. I got such a good deal on the President Hotel that I had to take it. I did not know what to expect as sometimes booking a hotel on-line is either a hit or a miss. Overall, I was very happy with the hotel. It was very comfortable. The room was clean, the bed was huge, the hot water worked, and the staff was friendly. My only complaint was the walls seemed to be a little thin as I could hear the tenants next door very clearly. That or that person was extremely loud. It is in a decent location and it is fairly easy to get to almost any important place in the city. It is also close to shopping and a little cobblestone district that made one feel as though they were back in old China.

I'm now heading to the airport in Shanghai and not looking forward to returning to Guangzhou because from that point on I will only be going in the direction of home (west) ... it's not that this full trip is over, I still have over 2 weeks left in B.C. Canada ... but the really big part of this travel experience of touring overseas will be ending on January 15th, 2007 :(

Today (Jan 14th,2008), I finally decided on the leather boots I would buy and so left Shanghai with a bit of fashion ... I wonder now, why did I buy them but when I do put them on they do make my outfit go from casual to fashionable ... perhaps I can make use of them when in Las Vegas ... I usually live in sweats shirts but Shanghai showed me something, "I'm out of style" ... I don't need a fashion show to tell me that LOL

The flight was quick and this now being my 8th flight for this whole trip, I''m certainly lucky ... I haven't lost lugguge, or I haven't had items stolen, pretty lucky so far ... I beginning to think I'm just LUCKY ... We hopped into a cab and headed from the Guangzhou airport to her families' apartment ... she only spoke Cantonese during the trip back to her home ... I felt lonely for a second in this strange new world of China ... It must be my upbringing but I was always told to use the primary language of our guests when socializing ... but perhaps that's just a 'Canadian thing' ... my future ventures may answer that simple question

Her Mom and Dan gave me a Traditional Tea Set (painted with traditional Chinese Carp), Tea, Sweaters, and other nick-nacks ... Her parents were so hospitable and before leaving I bought the whole family breafast ... Chinese of course ... I didn't eat any Western foods, well I did slip in my coffees and Coke-A-Cola drinks

Guangzhou I felt was smog free in comparison to the other cities in China that I visited ... astonishing since the population of Guangzhou is quite high, perhaps I just lucked out when SMOG was low either way I left Guangzhou with great memories and a fondess for that city that makes me feel I will return ... What a country China is, I still can't believe I got the opportunity to go!!!!!!!!

Right now I am really anxious to return to my country of origin ... I sure did experience loneliness and realize how important my husband, 3 girls, and extended family are, 'in my world'

What a great place! Guangzhou is located in Southern China and is the capital of the province of Guangdong approximately 200kms North of Hong Kong; by plane it took me about 20minutes from the HK airport.  Being that Guangzhou is a metropolitan, the city I found was full of many huge/tall skyscrapers, they are so high and colourful, serial!  This photo I quickly took from within the Tour Bus ... pretty clear for a 'window shot'.

You have to learn to take chances & cross the streets or else you'd never make it across. If 'J-Walking'isn't in your vocabulary it will become one in Guangzhou. I loved being taught by my father's friend how & when to properly cross ... this coming from a 'Non-J-Walker'! Guangzhou is very green; everywhere I looked, shrubs, grass and trees adorn this city..on on-ramps/off-ramps ... & on pedestrian bridges over city streets. Guangzhou, to me, is'going green'and their skies are blue!

The people are very hospitable and you better be prepared to eat & drink tea, tea, and more tea.  Also be sure to reach out and signal for a cab ... they're everywhere but you got to get on the street and waved to them ... no calling a cab company, in advance, to book a cab.

If you have time, for only $15Rmb for adults or half for students, visit The Guangdong Museum of Art which is a major cultural establishment in the province and the largest of its kind in China (http://www.gdmoa.org/en_gaikuang/).  Unfortunately, when we arrived it was closed, but I did go around and take beautiful pictures of the statues that surround the museum.  The art displayed outside the museum, to me, is very modern in comparison to the many temples and history I have heard on the Ming Dinasty etc. or religious history of Buddha ... I guess this will be a place for me to go next time and the price is less than $2.00CAD or $15RMB ... it's amazing how far our Canadian dollar will go in China and how much I was able to buy there ... but even with that $$ advantage, I ask myself "why didn't I buy a Jade bracelet, a little Buddha, etc. etc. I guess I did want was to go to Macau, Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, and Shanghai with money ... so I wanted to 'watch' my spending while at my homebase, Guangzhou!

