2012 National Day Golden Week - Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau

Time flies, it's National Day Golden Week again. Crowds everywhere have become the norm. Two years ago, I gave up at the foot of Mount Heng; last year, I waited at the top of Mount Wudang. This year doesn't look optimistic either. The highways have even introduced free tolls to add fuel to the fire. If you don't want to be crowded, you need to choose the right place. A long time ago, an old man drew a circle in the south, so we decided to go and check it out.

Chaozhou

Guangdong has countless airports. After much research, our first stop was Chaozhou to experience the unique cuisine of Guangdong and also to see the coveted Guangji Bridge. We arrived in Chaozhou the day before Golden Week, and there were hardly any crowds. The passenger flow at Jieyang Airport scattered to Shantou, Meizhou, and other surrounding cities. The airport bus took just a few of us to Chaozhou, reaching the city center in less than an hour. Along the way, both sides of the road were full of bathroom fixture advertisements. It turned out this was also the hometown of ceramics, which resonated deeply with us as we were in the middle of home renovation. A tricycle took us to the hotel. We dropped off our luggage, freshened up, and set off. The hotel was in the old city. Walking along the old city streets, we reached Kaiyuan Temple in 10 minutes. There are many temples named Kaiyuan across the country. I had previously visited Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, which was grand and comfortable, with twin pagodas as national treasures. This one still retains its former glory. Entering through the side gate, the first thing we saw was the newly built Dabei Hall, enshrining Guanyin. The construction was quite standard. Passing through another side gate, the old temple area came into view. The colors were simple and unsophisticated, not as dazzling as Dabei Hall, but full of charm. Peeking through the construction fence, we saw the stone sutra pillar. Walking into the balustrades and railings in front of the main hall, the Great Buddha Hall appeared before us. We paid homage to the Buddha, watched the monks walking in the courtyard, and looked for the inconspicuous bronze cloud bell. There were no guides here, so we explored on our own. Local devotees and lay Buddhists entrusted their faith here, and we counted as visitors passing by.

Leaving Kaiyuan Temple, we continued along the old city paths, passing through Paifang Street. At an intersection, we saw sugar-onion pancakes and once again experienced 'A Bite of China'—they were truly delicious. Chaozhou's traditional braised dishes made it hard to keep walking, so we bought some braised food and sat at a roadside stall ordering small dishes. But we lost control; four deep-fried dishes appeared on the table. We couldn't finish them, so we packed them up. Full, we continued through the old city, passing the ancient city wall ruins and under the Xieshui Gate. Across the road was the Han River. Guangji Bridge lay across the mighty Han River outside the east gate of Chaozhou. The river was wider than I imagined, flowing straight to the sea, rivaling the Huangpu River. There are many Guangji Bridges in China, but this one is the most famous. Commonly called Xiangzi Bridge, it is located outside the east gate of Chaozhou and was an important transportation route between Fujian and Guangdong in ancient times. Together with Zhaozhou Bridge, Luoyang Bridge, and Lugou Bridge, it is known as one of the 'Four Great Ancient Bridges of China' and is China's first movable pontoon bridge. With a history of over 800 years, I have visited the other three ancient bridges, and none claim to be among the 'great ones.' Only this one lists the four great stone bridges, probably aware that it cannot compare with the others. Looking at the bridge deck from a distance, each section had a pavilion, quite new. It turns out the bridge was renovated with donations from Li Ka-shing and others. The new deck was raised several meters, but the old structure below was still faintly visible. The old deck was very close to the water, so we could only get a rough view. The middle opening part was a pontoon bridge supported by a string of small boats, which can be opened at designated times. It was a clever design. It is said that in the Song Dynasty it was entirely a pontoon bridge, gradually improved over time. The famous bridge expert Mao Yisheng praised it as 'the world's earliest movable bridge.' The quality of the ancient bridge is unquestionable; today's architecture cannot be compared. Since we were here, we had to walk on it. The ticket was expensive, about 50 yuan, but there were very few tourists. The river breeze blew gently on the bridge, and each section offered beautiful scenery. No wonder there is a folk rhyme: 'Chaozhou's Xiang Bridge is so romantic, eighteen梭 boats and twenty-four islets, twenty-four pavilions in twenty-four styles, two oxen and one drifts away.' We walked the entire loop, half tired, so we found a pavilion to take a nap. What a delight!

