Come - Toisan

The main reason for our trip to China was to journey back to mom’s hometown of Toisan, China. It’s been 8 years since my family last visited, 17 years since my big aunt’s family visited, and 20 years since my younger aunt’s family visited. Obviously this trip has been long overdue.

We rented a bus to take us from Guangzhou to Toisan and the trip started amazingly because I was able to witness the longest solar eclipse in our lifetime. People were standing on the streets with filter strips to view the eclipse and it was really cool because the sun left little crescents on your retinas. This was the first time I’ve ever seen a solar eclipse because we seem to be only able to observe lunar eclipses from our part of the globe. This trip seems to be a lot of “firsts” for me so I am just in absolute awe of the opportunities I have had in the past 2 weeks.

The bus ride to Toisan took around 2 hours so once we arrived, we headed off to a black sand beach. I came to this beach during my last trip to China and I have fond memories of playing in the water and feasting on “lai nui has” (urinating shrimps). This beach has changed drastically because admissions have increased, tons of tourists fill the water, and a lot more development has been undertaken from what I remember. However, the beach was still a lot of fun but the shrimp wasn’t as delicious as I recall. Before we left though, we bought some fireworks and launched it at night from the beach. One of the most memorable moments of my last trip was hearing fireworks from our hotel and mom realizing that my sister had cousin had run off in the night to play with firecrackers. It was so exciting and just an awesome way to finish off the night before we headed back to Toisan.

Finally, the day that I have been anticipating since I stepped foot in China had arrived. We all boarded the bus to my grandparent’s house where my mom had been raised and where all those tales about my family had taken place. The road to the house slowly transitioned from paved asphalt to rugged dirt and there were so much lush trees that lined the beaten path. I was able to admire some hardy oxen , which remind me of statues because they look so stoic in the fields. My grandma’s family has maintained the house well for the past 30 years, so everything seems to have remained exactly like how my family had left it when they came to Canada. There were letters in the drawers, photos in the cabinet, and bowls stacked in rooms that have been preserved as a reminder of my family’s old life in China.

A lot of my relatives from Toisan had come along with us to the house and there were many villagers who ventured out to visit my family, who they have not seen for years. Amazingly, my mom was able to recognize so many people and we had to “bai sun” to celebrate our journey from the West. We set off red firecrackers to ward off any evil spirits, which also reflect our tremendous excitement to be back at the house that my family built. I will always consider Calgary to be my home, but this place just has a sense of belonging that I get from nowhere else. There’s a connection to this house that I feel immediately when I step through the doors and I can’t help but imagine all the stories that I grew up listening to from my grandparents.

Once we got back to the city, the celebration continued and we had dinner with all our relatives in Toisan. It was just a night full of food and reminiscing about the past. We also joined our younger relatives for karaoke, but I’m completely illiterate in Chinese so I only listened to them sing and joined in for a rendition of “As Long As You Love Me” by the Backstreet Boys. It’s amazing to see the little kids that ran around intrigued by our old house grow into teenagers who are driving and about to graduate high school. I feel so ancient.

Just like that, I’m now heading back to Guangzhou and set to be in Hong Kong by July 27. I’m truly going to miss this city and all my relatives, who I’m only now beginning to get to know. These people’s hospitality has been amazing and I really love hearing stories about my mom as a child and the character of my grandparents. I wish I can stay longer but this trip has been so full that we only get a sample of each city and we’re off to our next location. It’s especially difficult because Guanzhou and Toisan are where my relatives live, so it’s hard to say goodbye so soon. Thankfully, if I ever come back to China again, I won’t need to visit the North so I can spend more time with my family in Toisan, Gaungzhou, and Hong Kong. Next time I also won’t wait another 8 years to return.

Come - Guangzhou

My next destination was Guangzhou, which is in Southern China so finally there were people who spoke Cantonese! I last visited this city 8 years ago and believe me when I say, it looks nothing like I remember. Guangzhou is following the rest of China and seems to be building a completely new city.

We were met by our tour guide, Liu, who was probably the best tour guide since we arrived in China because he was able to speak both English and Cantonese. We stayed at the Hotel Landmark Canton, which was right next to the Pearl River and Beijing Road so the location was perfect. For our first program, we went to visit the Pagoda at the Temple of the Six Banyan Trees, which was the only structure left standing in Guangzhou after the Cultural Revolution. It was quite disheartening to think of all the buildings that were lost during the revolution but the Pagoda stands as a testament to the past.

