Guangzhou aka CantonOverviewGuangzhou is the capital city of Guangdong province and is according to
Wikipedia the third largest city in China.Its an industrial city and not really a big tourist destination. It suffers from severe air pollution, in my experience far worse than even Beijing. I got a sore throat within 24 hours of arriving there which developed into a smokers type cough after a few days. As a consequence of the pollution all buildings have a pretty dirty façade and look far older than they actually are.The only exception being the glass skyscrapers which are everywhere.
Nobody in Guangzhou lives in a house, everyone lives in apartments, I didn't see one single one family home until approximately 70km outside the city on the road to Taishan.
Because of the incredible air pollution blue skies are a rarity there, mostly the sky is a milky white and frequently completely overcast. In 3.5 weeks there in February and March I had one semi sunny day, and that's the dry season.
It is hot for about 8 months of the year and coolish during December to March though temperatures were in the 30's C when I was there in March on several days. In the summer Guangzhou is at its wettest as that's the monsoon season, expect heavy thundery rain pretty much everyday in the summer. Most tourist guide sites I've read advise Spring and Autumn as the best time of year to visit.
Added to the air pollution the city has a real litter problem. There is an army of street cleaners but they are fighting a war of attrition, the locals seem have no concept of keeping the environment clean, there certainly doesn't appear to be any anti litter laws there.
The 2010 Asian games are to be held in GZ so I imagine a massive clean up operation will be done like in Beijing before the Olympic games, but given the state of most buildings there because of the air pollution I think that's one heck of a struggle they have on their hands.
Despite the horrible air, the litter and the grotty looking buildings Guangzhou has one massive plus to the weary traveller - its amazing cuisine.
Dog cooked over charcoal, with spring onion,ginger and garlic, very tasty.
I read somewhere that in Guangzhou if it flies in the air, swims in the sea or walks on the land that you can eat it there. I certainly would concur with that, the sheer variety and tastes of Cantonese cooking is mind blowing. If you are a bit of a foodie you'll be in heaven. Ask your lady to take you to as many different types of restaurants there as possible and let her order for you.
She will take you to the best places and you will quickly realise just how much wonderful variety of foods and tastes there is to enjoy.
Mastering the chopsticks takes some getting used to. However most restaurants will put extra spoons on the table if they see that a westerner is eating. Most restaurants don't have regular knives and forks.
Cantonese is spoken in Guangzhou though everyone understands Mandarin. The street signs are in simplified Mandarin and in Pinyin also.
The Metro maps are in Mandarin and English so its easy to find your way round.
The bus timetables are in Mandarin only, so you will need your girl to tell you what number to get because its impossible otherwise (Unless you can read simplified Chinese). On the Metro the announcer says in Cantonese, Mandarin and English what the next stop is which is very useful.
Getting aroundThe bus and rail system is integrated. I highly recommend getting a travel card as the ticket machines are often broken or out of change or have long queues. It's far more practical to get a swipe card. You can top the card up in any Metro (underground train) station.
Ask your lady to show you what the sign looks like for the places that will top up your card.
One tip I would give is to note the balance on your card - when you swipe it on the barrier entering the Metro the display flashes up the credit remaining. The card is deducted at the exit point of your destination.
Here's the problem though - if you have insufficient credit it won't let you out and beeps loud and security comes running. Now, you can't top up the card inside the station - only outside the barrier zone. The security guards were not impressed with the fact i had run out of credit and it took much apologising from me and accompanying me to the top up station and back before they would let me go.
Pay attention to the credit left on your card!!.
Rail traffic is very cheap most trips were less than 10RMB which is about one euro.
Bus trips are a flat 2 RMB no matter how far the journey.
Make sure you have directions written down in Chinese!!
Taxi travel is also very cheap by western standards and for shorter trips preferable to the bus or trains as they are nearly always crowded, and in rush hour utterly jam packed and to be avoided if possible. What i did was find a place I wanted to visit on the internet then wrote it down carefully and then asked the people at the hotel reception to write it down in Chinese to hand to a taxi driver, he wont understand your pronunciation unless you are really proficient in the language.
There are two types of Taxi - ones that are metered, most of them, and ones that are not. I do NOT recommend using the un-metered one, you are supposed to agree a cost before heading out on your journey, leading to massive potential to scam a gullible western traveller.
I only got one once and that with my lady and she negotiated for about 5 minutes, with much waving of hands in the air, pretend walking away etc...
She advised me not to get one myself and I bet she's right.
This type of taxi is light brown in colour and has a big sign in the front window dash with a number on it.
The regular taxi drivers were always honest and always used the meter and would give a receipt if you want one for whatever reason, I found them to be very friendly without exception.
