Last day in Guangzhou

I began my final day in Guangzhou by joining my Japanese colleagues for breakfast. Fried eggs were back on the menu and the problem with the toaster had been fixed, which meant that all was well with the world.

My colleagues were due to fly back to Japan in the afternoon, whilst my flight was not until the early hours of the following morning. This actually meant me getting to the airport at around 10pm. My companions would be leaving to catch their flight at around 2pm, so asked if I would like to joint them for some more sight-seeing and some shopping.

I accepted their offer gladly, as  they had been  good company. I also had some shopping of my own to do, not least of which was a traditional paper parasol for Mrs PBT’s. I’d spent some time looking during my first day in China, but to no avail. By embracing all things western,  Chinese youth seem in an awful hurry to discard the traditions of their past, and this lack of respect for tradition applies equally to those old enough to know better.

I’d asked our contact at the factory we visited the previous day, but he seemed rather bemused by my request. The Japanese were more in tune with my quest, and did say that if all else failed I would almost certainly be able to pick up a parasol on my next visit to Kyoto. They laughed when I asked if whether they were issuing a formal invite, but a return trip to Japan features high on my list of things to do before I finish in my current position.

I arranged to meet my colleagues in reception at 9.45am. As they were travelling light, they would be checking out and taking their small trolley-style cases with them. That way they could head off straight to the airport, once the mornings’ activities were complete.

I on the other hand had booked an extra half-day, allowing me the use of my room until 6pm. This was a good piece of advice that I’d been given by our overseas salesman; a well-seasoned traveller if ever there was one! I did find though that although I’d made the request the night before, the receptionist on duty that evening had not passed on the instruction, which led to a little confusion.

So returning to the narrative, we set off to visit what is probably Guangzhou’s best known shopping district; an area known as Beijing Road. This was somewhere I had visited on my first day in the city, but as I’d only really touched on the place I was  quite happy to return there.

Beijing Road is a pedestrianised shopping precinct set at right angles to the main north-south axis. There are numerous branches leading off from it, including an underground complex of small boutiques, adjacent to the metro station. Walking along the pedestrianised section it is possible to see the remains of the city walls, which date back to the period of the Ming dynasty.

I didn’t have any luck with my search for a paper parasol, but I did manage to buy myself a couple of T-shirts. Finding examples in my size though wasn’t easy because there seemed to be very few fat people in the city and therefore size XXL wasn’t readily available.

I persevered and found a store which did stock my size, but now here comes a further observation. Unlike many other global cities there were no stores selling what I would call the usual “tourist tat.” So no t-shirts, sweat shirts, baseball caps, badges etc advertising Guangzhou as a destination, so no souvenirs of my visit to take home and wear whilst parading up and down Tonbridge High Street.

My Japanese colleagues found a store which they liked; rather like Super Dry it was a fake Japanese brand with no stores in that country, but selling the type of stuff  which appealed to Japanese people. Apart from the novelty value the store had very appeal to me, which is why I’m struggling to remember its name. Looking on-line it may have been MINISO, メイソウ.

This would make sense as MINISO has its headquarters in Guangzhou. My companions enjoyed looking around the store, and a couple of them bought a selection of novelties, and other goodies for family back in Japan.

After the shopping was concluded, it was back on the metro and a few more stops to Huangsha, and an area of the city that one of our party was keen to see. This gentleman was the same character whose enthusiasm for tall buildings had taken us to the Canton Tower the previous evening. I nicknamed him the “travel guide,” and whilst his fellow countrymen were rather bemused at his keenness to explore new places, I was really grateful when I realised where he was taking us.

Shamian Island is an area of Guangzhou, which was granted as two "concessions" to Britain and France by the Chinese government, in the 19th century. It is an  artificial island, bordered in the south by the Pearl River, and separated from the mainland by a canal. It formed an important port for Guangzhou's foreign trade, and was an area where foreigners lived and did business, in a row of houses known as the "Thirteen Factories."

Today the area serves as a tranquil reminder of the colonial European period, with quiet pedestrian avenues flanked by trees and lined by historical buildings in various states of upkeep. It is the location of several hotels, restaurants and tourist shops – although I must have missed the latter.

It formed a perfect contrast after the roar of the traffic outside Huangsha Station, and the myriad of high-rise buildings either side of a busy arterial road, but unfortunately there wasn’t enough time for a proper look round. It’s often the way that you find the best places on the final day of a stay, but my colleagues had to be at the airport for a 2pm check in. and in addition were looking to have a spot of lunch.  

Regrettably we retraced our footsteps back across the pedestrian over-pass to the shopping area around the station. I allowed my companions to choose the restaurant, although I emphasised that I just wanted something light to eat. We found a modern-looking establishment which, whilst busy, was able to accommodate the four of us, plus suitcases.

Each of us selected a bowl of soup, with noodles. Mine contained some finely shredded beef and reminded me somewhat of minestrone soup. The waitress took pity on me after watching me struggling to twist the spaghetti-like noodles onto my chop-sticks, and very kindly brought me a plastic fork. It wasn’t exactly the “light” meal I’d been after, but was enjoyable nevertheless. Beer didn’t appear to feature on the menu, so I had to make do with a refreshing glass of iced lemon tea.

I picked up the tab, prior to leaving, a gesture which my colleagues appreciated. I told them it was the least I could do, as they had been good company and fun to be with. Furthermore our audit and subsequent business discussions had proved successful, which was just as well in view of the distance I had travelled in order to be there.

We took the metro back into central Guangzhou. I alighted at the main station, whilst they continued on towards the airport. We parted with much shaking of hands and best wishes for safe onward travel. I returned to the hotel to complete my packing and kill some time, before checking out and heading off to the airport myself.