Guangzhou was also the first chance during our trip that we were able to visit our family. We had a huge family dinner with all our relatives in this city, which was such a joy because it had been so long since we had seen them. The atmosphere was just amazing and my mom was really happy, so you can’t help but smile. After dinner, our parents chatted with our relatives but my mom’s cousin took us shopping along Beijing Road. The street reminded me of Hong Kong because it was filled with people on a Monday night and it was illuminated with vibrant red lanterns. There were vendors everywhere selling food and ice cold cups of coke, and the lighting was bright so you feel very safe. The store options were not bad either but I wanted to go to Uniqlo and it was closed so I will try again next time. Nevertheless, I’m amazed by how alive the streets are late at night and I can’t help but hope that we could achieve something similar in Calgary.

The next morning, we traveled to the Guangdong Folk Arts Museum and Chen’s Lineage Hall. My grandma’s maiden name was Chan so I guess I have some relation to this site. Apparently the Chan family is quite prominent in Guangzhou and is the most popular surname in Canton, so they donated the land for the Folk Arts Museum. The roof of the building is stunningly decorated with woodcarvings and clay statues, which in my opinion, is more beautiful than the roofs of Forbidden City. We then finally had our first taste of dim sum in China and it was wonderful. The sui mai was much more tasty in Guangzhou and it didn’t seem like it was made from scrap meat like in Calgary. We also tried the Xiao Long Bao’s and it was even better than the ones from Shanghai.

Later in the day, we attended the Dr. Sun Yet-Sen Memorial which my mom came to watch a show in the auditorium when she was a kid. The memorial was really interesting because we were able to walk up on to the stage and look into the audience, which was completely empty. The mood was really eerie but I’m glad I came because the building has so much meaning to Southern China.

Finally, we wrapped our trip in Guangzhou by taking a cruise along the Pearl River. I never knew how long and vast the Guangzhou skyline was until I boarded this boat so I have a new found appreciation for this city. We were able to see the new Guangzhou TV & Sightseeing Tower, which was really amazing when lit at night. Asian cities really recognize the effect that lighting has on making the skyline absolutely breathtaking and another brilliant feature of the city during the dark.

Come - Guilin

I have been anticipating my trip to Guilin for quite some time now. I’ve heard so much about the beauty of the landscape and I have to admit that everyone was right. As I looked out the window on our bus ride from the airport to the city, the fields of green and the dramatic karsts in the distance were like a Chinese painting. Our tour guide, Joe, took us to see Fubo Park at sunset because we were originally planning to visit the park the next day but he warned us that with all the tourists and the afternoon sun, we would be sweating buckets. It didn’t really matter though because even at dusk, Guilin has the hottest and most humid weather I have experienced since I arrived in China. I thought Shanghai was bad, but it has nothing on the heat in Guilin. We climbed up Fubo Park and my T-shirt was drenched in sweat. However, the trek was worth it because the view from the top of the hill was absolutely amazing. I have never seen such a beautiful sky because it was shades of pink and blue with the sun just peaking behind the clouds. The city also has height restrictions on all buildings to preserve the views of the landscape, so the buildings never spoil the scene.

While in Guilin, we stayed at the Guilin Park Hotel that was lit beautifully at night. It was also located next to a lake so the wash of color illuminated the trees and bridges that surrounded the hotel. Joe warned us that a typhoon might hit tomorrow so we thought we should better explore the city at night because it might be pouring rain the next day. Once again, the temperatures never dipped at night so we walked along the lake covered in perspiration. I’m just glad that China invests heavily into landscaping because if it wasn’t for the exquisite landscape, I would have spent the night in the hotel with the air conditioning blasting.

I was extremely excited for the next day because we took a cruise down the Li River. The natural setting of the clear river and the imposing karsts was just spectacular. You just feel so small as you float down one of the most naturally beautiful places in the world. We also met a cool old guy from Tokyo, who taught sociology in Columbia and NYU. He was in Guilin for a family reunion and was so kind and thoughtful. He was definitely an interesting seatmate and made the trip feel even more surreal. The only bad thing about the boat ride was the food, because the combination of bad food and the rocking of the boat made my stomach feel slightly queasy.

We moved on to the Reed Flute Cave after the boat ride. This was my mom’s favorite attraction of all the sites we have visited in China and she is still in disbelief about the beauty of the cave. This place definitely captures your imagination because there are so many rock formations that look like objects including lions, owls, goldfishes, broccoli, flowers, and even a stage curtain. For a natural environment, the site had amazing lighting that highlighted the intricacy of the formations and stone pathways were laid so you can explore the cave safely. The best part about the cave was the fact that it was dark and approximately 18°C, so finally I was able to beat the heat in Guilin.