In Guangzhou I bet the car horns wear out before the cars! The locals beep, constantly! They beep to change lanes, they beep when the car in front slows down, speeds up, changes lane, there was times I had to restrain myself from laughing out loud at the sheer craziness of it all.
Don't expect to sleep on any long bus trips, the bus horns are loud! It was the very first thing I noticed when leaving the airport, apart from the heat, was the crazy horn beeping.
Driving is insane in the city, it's a game of who chickens out first. There is a reason China has the highest road death rate in the world..Your first few Taxi rides will be white knuckle affairs!
I have a Malaysian friend that's travelled extensively around SE Asia and tells me that the worst driving he experienced anywhere was in Guangzhou, it has to be experienced to be believed.
Places To eatWhen you are with your lady let her choose where to eat, she'll know the best restaurants that the tourist wouldn't know about and will know what food is safe to eat.
I do not recommend buying off street vendors unless its with your lady - it's just asking for an upset tummy.
The tap water is not safe to drink and always brush your teeth with bottled water. Do not ask for ice - chances are its made from tap water. In fact when they bring you water in a restaurant its likely to be warm - its boiled tap water far safer as a result (which is a good thing). Never ever accept a jug of cold water in a restaurant if you happen to be offered one, though that's unlikely. The locals wouldn't touch it and neither should you.
When your lady is not with you and you need to eat, there are McDonald's and KFC's everywhere. But guys you are in a food lovers paradise!!, you can get the junk crap any day back home. The
Kung Fu chain is all over the place, its got a guy that looks like Jackie Chan in the sign, you'll know it instantly when you see it. Its extremely cheap and serves proper Chinese food.
They all have an English menu at the counter but you will have to ask for it.
Just say "English Menu" - go to the till that has a Manager type hovering near by, chances are he will understand you if the till person doesn't. The foreigner will have his attention believe me - in the place in TeeMall the manager came over with a big smile and spoke in broken English to me which of course made me a loyal customer at the times I wasn't with Ling! Don't be put off that the only visible menus are in Chinese.
Most stand alone restaurants have menus only in Chinese and some don't even have pictures.
Another Chain I liked was
Ajisen Ramen chain , slightly more upmarket than the
Kung Fu chain so a little more expensive but still dirt cheap by western standards. Their sign has a picture of a Kid holding a rice bown and winking. I really liked the food there and went many times.
Starbucks is everywhere and is the only place that sells decent Coffee that i came across, but its very expensive by Chinese standards. But sipping a Grande Americano and reading a book is the perfect way to chill for a little while during the afternoon.
Have your lady take you to "Dim Sum" -which seems to mean a Tea house that sells lots of dumpling type dishes, Martin heaven haha!
I recommend asking your lady to take you to a "hot pot" restaurant, I went to two and i thought it very enjoyable.
Oh one thing, after three or more beers i cannot manage chopsticks..so beer with or after dinner but not before haha!
Another tip, don't wear a light coloured shirt when eating noodles in soup..you will drop stuff from the chopsticks and splatter your shirt. Lift the bowl right to your face and slurp - slurping is perfectly acceptable as is spitting out the bones on the table.
Never ever handle your food. If you need to remove a bone from your mouth, spit it discreetly out on a plate or the table, again this is normal and acceptable behaviour even though it feels really impolite to a westerner. She will be shocked and disgusted at you removing food from your mouth with your hand - think squatter toilets for the reasoning behind this.
Stuff to do (mostly broken down on a day trip basis)Night Cruise on the Pearl River and Shamian Island 
Thanks to daghoi for the picture for the night time Pearl River Cruise
Guangzhou looks a bit grotty and littered in the daytime but at night all the skyscapers are lit up in many colours and its truly beautiful. This is far and away the most romantic thing we did there. The cruise lasts about 90 minutes and is cheap and super romantic, cannot recommend it highly enough.
The boats cruisers leave from close to Shamian Island which has a market, nice restaurants and old colonial buildings. Maybe take a day visiting the Island and then finish it off with the cruise, if shes not melting into your arms by then - you're doing something wrong!!
Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall and Yuexiu Park 
The memorial hall is pretty and set in nice grounds and worth a visit. Inside there is a theatre and stuff on the walls telling about China's war with Japan which i found interesting (its in Englsh as well as Chinese).
A short walk away is Yuexiu Park which is home to the famous "five goats" statue and has nice paths to walk along, again its nice and romantic.
In one place there the old folk practice Tai Chi and dance, its really sweet.
Baiyun mountain, Luhu Lake and Xinghai Memorial ParkBaiyun (White cloud) Mountain, isnt really a mountain, more alike a little hill, its only about 300 metres tall i think.
But there is a lovely walk to the top with a pretty cool buddist Temple to check out about half way up.
At the top its a hive of activity with playing badminton, haki sack and milling around.
