Life of Lara - China & Asian Travels: December 2012

(Monday, December 17 - Thursday, December 20)

It'll be a long post, but enjoy the photos! If you want to see more, I've posted an album on Facebook.

Two days into my winter break, and I was out the door by 6am on Monday, December 17, on my way to the Ningbo airport. I was through security and checked with no issues, other than for the fact that officers strangely opened my umbrella after it went through the scanner in security, revising it as if it were a threat or weapon. I conked out on the window and didn't even notice we took off. I slept hard until awakened by the puffy-jacketed lady on my left.

Flying into Hong Kong

The plane flew into the Hong Kong bay area, nearly scraping the water just before hovering over the tarmac just along shore, landing at 10:40am. I waltzed through customs and immigration and then walked through the terminals (the air was a humid 75ºF). Before leaving the airport, I purchased a roundtrip bus ticket to Guangzhou. I was going to visit the parents of one of my Whitworth CRC (Costa Rica Center) former students/friend, Nanda. Their family leads an international lifestyle, as her parents are teachers in the international circuit. She spent her high school years at HK International School, and then her parents moved about two hours northwest to GZ, China's third largest city, to teach at the American International School of Guangzhou (AISGz).

Hong Kong border crossing back to mainland China.

By 11am, I was in a van, headed across the HK border back to mainland China. For those of you who are wondering, Hong Kong is technically a special administrative region that's associated with the PRC (People's Republic of China), but is now, after about 150 years of British rule, it is an independent "state,"politically and economically. Therefore, passports must be stamped when going in and out of HK.

Leaving HK and re-entering China mainland went fairly quickly; altogether I'd say it took about 40 minutes to get from the airport to the border, and another 10 to cross the border. Identified by the sticker that had been slapped on my shoulder by the ladies at the ticketing desk at the airport, I walked to my next coach-sized bus, and was checked off and conveniently given a window seat. I love window seats. Just over two hours later via bus, I arrived in Guangzhou.

Bus Sticker

Consulting my Google Maps app (while in China, I had Chinese 3G and cell service), I stretched my legs as I walked in the general direction of Er Sha Dao, the island where the American school's elementary campus is located. I eventually flagged down a taxi and arrived at a meeting location (Starbucks), where Nanda's mom, Darlene, met me ...after I purchased an all too exorbitantly-priced iced holiday latte at the Starbucks where I met her, for 32rmb (>$5!). Probably equivalent caloric exorbitance trickled from the straw into my mouth.

AISG

Darlene gave me a full tour of the elementary campus. They hosted me on Monday night, and I thoroughly enjoyed their company and the conversations we shared. They also gave me some tips for my next couple days to be spent in HK. The skies opened up and it poured hard that night, the temps dropping to the lower 60s, with wind and wetness.

Early Tuesday morning, I went to work with Dave, to the middle school/high school campus that is about 45 minutes away. Observing classes and school daily operations, it was interesting to see the American school of GZ, comparing it to my experience with AIAN, the small international school where I teach.

Tuesday afternoon, I figured out where the bus pick up was to get me back across the border to HK. I arrived to check in around 12:15pm, at which time I was advised that the next bus wouldn't come for at least anther hour (1:30). So after getting my sticker and seat assignment, I went out and wandered.

The tallest telecommunications tower in the world is in GZ.

Here is a not-so-quality image of the tower at night;
It has a pattern of entertaining lights all around the building.

My taobao-purchased black knee-high boots had, in true Chinese-made/purchased fashion, signs of wear and tear, though I've only had them for less than a few weeks. The toe of the left shoe had begun to flap, the red insides of the sole sticking out like a tongue with every step. So I made it my informal mission to find a way to at least temporarily repair the damage. I went to a 7-Eleven mart and purchased some really sticky tape for less than 50 cents. Fail. Then I walked by a home repairs/supplies sort of store, where I was able to translate and gesture/mine my apparent need for super glue. Another 50 cents later, I had a semi-fixed flap.

Putzing around GZ.

After some more wandering, I caught the 1:30 bus and headed out of Guangzhou just in time, as it started raining hard again. I was dropped off at the border by around 3:15, and a CTS Coach (transport company) minivan driver picked up a group of us who were airport-bound. (My roundtrip bus ticket was to and from the airport, which was fine, since I had directions to get to downtown HK best coming from the airport).