Leaving Guangji Bridge, we returned to the old city on the opposite side. The winding streets felt a bit like Beihai's old city. Walking along Paifang Street, rows of archways stretched endlessly. Many surrounding shops were closed, indicating sluggish business. Buddha-hand old preserved citron was everywhere. What was it? We popped into a small shop, and the owner introduced it in detail. In short, it cures illness if you're sick and strengthens the body if you're healthy—Buddha-hand soaked in traditional Chinese medicine for 8 years. The price seemed reasonable, so we bought some. Walking under the archways, although the surrounding buildings and archways were newly built, it seemed each archway had a list of donors. Clearly, there were many overseas Chinese with strong financial resources, saving the government a lot of trouble. After walking not too far, we ate casually at roadside stalls and used the free old city map. Soon we arrived at Jiadi Lane. It is said that in ancient times, this was where officials, merchants, and wealthy families lived in Chaozhou. The layout of Ming and Qing alleys and a large number of ancient residences still remain. But the alley felt quite dilapidated. A small museum showcased local Chaozhou embroidery and woodcarving, which were impressive, though perhaps not as refined as those in the Central Plains. In the later part of our trip, Chaozhou woodcarving was something we frequently encountered, a symbol of wealthy Lingnan households.

The old city was commercial but not noisy, which was fine. After passing through Jiadi Lane, we felt like eating again. We returned to the hotel to ask about local seafood. A tricycle took us directly to Yanji food stall in Yuechao Market. Indeed, it was a place where locals ate. We selected seafood, the prices were reasonable, the food was excellent, and the tea was even made from Buddha-hand old preserved citron. So refreshing! One crab and one fish made a satisfying meal. Walking around, we learned about a type of tea here—Phoenix Dancong—only available here. We hailed a tricycle, winding our way back to the Han River, found a tea house, and brewed a pot. The taste was good, closer to Fujian tea. Thinking about it, Chaozhou is actually part of Fujian, quite different from the Cantonese culture in Guangzhou. There are more Hakka people, and the language is different. China is so big. After tea, we still walked along the Han River, then entered the old city on foot. We were shocked. At night, Paifang Street and Kaiyuan Road were full of people, endless street stalls bustling with activity. We called a tricycle that honked its way back to the hotel. We only stayed one day in Chaozhou, but we saw everything we wanted. A nice city.

Mount Danxia

The weather was fine in the morning. The airport bus from Chaozhou Hotel had specific times. We arrived at the airport early. There weren't many people. China Southern Airlines was decent in Guangdong, and mooncakes were distributed on the plane. Today was Mid-Autumn Festival. We flew to Guangzhou at noon, a transit point. Our goal today was to reach Shaoguan—Mount Danxia. The morning news was scary: massive highway jams due to free tolls, and 12306 showed zero remaining tickets for trains because of National Day plus Mid-Autumn. A bit anxious. Outside the airport, we inquired about taxis, but even the option of chartering was dashed—the Beijing-Zhuhai expressway was heavily congested. Frustrated, we went to the South Railway Station to ask. I couldn't understand Guangzhou's urban planning. The Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed rail runs mostly north, but the station is in Panyu, south of Guangzhou. Shaoguan is only 200 km from Baiyun Airport, but we had to go tens of kilometers south to the high-speed rail station. The ticket hall repeatedly scrolled the message 'No tickets available for Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed rail.' Hoping for luck, we queued. At the window, still no tickets. We saw a man ahead buy two remaining tickets to Changsha, and we envied him. We had to settle for sleeper tickets from Guangzhou East the next day. We didn't want to come back to this faraway station. We adjusted our itinerary and booked a hotel. The broadcast continued to announce no tickets. As the crowd at the window began to thin, just as we were about to leave, I had a sudden idea: queue again for cancellations. Luck was on my side. In front of me, a group of buyers left with sad faces. I asked the ticket seller weakly, 'Are there any tickets to Shaoguan today?' 'No.' 'Any cancellations coming in?' 'Haha, let's see your luck.' It felt like buying lottery tickets. She scanned the screen. Click! Click! Click! 'Two business class seats at 19:00, do you want them?' Wow! Heaven's will! Of course. Seeing the frustrated buyer behind me, I felt he would also try. We immediately adjusted our plans again, refunded the next day's tickets, and changed the hotel—everything went smoothly. The tragic South Station, located in remote Panyu, couldn't even tell us where to eat nearby. Being in Guangzhou without food was ironic. The station wasn't too crowded. We ate spare ribs rice in the waiting hall and used the internet in the lounge. Quite an adventure.