Come - Shanghai

I’ve only been in Shanghai for the past 5 hours and I can already say that I love this city. Although Shanghai lacks the culture of Beijing and Xi’an, it is without doubt the financial centre and the symbol of modern China. The traffic is terrible like Beijing but the views from the bus were stunning so I wasn’t even bothered by the rush hour traffic. This city is perfect for a skyscraper enthusiast like myself and I was already able to check out the Jin Mao Tower, Oriental Pearl Tower, and the Shanghai World Financial Center. While on route to the Shanghai Hotel, we also passed by the pavilions under construction for Expo 2010 and the site is incredibly huge. China seems to go all out for any world event and the Expo is certainly no exception. I also caught a glimpse of the PricewaterhouseCoopers tower in Shanghai too, but I wasn’t able to get a photo, so hopefully I will be able to get a shot later on.

Our hotel is nearby Nanjing Road, which is lined with luxury retailers, so the wealth in this city is very apparent. This city has come a long way from Mao’s communist ideology and the Chinese seem to be embracing capitalism and all its glory. Of course I wasn’t able to afford anything since the clothes seem to be more expensive than compared to Calgary. Therefore, I will just window shop for the time being, but I did pick up a pair of sunglasses from Vans.

During our only full day in Shanghai, our tour guide, Hao, took us to visit the Yuyuan Garden in the old French Corridors. The day was scorching hot and unlike Beijing, the sky was completely clear so the sun was beating down hard on us. The garden was built by Pan Yunduan in order to please his parents and required 18 years to complete. However, his parents passed away before it was ever completed, so it is a real shame that they never had a chance to see the carefully manicured trees, the dragon wall, the gold fish ponds, and the massive limestone rocks. We then wandered around the City God Temple and I watched how Xiao Long Bao’s were made, but I didn’t get a chance to try it because the lines were crazy long! Before lunch, we also walked along the Garden Bridge, which is the first iron and metal bridge in Shanghai. The bridge is near the Bund Area and definitely has the best view of the city. I always consider the skyline as a great representation of a city and Shanghai just seems to have one of the best in the world. Not only does it have height, but it also has wonderful density and a beautiful riverfront in the foreground. Asian architecture seems to be more daring and innovative in comparison to North America, so it was a pleasure to see such a refreshing and bold skyline.

In the afternoon, we dropped by the Jade Buddha Temple and checked out two huge Buddha statues carved from a single piece of jade. I have to admit that the sitting Buddha was much more beautiful than the reclining Buddha but both were lovely. Hao also provided lots of information about Buddhism and its historical significance in China, which was very interesting. In addition, he also taught us how to pray properly and I realized I have been doing it wrong my entire life.

Hao had planned to take us to a silk making factory in Shanghai but we had already visited a plant in Beijing, so we decided to skip the trip. Instead, we went to the market and did some shopping. Once again, it was extremely depressing and it makes me sad to haggle with people over 10 RMB since that money probably means a lot more to them than it does to me. Most of the items were also fake so it was slightly disappointing to see them hung along the walls. We did manage to find a suitcase to use as a carry-on because our luggage is getting really heavy and has already exceeded the limit during our flight from Beijing to Xi’an, so the shopping excursion didn’t go completely to waste.

We still had quite a lot of time until dinner, so we walked along Nanjing Road. It’s no wonder that this street is internationally recognized because it is a perfect example of a pedestrian friendly and walkable corridor. It was beautifully landscaped and it seems like there are people constantly walking on this street 24 hours a day, so I really hope Calgary can achieve something similar when it comes to attracting greater pedestrian traffic on Stephen Avenue outside of work hours. Anyways, the shopping was amazing but as I mentioned earlier, it was more a trip for my eyes than it was for my wallet. We then walked back to the hotel instead of taking the Metro and the trip was painfully long and the sun was scorching, so I was extremely happy that we were able to rest before dinner.

We finally tried out the Xiao Long Bao’s for dinner, which is world-renowned. Our tour guide taught us to bite a tiny hole in the skin and then suck out the soup inside of the boa. The broth was absolutely delicious, the pork was tender and the boa was very flavourful overall. After dinner, we attended a Chinese acrobat show at the Ritz Carlton Theatre. We weren’t allowed to take any pictures so I’m unable to share any images. However, if you ever have a chance to visit Shanghai, make sure to attend this show because it was amazing! The show was disturbing, shocking, amusing, breathtaking, and funny all at the same time. The performers were extremely talented and fearless, which helped make a very entertaining show. I was biting my nails during several occasions and I could barely watch some of the acts because you truly worry for their safety. The show went on without a hitch though, so there was nothing to worry about.