The Pearl River runs through Guangzhou and at night there's a cruize with supper to experience the night lights of Guangzhou ... I had the opportunity to do this and admire the city night lights ... one other thing that you should plan while touring Guangzhou

Check out this site for great places to visit in Guangzhou http://www.sinohotelguide.com/aboutcanton/scenes.html or http://www.cbbc.org/china_guide/city_guides/guangzhou.html will help you to decide ... where to go when in Guangzhou ... you have to do it all, only places I didn't visit was inside the Art and Music Museum (it was Sunday, they were closed) but I took great pictures of these building so beautifully shaped, especially the Xinghai Concert Hall, its shape is fantastic!!! I've posted 2 pics of the concert hall ... again I had no time but at least I visited it!

Located in Shamian Island, the French colonial area in World War 2. So the enviorment is peaceful (which is rare in Guangzhou) and stylistic. u may need a little time waiting to enjoy the food, if u haven't book a room. always full booking.

a typical german restarant and Cafe. located by the Pearl River, 2 minites walk from Guangzhou Hotel. u can find Wurst und Bier there, live show and happy hours are also recommandable. The cafe is a 2-stories building, established by German people in the year 1920, after which its name was called. Guten Apetit!

My train journey from Hong Kong to mainland China is a breeze; in an hour-something I'm in the Peoples Republic of China, worlds most populous country, economic powerhouse, manufacturer of half the things in your house. Probably. I'm on my way to Guangzhou, capital of the Guangdong province and centre of one of the three biggest economic regions of China. In Guangzhou I also planned to meet up with a TravBuddy: Calvin (zkw)!

I was browsing TravBuddy a while back on information of southern China when I came across an amazing blog about chinese characters. It explained how the characters are based on drawings and how they're combined to create modern words and expressions. Read the blog here. It all made perfect sense to me, instead of combining letters to form words. I contacted Calvin and he explained me a whole lot more. He gives me a heap of advise on traveling in China as well, which helped me out a lot. Calvin is a Gaungzhou resident, and as I would be passing through there, we agree to meet up.

Calvin picks me up from the train station and drives me to my hotel. I'm staying on the other side of the city, bordering the main train station. While checking I immediately experience a new reality: almost no-one here speaks english, so much unlike Hong Kong. The staff tries the explain to me that the price of my room will double on the third day because of a major trade convention kicking off, but there's no way we understand each other. I'm glad that Calvin is there with me, as he sorts it all out in a breeze. After dropping my bags at me room (which is tiny, but good enough for me), we go to get some dinner. Calvin is determined to show me some of the famous Guangdong cuisine and he takes me to a nice restaurant in the middle of the city. Calvin orders the food and I don't regret it; in my five months on the road, I haven't eaten such delicious food! There is cow lung, spicy meat, steamed vegetables, sweet rice balls filled with sugar and seeds in soup, herbal tea and beer on the side, just amazing! It's so different than what we eat as chinese in the West. That would better qualify as general asian, not as chinese. Calvin insists on paying and we go for an after dinner walk along the Pearl River and on Shamian Island, where a lot of western governments, organizations and companies are situated.

Back in the car Calvin has a question for me.
Calvin: "Hey Nic, do you know how to drink tea?"
Nicander: "Sure I can drink tea!"
Calvin: "So if I buy you a teapot, you can show me how to drink tea?"
Nicander: "Err.. What's the catch? What do you mean with drinking? But I reckon I can do it! I think everyone can drink tea, can't they?"
Calvin: *smiling*

Well Nic, think again.