We boarded on time. The carriage wasn't as crowded as during Spring Festival. The reason for few Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed rail tickets was that their trains are short, not like the 16-car trains on the Beijing-Shanghai line. Anyway, we got on. 50 minutes to Shaoguan. Business class gave us mooncakes from Guangzhou Restaurant, reminding us it was Mid-Autumn. Shaoguan Station was confusing. I always thought Shaoguan Station should be the old station in the city center, and only stations with 'East,' 'South,' 'West' etc. were far from the city. I was wrong. The main station for this important city on the Beijing-Guangzhou line is Shaoguan East. The Shaoguan Station we arrived at was over 10 km away. The bus to Mount Danxia was at Shaoguan East. Another tragedy. We probably missed the last bus. Outside the high-speed rail station, we took a taxi (50 yuan) to Shaoguan East. The brightly lit square was crowded. The last bus to Mount Danxia was already overloaded. But we were already in Shaoguan. The driver picked up two locals and charged us 150 yuan to take us directly to Mount Danxia. That was reasonable. Along the way, we followed the North River to the Danxia Mountain Scenic Area in Renhua County. The two locals, who had left Guangzhou at 10 am and only just arrived in Shaoguan, lamented their experience. The traffic jam on the Beijing-Zhuhai expressway made us feel lucky. No traffic jams, no crowds—we arrived smoothly at the hot spring hotel in Danxia. We settled our luggage and went to the scenic area entrance to buy tickets and eat, preparing for the next day's climb. There was a discount on tickets. Few people were eating, and the prices were reasonable. Apart from the hotel price—which rose from over 100 yuan to over 400 yuan—there were few signs of Golden Week. We wondered where the crowds at Shaoguan East Square had gone.

We admired the Mid-Autumn moon and had a good night's sleep. Eating breakfast at the scenic area entrance was pleasant. Not many people at the entrance. We entered directly. This is a World Geopark and World Natural Heritage. Legend has it that the ancestor Nüwa fetched water here to create humans, collected five-colored stones in the Jinjiang River to mend the sky, and then lay by the river, turning into stone. Emperor Shun toured the south, climbed Mount Danxia, played music, and named 36 stones. Thereafter, literati and monks flocked here, and incense flourished. Since the Sui and Tang dynasties, it has been a famous scenic mountain in Lingnan and a Buddhist holy site, leaving behind many poems, travelogues, inscriptions, and cliff carvings. Dozens of natural caves across the mountain have been converted into temples, the well-preserved and restored Jinshi Cliff Cave Temple and Biechuan Zen Temple are crowded with pilgrims and tourists. The scenic area bus was free; we boarded directly and leisurely passed through the Yangyuan Stone Scenic Area to the cable car station. It was still early. After a 15-minute queue, we took the cable car up to Baozhu Peak. The cable car here is relatively small. If it had the crowds of Mount Emei during New Year, it would be inadequate. Fortunately, the mountain is only a few hundred meters high. From the top, we viewed various scenic spots. We walked along the thrilling Tuo Stone, overlooking beautiful mountains and water like a bonsai. Changlao Peak was also visible, but the route was tough. We firmly chose the leisure and fitness route, bypassing the Shaoyin Pavilion, passing through Pianlin Rock, seeing an unnamed ancient tomb, and climbing small hills. Winding our way, we enjoyed the scenery and returned to the cable car station. Going down the mountain, we saw more people starting to arrive. The queue for the cable car would likely be long. The scenic area bus conveniently took us to the foot of Changlao Peak. We went to see a key attraction: the Yinyuan Stone. Taking a boat on Xianglong Lake was a good choice to reach it. The boat moved slowly on the lake; the scenery was no less than Wuyi Mountain. Disembarking and hiking, Changlao Peak loomed overhead. Many visitors who come here may skip Changlao Peak but not the Yinyuan Stone. Nature's extraordinary craftsmanship. We paid our respects. Indescribable—see the pictures yourself.

We returned to Xianglong Lake the same way, looking up at Changlao Peak. It was quite beautiful here. Not tired, the scenic area is small, we had fun. Still on the scenic area bus back to the Yangyuan Stone Scenic Area entrance. The parking lot was getting fuller, many family trips from nearby areas. The stone bridge to the scenic area had a steady flow of people. The water under the bridge was clear, and the tree shadows were beautiful. The water Danxia on the Jinjiang River was also a sight. Danxia Mountain is called a 'sex museum,' and the Yangyuan Stone here is a masterpiece. Primitive human phallic worship is sacred, and this stone is remarkably lifelike. It is said to have existed for 300,000 years. The best photo spot under the stone was cheerful for all ages. Many people were even burning incense on the viewing platform. The joy of human nature! Still, see the pictures.