Border crossing at Shenzhen, leaving China and going back into Hong Kong.

Crossing the border to China and come into HK customs and immigration got us stuck in traffic. Our driver took advantage of the wait time and took a little smoke break, chatting with other transfer bus drivers. I people-watched, of course. The other people-with what I observed to be Russian, Ghanian (or Nigerian?), Chinese, and HK passports-just looked on and spaced out as well. Finally, rolling up to the checkpoint into HK, a little man in uniform came up and shot his electronic laser gun at our heads (painless), clicking and taking data, I'm guessing taking our temperatures.

We were finally over the border by 4:15, and at the airport just before 5pm. I stood and waited for a bus to take me, through rush hour traffic, into the HK centre. Crossing into the western HK Harbour, coming in at dusk, the evening haze was filled with with millions of city lights, twinkling and glittering across the water. I saw more cargo containers than I think I have ever seen in my life. And I have seen many a port city in my (short) lifetime!

The Yesinn hostel, on the busy Hennessy Street,
right above NCB bank

The view looking down on Hennessy Street from my hostel window

The hostel lock cabinet was

much fancier and more high-tech

than Latin American hostels'

wooden-boxed, bring-your-own-lock ones

I finally arrived around 7pm at the Yesinn hostel, in a very central location of the island, in Causeway Bay. After checking in, I went out walking, in search of food. I finally settled on an Asian rice place for some tomato egg rice dish and frothy almond and egg white (yummy, and probably quite fattening). I found a cineplex theatre to watch The Hobbit. In the time before the showing began, I went to a grocery store to purchase some items for breakfasts and snacks, as well as some treats for the 3-hour movie. The Hobbit was long but epic in this grand theater. However, I don't like 3-D! I had to wear two glasses in order for the animation to be in focus!

I was back at the hostel by around 2am. HK never sleeps, though the streets had less people at that hour than at 10pm. I returned to my communal room, where six of the eight beds were filled with sleeping ladies. I tried to quietly stow my things, but the crackling plastic bag obstructed my intentions to leave my roommates undisturbed. I was thankful I had left everything all set up in my locker for my anticipated late night return. I slipped off my boots and stinky socks and crawled up to the very top bunk (triple decker) into bed.

My bed was #7,
on the top of the triple-decker bunks.

Wednesday, after just a few hours of sleep and perusing maps for ideas of where to go, I headed out from the hostel around 10am. I went out sightseeing to do some things that friends had recommended, and also spend some time doing just whatever I fancied, looking up attractions in guides and such. I caught the MTR (HK's metro underground system) and then a bus, up to Victoria Peak to see a more aerial view of the metropolis. I walked the trails for more than an hour in the foggy, windy, misty weather.

The trails p at "The Peak"
I walked the large loop, as well as some other trails.

The mall up at Victoria Peak

Panoramic behind foliage.

City Scape, view of the island in the foreground, and the northern bay and mainland in the distance.

More city scape, looking down the mountainside.

Dog holds leash in mouth

and follows lady across the street

I ate a late lunch up at the Peak after a couple hours of hiking around. Then, with a mocha in my belly to warm me, the jerky bus ride was hard to enjoy from the less-stabile upper deck of the bus, as it wound back down around the mountain's slopes, with a pedal-pushing driver, and a lady who sprayed a ton of perfume she had just ought at the mall at the top of the peak. I felt pretty nauseated.

Temple in the city

Getting off the bus in the central part of the city, I meandered and regained my constitution as I walked around the city. It was around 3pm. I wandered and saw some awesome architecture, window-shopped around posh, international stores, found the post office, and then decided that I wanted to take a ferry ride to one of the islands to see some temples. I chose the island that seemed to have the next ferry out, even though initially I would've preferred to go to an island with an older temple that housed a good-luck dragon.

City colors and apartment buildings

This building had interesting architecture.
It's not distorted by my camera;
it actually looked cock-eyed in real life as well!