Drinking tea is a complete ceremony in China, almost an art. Your teacups are rinsed with the boiling hot tea before you drink from them, and the tea gets poured in different pots so that it doesn't get too strong while you're enjoying your first cups. Everyone gets two cups; a long slender one, and a small wider one. The tea gets poured in the longer cup, and you put the other cup over it. Hold on tight, don't burn your fingers and turn them around, without spilling any tea. Then slowly lift the long cup, so that the tea flows into the other one. Enjoy! As I pour Calvin another cup, he taps two fingers on the table, then explains it to me. A certain emperor (can't remember his name unfortunately) wanted to know about the thoughts of the common people on his rule. As an absolute ruler, no-one would have told him in his face, so he disguised himself and his ministers and set out to the streets. At a tea house he would pour tea for his ministers, who obviously couldn't acknowledge their emperor by thanking him and getting on their knees. Instead, to would tap two fingers on the table, symbolizing kneeling in front of their emperor. The story, the tea drinking ceremony and Calvin's hospitality made for an awesome night for which I'm really thankful. Drinking tea with Calvin in the traditional chinese way is one of the best travel experiences I've had so far.

The next day I set out to explore Guangzhou on my own. I visit the Chen Clan mansions, a block of buildings build by the powerful Chen Clan. I'm in awe of all the magnificent wood, ivory and stone sculptures. Why don't we have people in Europe anymore who can do that? In the middle ages we had craftsmen like that, but sadly we lost that skill. I also visit Shamian Island again, where the rain starts pouring down. It's funny to see that every westerner flees to the Starbucks for shelter. Later I visit the mausoleum of the Nanyue King. The Lonely Planet thinks highly of the museum and tomb, but to tell you the truth I find it fairly boring. That saturday night I looking for a place to party, but can't find anything. Why oh why do I not speak Chinese? Why oh why do they not speak english? After a fruitless search I head back to my hotel, looking like a drowned rat. What a shitty night.

The following morning starts off better though. I'm ready to set out again when Calvin calls me. Having his own IT company, his time is very flexible and he proposes to show me around the outskirts of Guangzhou and the Pearl River delta. Sweet as! He comes over and helps me but my overnight train ticket to Guilin before we set out to University City, the mega campus of Guangzhou. We have a stroll in an oldnew village along the river, and via the Guangzhou museum of art, we return back to Guangzhou for lunch. The food is, once again, amazing. Shoarma like pita bread filled with meat, roasted potato coated with sugar, noodle soup with alcohol, and a sort of mutton porridge. Delicious! This time I pay and afterwards we walk along the pedestrian area where we visit a traditional chinese medicine shop. You can buy anything here, from deer tails and turtle shells to dried sea horses and tree roots. The biggest root they have will set you back 680.000 yuan; 62.000 euros or 97.000 US dollars. Stop whining, I'm sure it'll will cure you!

After another great day Calvin drops me back at my hotel where we say goodbye and I make my way to the train station. My time in Guangzhou wouldn't have been half the fun without you Calvin. Thanks for your hospitality, your time and company mate, it was priceless!

Our journey into China was very straightforward， we caught a “high speed” train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou，brilliant I thought a chinese equivalent of Eurostar。。。。no such luck。 By high speed it meant that it didnt stop at every station！ Guangzhou had a metro system all in english so we found our hotel very easily。 We stayed in a really nice part of the city， with colonial buildings。 To be honest it looked more like France than China，but it was alot less hectic than the rest of the city。The days that we spent there consisted of walking around the city。 It is such an interesting place and so much to see and do。We ended up walking down various back streets with all kinds of animals and organs for sale。 I had forgotton what it was like to be stared at， as there are so many foreigners in Thailand that we kind of blended in。 We did however nearly walk into a school thinking it was a temple so to be fair I would probably stare at someone for doing that！

We decided to head next to a place called Yangshou a 7 hour bus ride away。 What an experience that was。 Buying the tickets was fairly straightforward as the ticket lady spoke some english。Finding our bus was somewhat of a nightmare as there were at least 3 different bus stations and the only part of town with no english signs。 After showing our ticket to numerous people we eventually got ourselves onto the bus。 If Russell and myself do not get flu this trip I think it will be a miracle，there are so many people coughing and spluttering， no wonder people wear surgical masks。 As for the spitting， well I just dont know how Chinese people have so much phlegm， it seems a continous supply！

Now onto the bus journey， some of the most spectacular views I have ever seen and so different to anything else we have seen travelling。 We drove through villages， which looked like things you see in history books， hundreds of years old and so many people working on the land in various ways。 The scenery was also beautiful， so different to the cities， there were millions of miles of random large rocks just everywhere and all shapes and sizes。（I cant describe it but you will see in the pictures！）The only bad thing was the drivers are absolutely mental， we must have spent more time on the wrong side of the road than our own。Never have I been so scared on a journey，so much so that we are no longer getting buses places unless we really have to。（See I am still very sensible mum！）

Respasta pyydettiin taksi ja laukkupoika lähti huutelemaan taksia kadulle. Laukkupoika sai 3 yuania, josta naama venyi leveään virneeseen.