After visiting the main attractions, we returned along the way. The farmhouse dishes were average but fairly priced. The buses at the scenic area entrance were empty, with frequent departures. We boarded smoothly and safely returned to Shaoguan East. Since we had booked sleeper train tickets on 12306 earlier but arrived at the station 2+ hours early, the queue for refunds or changes was crowded. We had to buy new tickets to return to Guangzhou early. Still, we didn't give up on our original tickets. Fortunately, we persuaded the man in front to let us refund, and we succeeded. Thanks to the hardworking people in the ticket office. Shaoguan East Station was exactly what we imagined. Passenger and freight trains lined the platforms, dirty platforms, slow pace. People waiting on the platform early with large bags. No high-speed train tension. The train came from Xi'an, destination Haikou. The sleeper compartment was empty, the hard seat even emptier. We couldn't understand why everyone wanted to squeeze onto high-speed trains. This slow train back to Guangzhou took only an hour more, comfortable and cheap. Mount Danxia in Shaoguan: no regrets, worth visiting. No National Day chaos here, very comfortable. All the crowding was on the road. Many thanks to the Ministry of Railways for a thrilling but safe ride.

Guangzhou

A comfortable sleeper ride. Guangzhou Station is in the city center. A small hiccup at the hotel didn't stop us from staying at Shangxiajiu. Guangzhou, we are back. The next day was another fine day. First stop: Guangzhou Restaurant. We sat down, ordered tea first, ate dim sum, drank tea—so comfortable. An old local man opposite was having tea with his son, reading the newspaper, chatting casually. Looking at the menu, we decided to come back for dinner in the evening. Guangzhou's metro was convenient. We took it directly to Yuzhu, then a ferry to the Whampoa Military Academy旧址. Free admission, not many people. In July, I visited the Yunnan Military Academy; today we saw the more famous Whampoa Military Academy. The ferry at Yuzhu Pier was similar to old Shanghai ferries on the Huangpu River—a small iron boat across to Changzhou Island. The academy itself didn't have much to see. Learning a bit about the history of the Kuomintang and Communist Party, seeing the many remarkable figures, counted as having been there. Ferry and metro back to the city center. We went to Yuexiu Park to see the Five Rams Statue. In the dim light of dusk, the five rams looked quite charming. I was born in the Year of the Ram, so I took a photo—six rams. Old sculptures are far better than the so-called abstract ones today. Across the park was the Nanyue King's Tomb. I had been here last year. Crossing the road, there were many famous restaurants near Liuhua Park. The main venue of the Canton Fair used to be nearby, so glamorous back then. Seeing the restaurants made us unable to walk; we hailed a taxi to Guangzhou Restaurant. The restaurant was bustling. A wealthy man was having a wedding banquet with 40 tables—suckling pig, lobster, we drooled. We queued for a while, then sat down. First, we ordered tea. It was late, and the wealthy man had eaten a lot; several dishes we wanted were sold out. We had to settle for alternatives, but they didn't disappoint. The satisfaction of sea bass and ham made us even more eager for the signature dish—Wenchang chicken. Seems we'd need to come back tomorrow. Leaving the restaurant, we checked the neighboring 'King of Kings' shop and bought some sausages and cured meat—such comfort.

