Guangzhou Travel Notes

Itinerary:

3/22: Train at 8:50 AM -> Arrive in Guangzhou at 12:30 PM -> Dim sum at Dian Du De -> Chen Clan Ancestral Hall -> Liwan Lake -> Yongqing Fang -> Shangxiajiu -> Shamian Island -> Canton Customs -> Sacred Heart Cathedral -> Beijing Road -> Guesthouse -> Dafo Temple

3/23: Early morning meetup with a new friend at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall -> Walk to Nanyue King Museum -> Bamboo-pressed noodles -> Yuexiu Park -> Dongshankou -> Taikoo Hui -> Gym -> Saizeriya -> Huacheng Square -> Canton Tower -> Haixinsha -> Guesthouse

3/24: Guangzhou Museum of Art -> Sun Yat-sen University -> APM Line -> Xihua Road -> Train station

Last Friday, our database teacher took a day off, which unexpectedly gave us free time and turned into a three-day mini holiday. Taking this chance, my close buddy and I planned a trip to Guangzhou, and we also wanted to meet his childhood friend there. So we set off early on Friday morning.

My ticket was to Guangzhou East Station. Normally, stations named "East" or "West" are newer and larger. But this one felt the opposite. Guangzhou must have developed so early that even the later-built stations already feel old. The moment we walked out, we were in a bustling district: shiny commercial streets mixed with aging residential blocks, with a few thick, old, lively trees on both sides of the road casting shade over the wide sidewalks. We gradually tuned into the rhythm of the city. It took us a while, but eventually we caught it: long history, rich daily life, youth, and vitality.

We quickly decided to go for morning tea. My buddy asked several classmates, and they all recommended Dian Du De. It was a little pricey, but the quality and service were excellent. We went to the branch closest to the station (there were a few izakayas across the street; stepping in felt like entering a Japanese drama, totally different from the lively Chinese street outside), and started feasting. The two of us spent 250 RMB and basically tried a whole range of dishes.

After the meal we took an elevator, then realized it only went up. Buttons from floors 4 to 11 were all lit and couldn't be canceled. So my friend and I, together with an elderly man, just kept riding floor by floor and eventually came back down to the ground from what had originally been the second floor. The old man chatted in Cantonese, different from what you hear in Hong Kong movies, and complained about a lot of things. I only clearly understood one phrase: "damn it." Just like Lu Xun wrote, that phrase is nationally unified.

After that we quickly checked off all the recommended spots from Xiaohongshu. During the process, we slowly resonated with Guangzhou itself: we watched elderly bands playing in riverside parks along the Pearl River, seniors doing partner dancing, little opera stages in parks, filmed with foreign friends, saw young influencers posing at check-in spots, watched young office workers hurrying by, middle-aged people exercising steadily, elementary school kids choosing ice cream after class, parents picking up children after work, and children still playing before their parents arrived.

Day one ended quickly. We were exhausted and looked forward to deep sleep that night.

Three-Person Walkabout

Early on the second day, we skipped refined breakfast shops and went to a roadside stand at a quiet crossroads. We had rice noodles for 5 RMB, and they were surprisingly great 🎉. We met my buddy's childhood friend at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. At first we were not familiar, just acquainted, and didn't talk much. After visiting the memorial hall together, we passed a Taoist temple on our way to the Nanyue King Museum. Somewhere along that walk, the awkwardness faded and our conversation gradually opened up.

After the Nanyue King Museum, we went to a noodle shop that our friend's childhood friend said was good. Unexpectedly, the bamboo-pressed noodles were made with fish-bone broth. I didn't eat a single bite (I don't like seafood 😟), and we continued on.

After wandering for a long time, none of us knew what to do next, so I suggested going to the gym (our friend's childhood friend is incredibly fit!). We found a cheap gym, but it required reservation and wouldn't let us train on the spot. So we switched to a better one. The service was excellent, and the equipment was new and great. I learned a lot from him. I updated my training plan, clarified my training goals, learned many new movements and details, and also checked whether my existing form was standard. I benefited a lot.

Then we went to Canton Tower. Another day ended in complete exhaustion.

Train Delay

We got up early and walked again to the Guangzhou Museum of Art, because we had forgotten to reserve Guangdong Provincial Museum and couldn't get in. After a quick visit, we arrived at the gate of Sun Yat-sen University.

I had already contacted another close friend studying there. He told us about a side gate where we could enter directly without prior reservation (since we failed to reserve in advance). He also kindly told us which places on campus were worth visiting. Seeing him study in such a beautiful place made me really envious. I started imagining that one day I could study there too.

Then we took a taxi to the APM line, where we heard we could see flowers, but the queue was too long. So we refunded and switched to a snack street. We tried many new foods there. One snack called bo bo gui looked like rice cake with brown sugar syrup, but it turned out to be garlic oil. It left a bad smell in our mouths and was salty, not very tasty.

After eating, we rushed to the train station, expecting to arrive on time according to plan, but ran into unexpected traffic and delays. We even cut into line at the station and sprinted all the way to the gate, but were still stopped. If we had arrived just five minutes earlier, we could have made it (such a pity).

Then came ticket changes. My buddy couldn't get a refund after the train departure and lost 388 RMB. I paid over 110 RMB in service fees to change mine. We didn't get back to Xiamen until 10 PM.

Overall, those three days were full and joyful, with rich experiences, both ups and downs. This season is actually a great time to visit Guangzhou. The sun is strong, but it's not unbearably hot. We walked so much that we were completely worn out, averaging 38,000 steps per day. I sincerely hope that one day I can study in Guangzhou, or even stay there for a while and truly live there.