After another night of sleep, we toured the Shanghai Museum which already had people lined up before the museum even opened. We only had an hour and a half to spend at the museum because we needed to catch a flight to Guilin that day, so we tried to go through all of the exhibits as fast as possible. The museum was thoughtfully laid out and each person was given a phone that you can dial numbers for more information about specific pieces. My personal favorite exhibits were the bronze, Chinese paintings, and furniture collections. This was a wonderful way to top off my trip in Shanghai, but I leave this city wanting more. I only spent 2 days in Shanghai so I just got a taste of this city and hopefully I will be back to Shanghai in the future.

Come - Xi'an

I’m currently in Xi’an at the New World Hotel and it’s been quite a break from the congestion in Beijing. Even though this city has 8 million people, it seems to have significantly less traffic, which is a nice change. Xi’an also seems to have a better sense of community because there are still tons of people roaming the streets at 11pm either sitting with family on the sidewalks or playing mah jong with some friends.

The plane ride from Beijing to Xi’an was awful though because there was so much turbulence and when the plane landed, we had to get off on the tarmac and then board a hot bus with the rest of the passengers to the airport. Needless to say, my cousin threw up in a hat. We then met our tour guide, Jenny, who brought us to the hotel and then to a restaurant for dinner. Apparently this restaurant caters to many tourists because it fused Chinese cuisine with Western food. We ate steak and fries, which was a nice reminder of Calgary so it helped ward off any feelings of being home sick. We later returned to the hotel but we decided to walk around before retiring for the night. Just like Beijing, crossing the streets is deathly and pedestrians do not have the right away so we ran as quickly as possible hoping we won’t be struck by a bus.

During our second day in Xi’an, we travelled an hour from our hotel to visit the Terracotta Warriors and Horses. The museum was extraordinary and being able to see the soldiers in person was so much different than looking at pictures of the site. It really gives you a sense of scale of the site because there are 4 pits that have been excavated. I am absolutely amazed by the restoration because only one Terracotta Warrior was actually found fully intact, while the rest have been painstakingly restored but you can barely see any repairs on some of the soldiers. Therefore, the careful attention to detail necessary to accurately restore the soldiers is truly remarkable. The museum was also very busy and I noted tourists from the United States, Germany, and Russia, so it’s interesting to see so many people from across the world take time to visit this eighth world wonder.

In the afternoon, we then proceeded to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. The pagoda actually leans to the west so it was definitely a sight to see and we had the opportunity to “bai sun” in the temples to pay respect to the heavens and our ancestors. The gardens were also very beautiful and I’m truly impressed by how well all the attractions in China are maintained because they are constantly being cleaned by workers.

We finished the night by making a visit to the amazing City Wall of Xi’an. I know I said that the Great Wall was my favorite part of my trip thus far, but I think I may have topped it. The wall was extraordinary with carefully laid bricks that were much easier to walk along compared to the Great Wall and it was decorated with gorgeous red lanterns, so it was even more spectacular when lit at night. The view was also amazing because when facing the city centre, you were able to bask in ancient Chinese architecture but when looking outside, you can appreciate all the modern structures that have been built recently. The contrast between new and old was definitely a reflection of the country, which has been able to adopt Western ideals while still maintaining traditions of the past.

While on top of the wall, we rented bikes and it was my first time riding a tandem bike. It wasn’t as hard as I expected, but you definitely need to ensure that both riders are pedaling in unison in order to make the ride as smooth as possible. It’s also been years since I last rode a bike and I can’t think of a better way to start again while enjoying the relaxing breeze as the exciting sights of Xi’an pass by. I really can’t explain the feeling but it felt almost surreal, so I hope you enjoy all the pictures.

Before we left Xi’an, we spent our last day touring the Shaan Xi Provincial Museum. The trip was a little boring but it did contain some very significant historical artifacts including the first piece of paper and a beautiful wine glass in the shape of the ox. We then went for lunch at the Tung Dynasty Restaurant and tried out the noodles, which were hand made in front of everyone. Xi’an is known for its noodles and it was absolutely delicious so it lives up to its reputation. Now on to Shanghai!