Guangzhou - Hustle and Bustle

View from top of the Pagoda at Temple of 6 Banyan Trees

The train from Hung Hom Station in Hong Kong was relatively easy to catch and a very pleasant journey. Upon arriving we went through the first passport control into China. The fact that the two entry points were entitiled "Chinese Nationals" and "Foreigners" was a little unusual. Then it was on into the City (after a panic about losing our visa card which had money on and being unsure as to whether bank machines would take maestro).

Some background first; Guangzhou is a large commercial city similar to Hong Kong but with vastly more sprawl and a population of approx 3.2 million people. The reality is that Guangzhou is similar to any other major city, busy, noisy and very dirty.

Where we ended up is a bit of a haven from the rest of the city. Shamian Island sits in the Pearl River running through Guangzhou. As it was used by westerners as a storage island in the 19th Century (half the island was French and half British), there was a heavy western influence in the layout and architecture. It is also a big draw for westerners for this reason and most restaturants and shops on the island could speak good english (unlike lots of other parts of the city).

written by

Mal and Laura on August 14, 2007 from Guangzhou, China

from the travel blog: A bit of China and Vietnam

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