Tämäkään taksikuski ei osannut enkkua. Mutta laukkupoika kertoi osoitteen kiinaksi. Hetken kentällä pälyilyä, kun ei löytynyt check inniin. Kentällä ohjattiin, että laukut pitää käydä vielä suljetuttamassa kiinni, mikä tietysti maksoi 30 yuania.

Sitten täytettiin taas lappuja. Ja taas vyö piippasi. Ostettiin lopuilla rahoilla pullo viskiä ja karkkia. Jo rupesi kentällä suomalaisia näkymään. 10 tuntia koneessa. Onneksi oli paljon tilaa, kun meidänkään penkkirivillä oli vain me.

Ihana matka!

Saavuimme Kiinaan Guangzhouhun, jossa lentokentän edessä oli heti taksikyydin tarjoajia. Pyysivät kyydistä hotellillemme 200 yuania ja pudottivat 150 yuaniin, kun ei suostuttu. Mut ei suostuttu sittenkään, vaan odoteltiin virallisessa taksijonossa. Siinä olikin kyltti, ettei saa / kannata mennä kuin oikean taksin kyytiin. Ja Kirsikin sanoi, että sen pituinen matka maksaa ehkä noin 100 yuania. Maksoimme kyydistä 75 yuania. Kuski ei tarkkaan tiennyt, mihin mennä. Tiesi vain sen alueen. Vähän hirvitti. Se vain kiinaa posotti ja pyysi hotellin osoitetta useasti nähtäväksi, joka minulla oli Kirsin ansiosta Kiinan karakteereilla. Jos sitä ei olisi ollut, ei oltais päästy hotelliin, kun kukaan ei puhu englantia –vielä vähemmän kuin Shanghaissa tai Pekingissä. Jotenkin Kirsistä oli suuri apu taksineuvojensa kanssa. Hyvin kuitenkin päästiin perille. Kuski selvästikin kysyi meiltä ohjeita. Onneksi olin netistä nähnyt hotellin kuvan, koska kun näin sen taksin ikkunasta, osoittelin kovasti sinne päin, niin kuski ymmärsi ajaa pihaan.

Hotellihuone oli 7. kerroksessa ja aivan karmea! Suihkuverho oli homeessa, sängyt kivikovat ja todella likaista. Ikkunasta oli kuitenkin hyvä näkymä, kun oli iso ikkuna ja korkealla. Joten pitkälle näkyi maisemia. Ilma tosin oli sateesta ihan samea eikä yhtään kaunis maisema ollutkaan. Myös respa ymmärsi tosi vähän enkkua, mutta vähän kuitenkin.

Syötiin hotellin ravintolassa. Timo otti pihvin, joka oli todella raaka. Vaikka suht verisestä tykkääkin, mut se pihvi oli ihan karmea rutlake. Puolet oli luuta. Tosi pieni annos. Minä söin possua. Annos oli tosi pieni. Siinä oli pari vaivaista salaatinlehteä ja tomaattisiivua, hirveä rutlake eikä tarpeeksi paistettu.

Sitten mentiin ulos kävelylle. Katseltiin puljuja. Samanlaisia pikku puoteja kuin edelliselläkin Kiinan reissulla, mutta ei niin kivoja vaatteita. Ruma kaupunginosa. Paljon ihmisiä. Turisteina olimme ainoat, joita oli.

Minä olin jo sekaisin suunnasta. Tim oli selvillä koko ajan. Syötiin KFC –pikaravintolassa vegehamppari ja tulisia minikatkarapuja friteerattuna, et lähti nälkä. Ihmiset tuijotti; muita vaaleita ei ollut. Monet hymyili kovasti. Siisti vessa.

Hotellille takaisin mennessä käytiin hampparit mukaan hotellille. Ostin Lotalle yöpuvun ja 3 kpl sukkia. Myyjät kyttäsi ja kulki perässä. En muistanutkaan, miten inhottavalta se tuntuu. Ei löydetty mitään muuta ostettavaa.

