Remember “not wood wood”? That is how I feel about Guangzhou. I know that I was in China. The map tells me so. The fact that I could not understand people or read signs tells me so. Yet, walking around it did not look like the China I have come to know as home. That was so cool, to experience a completely different side of China. Here there are way more western influences. Sure Beijing has McDonalds or KFC on every corner. Western restaurants and shops, but it looks like China. The China you see in pictures and movies. Naturally though this is why I chose Beijing, it the old China. This is where the history is. In Guangzhou there are western influences in the architecture. When we were in a shop, there was no bargaining. The listed price was the price, She Ma! (one of my favorite Chinese phrases, I use it daily!)
This of course makes sense. Guangzhou is located on the Pearl River which feeds to the Pacific. It is centrally located, nice neutral weather (usually) and easy travel. This of course made it a logical location for western countries to set up trade locations. Want to attempt to colonize? Why not enjoy the climate and beautiful hills while you do it? Want some opium, perhaps fight a war for it, well Guangzhou has all your opium and warring needs. Walking around this city the western presence as the city developed is evident. On Shaiman Island I thought I was in the old south and not China. Large brick buildings and pillars. Double sided stairs leading to wrap around porches. Large old trees moss hanging from the branches.
Throughout the city you would walk along, store and restaurant fronts look like China, especially when you see that you can get octopus balls or grilled baby snake on a stick, but look up. The windows are stained glass. There are bay windows with arches. Maybe some molding. Perhaps it is not communist cinderblock. It was a very cool mix of east meets west. When I say that it was not China China, I mean in appearance only. Everything about this city was what I have come to know as China.
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