Finishing up in Southern China

It was a rainy Saturday morning and when it dried up a bit we went out onto the streets. It is really wonderful to walk the sidewalks of China. I must admit that as we walked along I could not help thinking that Guangzhou looked very much like Manhattan. There were beautiful boulevards with small parks running along. There were lots of little stores with open fronts for the people to browse. Just meters away from all of this tranquility and pleasantness was an expressway with traffic flowing heavily. But it didn’t matter because it seemed isolated and distant. Around the overpasses and underpasses are tiny parkettes with flowers and palm trees. People stroll along poking their way through the stores and boutiques experiencing the delights.

There were many restaurants with the menus posted outside and it reminded me of the restaurant district on 46th Street in Manhattan.

There was no times square.

However the square in Zengzheng could hold about 10 Times Squares. When we were asked to go there we accepted out of politeness. When we got there we were blown away by the size and the activity and the incredible design. We were told that it is bigger than Tiananmen Square but I didn’t believe it until I got into the real heart of the area.

China has been a total fascination. Although we came with open minds there were endless surprises and delights. For example, when you cross a busy street walk slowly so the cars have chance to steer around you. That is not recommended for Canada.

There are many aspects to China. One of the most interesting is the Hutong. To the untrained western eye it looks like a slum but it is not. It is a traditional way of life for many Chinese and they are proud to life there. There are absolutely fresh, delicious vegetables and meat sold off the streets. Does one have to worry about refrigeration? No! It is all so fresh there is absolutely no problem. And it is absolutely incredible to eat.

We have been in the Hutongs many times. There is a beautiful tailor shop in one in Zengcheng. There was also a small restaurant about a two minute walk from the gate of the middle school. Most Canadians would shy away from it but it had the best food we have had in Canton. The owner was once a chef in a major restaurant but he quit to do his own thing. He does it very well. It was the local Chinese who tipped us off to the quality of the place.

I think the food of China will alter the way we eat at home. Canadian food is great but it can become even greater with a little influence from over here.

I am looking forward to coming home but I will truly miss China. This country is very beautiful, as are the people.

Tea is as much a ritual here as serving fine wine is with us. The cups are washed with tea. There are many fine teas here and they improve with age. Some are kept as long as 25 years. Pu’er tea is considered one of the finest. Good tea is compressed into discs, called tea plates, and sold that way. A well aged vintage plate can cost several hundred dollars. The connoisseurs will buy a disc of quality tea when it is young at a low price and store it for years before drinking it. I have two to bring home. To reach their maximum goodness they should sit for two more years.

In the meantime we are getting ready to return. We have finalized our trip to Hong Kong and now we are going to enjoy the last few days of this beautiful area.

Will we come back? I hope so!