Located on the Pearl River about 120 km (75 mi) north-northwest of Hong Kong and 145 km (90 mi) north of Macau, Guangzhou is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in southern China.
Guangzhou weather is generally warm and humid all year round without a clear division of seasons. With a subtropical monsoon climate, and except for little precipitation, winter in Guangzhou is usually warm and dry. So it was definitely one of the best places to go to get a break from the cold of Beijing.
Background history: Why is Guangzhou called the City of Rams?
Legend has it that over 2,000 years ago, the city was a barren land with people who, despite hard work, were suffering from famine. One day, five immortals in five-color garments came riding on five rams, playing their legendary music. The rams held sheaves of rice in their mouths. The immortals left the sheaves of rice for the local people, gave blessings to the city, and left. The rams turned into stone and the city became a rich and populous place. Guangzhou got the name the City of Rams and the City of Ears. Guangzhou's Five Rams Sculpture is located atop Yuexiu Hill. It was built in 1960 from more than 130 pieces of granite.
One of my first stops was the Canton Tower (also called the Guangzhou Tower). Which lies on the south bank of the Pearl River, facing Haixinsha Island to the north. As the highest TV tower in China and the third highest in the world, the tower has been a must-see scenic spot in Haizhu District. From the top, visitors have a birds-eye view of the whole city. For the most courageous and the amateurs of strong sensation, you can give a try to the Canton Tower Bubble Tram, one of the World's Highest Observation Rides. It will cost you between 148 to 396 CNY depending on which height you want to reach. Inside the tower are wonderful entertainment items, romantic restaurants with delicious food, and several fine lookout platforms for shooting photos. By the way, located on the first floor of the Canton Tower, WeiMuKaiLa (Guangzhou) is a wax museum of 1200 meter square in size and 80 wax statues. Each wax statue in this museum are very stunning, and it has raised a new step in the background design, in the future, many of the unveilings of celebrity wax figures will be held here.
The museum is operated by Zhongshan Grand Orient Wax Art Co., Ltd. and is present in other cities such as Jinan, Gulangyu, Tibet, XiaMen, DaLian, etc.
As an animal and nature lover, I had to make a tour of one of the three largest urban zoos in China, the Guangzhou Zoological Garden. With an area of over 42 hectares (103.7 acres), the zoo contains more than 4,500 animals of 450 species, including rare animals like giant pandas, south China tigers, lions, golden monkeys, and black-necked cranes. It contains three sightseeing districts: Central Area of mammals, Panlong Park with about 200 amphibians and reptiles, and the Bird's Paradise with over a hundred different kinds of birds and fowls. And the Goldfish Garden which is the world's greatest fish show (according to the Great World Guinness Records).
Always related to nature, I took a walk in a Carbon Neutralization Theme Park. This theme park was jointly built by Guangzhou Yuexiu Park and China Emissions Exchange in Guangzhou. It is on an old renovated garbage dump and utilizes some inefficient buildings in Yuexiu Park. Covering an area of about 1,400 square meters, the theme park consists of a science exhibition hall, a demonstration area for reclaimed water reuse, a modern agriculture demonstration area, an on-site garden waste disposal area, a research area, and a new energy photovoltaic technology exhibition area. Activities such as science popularization, public education, and salons can be held here, and it will become an important “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality” publicity and education base in Guangdong. One area that has drawn my attention is the World of Idioms and Fables which has many of the most familiar Chinese idiom and fable sculptures, especially educational ones.
This is the representation of the Chinese idiom: 杀鸡取卵 (shājīqǔluǎn). Translated as Killing the hen that lays golden eggs. The story goes like this: There was once a Countryman who possessed the most wonderful Goose you can imagine, for every day when he visited the nest, the Goose had laid a beautiful, glittering, golden egg. The Countryman took the eggs to market and soon began to get rich. But it was not long before he grew impatient with the Goose because she gave him only a single golden egg a day. He was not getting rich fast enough. Then one day, after he had finished counting his money, the idea came to him that he could get all the golden eggs at once by killing the Goose and cutting it open. But when the deed was done, not a single golden egg did he find, and his precious Goose was dead. Moral: One who desires more, loses all. One should remain satisfied with what one gets.
What will good travel be without a zone-out time? For that, I should thank Edith and Nathaniel with whom I've spent a day in Panyu District. I met and re-met inspiring, interesting, and friendly people. We didn't need to go to a particular place. Just to a restaurant and home. This is where the statement 'It's not the place but the people' made sense. I went there with a friend of mine, and as we took the public transport home, I felt physically tired at the time but emotionally fulfilled. This day is without a doubt one of the best days of my stay. Just feel a bit of the energy that rhythmed that day. Here 👇🏽
Here is the list of all the places I've been to during my stay, if you're planning to pass by Guangzhou one day, don't hesitate to add it to your list: Sunal Land; U: US Market; Guangdong Tower; WeiMu KaLa; Guangzhou Zoological Garden; Super Karting, Chimelong Amusement Park, Yuexiu Park.
+ Tips: I've been using Baidu Maps and QuNar Travel a lot. As you know, things don't always go as we expect when traveling to another place. So when I wasn't able to stick to my initial plan of the day, I could check on these apps to find a near place to visit. I've tried it twice and it worked! Also, don't be afraid to go somewhere alone. You just need to know how the bus/metro/taxi works. Sometimes what you'll need will just be your feet and a little bit of willingness. Guangzhou is a relatively safe place tho, but this should not be a reason to go anywhere and anytime. Note that due to the relaxation of measures against Covid-19, many touristic places are stormed, so before going to a place check whether you need or not to buy the ticket in advance.
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I address a special thanks to Maiga, Narcisse, Nathanael, Edith, Soumaila, Natacha, and all the people I've met during these 10 days. You've made the stay more beautiful than I could have ever excepted. Be sure, I will always be grateful, and I'll never forget every single moment we have spent together. Meeting you guys was really a blessing. You're all dear to my heart. And of course, thank you, dear reader. I hope I've been able to make you travel for a few minutes. May God bless you, take care.
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