Kantonissa on tosi saasteista, lima rupes heti virtaamaan. Naama ihan likainen. Guangzhou on Guangdongin isoin kaupunki.

Hotellin 2. kerroksessa oli sauna ja kiinalainen hieronta; 100 minuuttia maksoi 118 yuania / hlö eli 11,8 €. Oli siellä muitakin hierontoja, mut me otettiin kiinalainen. Timo vietiin muualle. Minut ohjattiin huoneeseen, jossa osoitettiin kummallista suihkukoppia. Laitoin vaatteet kaappiin, mikä minulle osoitettiin. Lukitus oli ihan outo, auttoivat sen kanssa. Kävin suihkussa, hyvin höyryävässä sellaisessa. Luulin, että se on heidän saunansa. Minulle tuotiin sortsit ja paita. Pukeuduin niihin. Menin käytävään, kun ketään ei ruvennut kuulumaan. Ohjasivat huoneeseen makaamaan. Hieroja ei puhunut yhtään enkkua ja muutkin tosi vähän.

Huomasin, että Timo vietiin mun viereiseen huoneeseen. Kiva. Hieronta alkoi päästä. Hän venytti niskaa ja varoittamatta niksautti niskani. Tuntui karmealle ja kuului hirveä rutina. Sitten oli vuorossa rintalihasten ja mahan silitys. Jalat hierottiin kunnolla, ihan sattui välillä. Sitten selkä, jalat takaa ja edestä ja istuen niskaa ja hartiat. Tuntui hyvältä, erityisesti selästä, käsivarsista, pohkeista ja penikoista. Tosi kovaakin painoi välillä. Reidet kutisi. Se teki ihan outoja liikkeitä. Jonkinlainen logiikka siinä kuitenkin oli.

Siellä oli ikkuna auki, oli tosi kylmä. Pyyhe ei ollut koko aikaa päällä, niin palelsi aika paljon. Toivat mulle appelsiinilimpparin tapaista. Kiitin kiinaksi. Etsin hieronnan jälkeen itsekseen takaisin sokkeloisessa paikassa. En oikein löytänyt, mutta Timo tuli hierojansa saattelemana vastaan, joten hän näytti minullekin tietä. Odotin vastaanotossa Timoa. Tarjosivat mulle kuvottavaa lämmintä vettä. Onneks Timo tuli, niin ei tarvinnut juoda.

Siellä oli vain miehiä asiakkaina. Timon hieronta oli vähän erilainen. Se hieroi eri järjestyksessä eikä kaikkia paikkoja, kuten penikoita. Sille ei annettu juomaa eikä niskaa rusautettu. Samanlaista outoa tökkimistä se oli, mutta tuntui hyvältäkin. Jotkin pojat ohjasi Timoa koko ajan. Vaatteet oli viikattu, laitettu kaappiin, ohjattu suihkuun, höyrysaunaan, laittoivat kaapin lukkoon, saattoivat hierontahuoneeseen. Vaatteet siltä oli otettu yksi vaate kerrallaan vastaan, kun se oli riisunut. Pyyhe oli hänelle tuotu, minä jouduin etsimään pyyhettä itse huoneessa. Hieronnan jälkeen se oli ohjattu toisenlaiseenkin saunaan, suihkuun ja annettu vaatteet yksitellen ja viety eteiseen. Pyysivät 100 yuania tipiä. Timolla oli vain vähän käteistä, kun mulla oli loput.

Kovasti olivat ihmetelleet ne pojat ja hieroja Timon tatuointeja; koskettivat, tuijottivat, naureskelivat. Minun hieroja kosketteli minun hiuksia, hihitti ja sanoi jotain kiinaksi. Huoneiden välillä oli ikkuna, mistä hierojat katselivat toisiaan ja viittelöivät jotain toisilleen. Oli vissiin outoa heillekin, kun vaaleaihoisia hierottavana.

Sitten mentiin hotellihuoneeseen syömään (kanapihvi oikean hampurilaisen välissä). Mukana myös 2 jäätävän kylmää olutta. Ängättiin samaan sänkyyn. Minulle kaksi peitto kaksinkerroin alle ja silti kova sänky. Lisäksi kaksi peittoa päällä. Tv:tä katsottiin hetki.

Don't stay at the main Guangzhou railway station for a second at all! It's too dangerous there. Please remember this.