But the island I ended up going to, Cheung Chau, was pretty cool. I took the slow ferry over to Cheung Chau Island (though the ticket price really was only about $1.50 cheaper). The scenery was pretty. Especially with the fog and rain and dark clouds and some clearer patches further out. I took lots of photos and enjoyed the scenery. As the ride was pretty smooth, I opted to perch myself atop the metal rope tying posts, instead of on chairs, also walking back and forth across the rear end of the boat to take photos.

The central pier along the wharf/docks near the ferries.

At the ferry terminal, about to embark on the ride out to the islands; Hong Kong across the channel in the distance

Hello!

My "perch" on the line-tying "stool" at the rear of the ferry boat

Cruising. Helicopter overhead.

Leaving Hong Kong through the channel and out towards the southern islands.

Cheung Chau Island harbor/marina.

About 45 minutes later, we docked and I found myself on an island with warmer breezes than along the shores of HK/mainland, in the western seas of the Atlantic (the South China Sea, specifically in Dadong Bay). It was quite like many other wharf-front, marina-welcoming harbor that may welcome tourists and locals alike. Seafood restaurants, bikes, shops, groceries, markets, all with a small town feel and few non-Asians.

Street and stores

Produce market

Meat seller. A cat jumped up and stole a scrap of the meat
right off his cutting block just seconds later!

I meandered and found myself being called into a tea shop by a friendly middle-aged man who sat chatting with his mother. I admired all the tea cups and pots and sets that lined the walls on shelves. He offered me tea, and, in broken English and Mandarin, we talked about where the the herbal teas came from. He offered me sample cup after cup of the BEST jasmine tea I have ever tasted, as well as green tea (the leaves for which were grown by his father, who lives in a region of China just across from Taiwan). Also tasty and pure! I bought two tea cups/pots from him, and had to use the toilet many times as a result of those many cups of tea!

Tea shop

The tea shop owner and his mother,
wrapping my newly purchased tea cups

I went to visit a temple and got there just before dusk. I snapped some photos and asked the older men who were sitting outside if it was alright for me to have a peek inside. They obliged, offering me a courtesy "guided" tour about the courtyard, demonstrating some rituals and ensuring that I saw every altar and offering to each deity.

On the temple stairs

a god or deity of some sort

temple altars

Statues outside the temple,
the doorman/temple keeper sits in the background.

This statue was overlooking the schoolchildren who were
playing basketball on the halogen-lit courts in front of the temple

After walking around the island for a few hours, I needed to grab something to eat and wasn't feeling like seafood or meat (big surprise there), so I tried some "egg puffs", which are basically just fluffy, doughy waffle balls with a bit more flavor (and sugar).

Egg puffs

Waiting to board the ferry, I played hopscotch and "talked" with a little boy and his grandmother in the station. I taught him high and low five techniques, and he was delighted!

On the ferry ride back to Central, I was amused by the English version of the ferry rules. One specific part commented, "Smoking is strictly prohibited and smokers will be PERSECUTED and charged fines starting at $5000 (HK)."

In contrast to the open-air slow ferry that I took over to the island, the fast ferry was posh (seatbelt included on the cushy seats!). We arrived at the docks (Central/HK station) a half hour later. The ride, though 15-20 min shorter than the journey over, was MUCH more bumpy (up and down an back and forth). Returning to the hostel around 8/9pm, I met a new roommate, wrote some postcards, and packed for the next morning.

Thursday, I awakened early as roommates woke up and began to get ready. I was checked out by 8, and made some detours on the way to the airport for my midday flight back to Ningbo. Grocery store, shopping, post office, and then I caught the train for the 30 minute journey back to the airport. Boarding around 11:30, we didn't take off until an hour later. Good thing I had a good book. We landed in Ningbo a bit late, and a driver picked me up to take me the 45 minutes home to Li Ren in Beilun, It was much colder in this more northern region. And dreary.

But Jett puppy was there to greet me (a friend had been house/puppy sitting since Kari left for the States on Wednesday).

See more images from this trip in my Facebook album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151126089062030.428573.507112029&type=1&l=37d3e84ebc
(there are more panoramic shots and sights of HK and the islands)

Life of Lara - China & Asian Travels

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Christmas in Beilun

Friday, December 21, 2012

The Hong Kong/Guangzhou trip