There is great views of the city..well they would be great if the air was cleaner. I'd recommend this on a rainy day or just after rain if you want to get a decent view, the pollution is so bad it ruins the view from this great vantage point.
From the top I recommend the cable car ride to the bottom, you can take it up too but kinda seems like a lazy thing to do. But going down its a nice novelty and is good fun.
Near the mountain is Luhu Lake which has a trail around it and I highly recommend the pedal boats there, they are in silly animal shapes and great fun to paddle around the lake in and are dirt cheap to hire out.
Xinghai memorial park is beside the lake and is worth checking out. Its small but is meticulously looked after and very pretty. You'll probably walk round it in about 30 minutes.
There is a really good restaurant on the lake (see the photo above) which while expensive by Chinese standards is cheap by western ones. So if you are tired out from all the hill walking and pedalling then I'd recommend refuelling there. Its right by the lake so has lovely views. It's on the same side of the lake as Xinghai Memorial Park which is fairly small and is a pleasant stroll around with a small memorial hall with artwork and pictures.
A gardener prepares to water the plants in Xinghai Memorial park.
Guangzhou museum of Art and Nanyue Wangmu (Nanyue tomb)
I really enjoyed visiting the museum of art. A lot of the sections are closed but there is so much to see there its well worth a trip . From stylised paintings to patriotic cartoons and sculptures its a fascinating place.
Patriotic Cartoon
Huge Painting Of Women Working.
Fun sculpture outside the museum.
It was very quiet when I was there which is a shame as this place is well worth checking out. You really get a feel of the Chinese mind and society can be partially seen through looking at their art I feel.
The Nanye tomb is pretty cool. They have loads of ancient pottery on display, including clay pillows, that must have been uncomfortable to sleep on!
This is a pillow believe it or not!
The tomb itself is cool, its excavated and you get to walk around the excavation.
They also have a gift shop that has a genuine "Guangzhou style" artist in there.
He makes pottery and draws on it in the Guangzhou art form. It's utterly exquisite and beautiful.
Apparently he is the last artist left trained in this discipline and the government pays him to continue making vases and bowls exquisitely decorated. The stuff this old guy makes has to be seen to believed.
You can buy some of his stuff and to my lasting regret I didn't. It is dirt cheap considering the time and effort put into it - the lady there told me it takes him a full week to make just one small vase and some of the bigger pieces can take up to a month!
It's all utterly unique and signed by the old guy, once he stops making it the art form is gone forever, such a shame. I can easily imagine his stuff will go up in value over time.
I really wish I bought one particular vase he made, it was feather light and must have taken weeks to draw, the artwork was simply breath taking. I have zero doubt of its authenticity as he was drawing right there in front of me, a true artistic genius.
Liurong Si Pagoda and Martyrs Memorial Park 
The pagoda is a few stories tall and really beautiful. There are several Buddhist temples on the grounds and it is a active place of worship with monks and all.
Its an oasis of calm and tranquillity in a pretty busy area.
Gardeners looks after the plants in Martyrs Memorial Park
Martyrs Memorial park is right beside the iconic China Mall a towering massive shopping mall and office skyscraper. There's a lovely little lake with benches to relax on and several temples where folk practise Tai Chi outside.
China Mall towers over Martyrs Park, a powerful edifice. Very impressive
If you want to chill out, i really recommend this place, I've a ton more photos of it, is really photogenic and very nice to just sit down in and relax.
When you are done chilling out head over to China Mall and have a look around. There's a Cinema there where you can book a posh viewing where you get to sit on a leather sofa with your lady while you watch the movie, candied popcorn is provided too which i thought was horribly sweet! Expect mobile phones to be going off every once in a while, Chinese girls never ever turn off their phones. And nobody will be the slightest annoyed when they talk on their mobile whole the show is on. There doesn't seem to be a decibel limit in the cinemas in Guangzhou - expect action scenes to be incredibly LOUD!!
Old and new together in perfect harmony, both incredibly powerful and strong.
Foot Massage and KTVHave your girl bring you foot massage. It's not like massage parlours in the west. It's main stream and perfectly acceptable. Its also great!. The foot part of the massage is a bit sore to be honest but they also massage your legs and back - after massaging your legs with hands of steel the pretty girl asks you to lie on top of her and she kinda gyrates which isn't unpleasant!. Its all done in a professional way with a guy checking in every few minutes and a tv blaring away and I have to admit afterwards i was feeling feeling very refreshed. There is tea and fruit provided to consume while they are rubbing your feet and legs. The hair dressers do head massage too. I had this while my lady was getting her hair cut and never again, basically they wash your head and then scrape across it with fingernails..there are no muscles on the scalp..its daft and i thought it pointless, though maybe some other less follically challenged guys might like it!! Mind you there is the straddling aspect of it that wasn't altogether unpleasant..*ahem*
Entrance to "best" KTV in Guangzhou..
