Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Fanging around on a bike

If you ever find yourself in Guangzhou and want to see the sites by bike, check out Canton Cycles and join a bike gang tour. We road on the wrong side of the river to exploit around Haizhung and it was the best fun ever! 

We saw monks on mobiles, temples and tiles, and laneways with washing abound. We rode past a man hand making skateboards, though wedding dress street and past a mother cat with her brand new kittens. Old mansions, tiny lanes and huge temples too. Sign up for the next one at www.cyclecanton.com
























Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Xian Cun

I've watched this village slowly crumble since I arrived in Guangzhou and I sense there are not many more weeks left for the stoic folk who have held fast to their lot.

A big wall has been build and temporary accommodation for construction workers has been assembled, there are police and security - but some of the residents still hang on. 

Such a gorgeous little community amongst the rubble. Temples, phone accessory shops, vegetable stalls, fish mongers, restaurants, barbers and clothes repair stalls. People gossiping, eating, shopping and living. If you can believe what you read for those residents still hanging on by a thread, their lives have been turned upside down. They can't leave their house for fear it will be demolished. Some have been bullied and hassled and worse. And still they stay. 

I wish they'd at least keep part of this village. It's prime real estate for sure but one day when every little piece of this is gone and replaced by multi-storey units - you just end up with another China big city scape. But then who am I to make wishes when there are probably hundreds of people wishing that they can simply just keep their homes. 











Monday, March 12, 2018

This is how we weekend

Late night dumplings and cocktails. Early morning granola and coffees with Suzi. Kite flying, yum cha, and kitchen ware rummaging. Champagne sun sets and night time walks. River strolls followed by galleries and old style mansions. More markets then the best combination late lunch of all time.

Friends and fun.