KTV is something you MUST do with your lady if you want to understand her world. KTV is a way of life, everyone does it, to not experience it is to not understand Guangzhou people.
Waiting area (for your private room to become available), I knew this was going to be a unique experience!
In a nutshell its private karaoke with food. I went to the "best" one with my lady and a couple of friends. They booked it in advance. After signing in at the reception area you go upstairs to a huge buffet room with countless foods to choose from.
KTV singing fuel!!
Above that is private room after private room after private room of earnest Chinese folk singing to the TV in front of their friends.
This is serious business, its not like a western karaoke where everyone gets drunk and sings in front of a faceless crowd - Here you sing just for your friends.
There are very few western songs, just Chinese ballads that to my uncultured ear sounded all the same!! The machine has some western songs but the lyrics were hard to read..problem is that a Chinese character stands for a word..and in English a letter is only a part of a word. In KTV every letter is treated as a word so if you don't know the lyrics they flash in front of you way too fast!!
I went to a wedding with Ling and the friend of a friend that drove us there had a dvd player in his car. It played KTV ballads.. do not mess with KTV, its serious business and you gotta check it out!
Shopping - China Mall, Tee Mall, Beijing Street
The two biggest malls in the city that I came across are China Mall and TeeMall (though apparently the Chinese translates as Team Mall, but the sign says Tee Mall go figure..) TeeMall is expensive by Chinese standards but has everything you could possibly want in one place. There's a whole floor dedicated to restaurants of all types, some have English menus others dont but they all have pictures so you can guess if you are feeling adventurious.
China needs more pizza restaurants!
There's a Pizza hut there too but there's a perma queue outside to get in which isn't something that would happen here ever.
Dusk outside Teemall
Beijing street is several kilometres long of pedestrian shopping. There is a cool section with a glass covering of excavations of the ancient cobblestoned street.
People will constantly comie up to you offering cheap Rolex fakes and fake bags .
Its the most touristy part of the city and the initial buzz soon wears of as the hawkers are persistent and become annoying quickly.
There's a ice cream shop there that sells Durian ice cream if you are feeling brave, its not as strong as fresh Durian but an interesting taste to say the least.
There's cinemas in both Malls and are very expensive even by western (Irish) standards. Martyrs park is just outside China Plaza and is a nice change of pace from the frenetic shopping. It has a nice lake and some temples, lots of places to sit and chill out too, i found it very peaceful.
Xiangjiang Safari Park and Chimelong International Circus 
Both of these are beside each other. The safari park is part of the zoo and you get taken around the park in a small motorised train and get to drive though herds of various different types of animals, its really got. There are tigers on a hill separated by water from the trail the train takes and they go wild roaring at the train, no question of a doubt that if they got across the embankment we'd be dinner - excellent stuff altogether!
In the zoo there is a Panda house with about 10 pandas which are cute to see so close up.
The circus is a once in a life time thing, you will not see anything like it here. The clowns do a good job warming up the crowd initially, they really go wild, makes a great atmosphere. Now if you want to see bears riding big motor cycles around a ring ,monkeys cycling bikes and jumping through rings of fire this is the place for you, at times I couldn't believe my eyes. At one part of the show they have bears in a mock boxing match which made me feel real uncomfortable but it was staged and short and was only a tiny part of the overall spectacle which was amazing, I would go again.
After the circus highly recommend heading over to the hotel across the road (I think its called Safari Hotel or something) they have real live Lions and tigers and crocs in open areas in the hotel, its ridiculous! However the restaurant is extremely high quality. I think I had the best food there of any place in Guangzhou.
It is a little pricey by Chinese standards but the service is truly 5 star, you are treated like a king, and the food is exquisite in my opinion.
After the Pearl River night cruise day, the Safari Park and Circus day was the best which is why I have them first and last here, your lady will be putty in your arms after all this take that from me!!
Wow - you made it!!
This guide is a bit long, sorry for that, I could make one twice as long easily..stuff I haven't covered would include the Jade market, the electronic malls, the food markets, which are amazing and some other parks, but that stuff is more personal interest.
I did a lot of fun stuff in Guangzhou, hopefully some of my guide gives you idea of stuff to with our without your lady in the times she's in work.
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All pictures in the guide above were taken by me with the exception of the Pearl River night cruise which "daghoi" kindly gave me permission to use and the Shamian Island picture which i found on Wiki and the taker gives his permission to reuse by anyone.
If any forum readers have Shamian Island photos I'd prefer to use them to keep it all in house so as to speak. If you do please let me know, thanks.
Ronan.