A string of good weather on this trip. Waking up, we still wanted to eat. Taotaoju was packed, but the opposite Lianxianglou was also a good choice. Dim sum breakfast was comfortable; the durian pastries were so fragrant we couldn't move. 'Eat in Guangzhou' lives up to its reputation. Taxis in the city were cheap and convenient. Chen Clan Ancestral Hall was our first stop. Not too many people for National Day. A 15-minute queue for tickets. We asked for a guide, and a university student volunteer from Guangzhou University offered a free full tour—touching. Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, also known as Chen Family Academy, was first built in the 14th year of Guangxu (1888) and completed in 1894. It was jointly built by the Chen surname from 72 counties in Guangdong in the late Qing Dynasty. It is a famous ancestral hall building in Guangdong. The building structure has three axes and three entrances, covering 8,000 square meters. It represents typical Lingnan grand households, decorated with wood carvings, stone carvings, brick carvings, clay sculptures, pottery sculptures, iron castings, and other decorations throughout the eaves, halls, courtyards, and corridors. There are both large and small works, rough and bold or delicate styles. But these ornate sculptures felt a bit messy to me, missing the gentle beauty of ancient Central Plains architecture. After restoration in 1958, it became the Guangdong Folk Arts Museum. Seeing fans, Chaozhou embroidery, etc., it was relaxing. The building was large but not too many people. We took photos, learned some knowledge. In the busy city, convenient transportation. Exiting the ancestral hall, we took the metro to the provincial bus station and bought tickets to Kaiping for the next day. It was easy as pie, completely different from the Wuhan-Guangzhou high-speed rail struggle. Seats 1 and 2—probably a near-empty bus. Then we headed to the Guangdong Provincial Museum. Getting out at Zhujiang New Town metro station felt like Shanghai Lujiazui—skyscrapers everywhere. Canton Tower, IFC, the Asian Games opening venue—modern prosperity. We saw the new building of the Guangdong Provincial Museum from afar. The queue for free tickets was long, so we bought 30-yuan special exhibition tickets and entered directly. Honestly, the Guangdong Provincial Museum claims to be the largest in Guangdong, but the building quality is average, and the collections are even more average. It combines natural history and other exhibits, somewhat messy. The Nanyue King's Tomb is much smaller but its content and quality easily surpass the provincial museum. The Duan inkstones were a nice highlight, though modern artworks. I really wanted a large Duan inkstone to make a shower floor! We glanced at other exhibits: gorgeous Chaozhou woodcarvings, colorful Guangdong ceramics, the mysterious Nanhai No. 1 shipwreck, mainly to understand authentic Lingnan culture. A few models in the museum caught our interest: Guangxiao Temple and the Sacred Heart Cathedral looked impressive. Since time was still early, we skipped the special exhibition on the deep sea and decided to visit the Buddhist holy site Guangxiao Temple. Exiting the museum, we experienced the APM urban transport, then metro and walking to Guangxiao Temple. Though National Day, the temple remained peaceful. The majestic main gate looked comfortable. This was originally the residence of Zhao Jiande, King of Nanyue. Guangzhou is also called Yangcheng (City of Rams), so there is a saying: 'Before Yangcheng existed, Guangxiao was already there.' During the Zhenguan period of Tang Dynasty, the temple expanded and became an important Buddhist center in Lingnan. In the first year of Yifeng of Tang Gaozong, Master Huineng discussed the relationship between wind and banners here, and later the Wind-Banner Hall and the Hair-Burial Pagoda were built. In the Five Dynasties, two iron pagodas (east and west), each seven stories, were built. The east pagoda has a cast lotus seat; the west pagoda had a cast thousand-Buddha pagoda, about two zhang high, finely carved and lifelike. But the west iron pagoda has collapsed, leaving only the base. In the history of Chinese Buddhism, Guangxiao Temple holds an important position. The Indian monk Gunavarman, revered as the founder of the Northern School, called it 'Grove of He'; the patriarch Bodhidharma once stayed here; the Sixth Patriarch Huineng also lived here incognito for many years. The 'Biyi Xuan' and 'Washing Ink Pool' are relics of that time. This shows the long-standing cultural exchange between China and India. We found the Hair-Burial Pagoda and the west iron pagoda, but the east iron pagoda was inside a building and not open to the public. Not seeing the earliest iron pagoda in China was a small regret.

Leaving Guangxiao Temple, it was still early. We started craving Wenchang chicken. We hailed a taxi and went to Guangzhou Restaurant for the third time. Two days in one city, eating three meals at the same hotel—only a place like Guangzhou Restaurant. Founded in 1939, it has the reputation as 'the best restaurant in Guangzhou.' At the door, the security guard was watching his mobile TV. The afternoon tea session had just ended, and we had to wait over half an hour. We were devoted! Finally, the guard waved us in. We went to the second floor again. First, brew tea. The calm waiter said not to rush ordering. We were afraid the Wenchang chicken would sell out again. Fortunately, with calmness and devotion, the Wenchang chicken arrived. Indescribable—we loved it. Eating and drinking, comfortable Guangzhou.

Kaiping

Waking up early, we still had an unfulfilled wish: Taotaoju's morning tea. Walking a short distance, it was early so no queue. We ate what we wanted. I felt it wasn't much better than Lianxianglou across the street; each has its own characteristics. Next time, we'll try Guangzhou Restaurant's morning tea. The bus at the provincial station wasn't crowded; it left even without full seats. The driver was professional—no shouting for extra money, no random pickups. We left Guangzhou. In just over two hours, we arrived in Kaiping. Let the bullets fly. I had wanted to see the diaolou (watchtowers) for a long time, not because of 'Let the Bullets Fly,' not because of rapeseed flowers, but because they are a World Heritage site. Online materials indicated the diaolou in Kaiping are scattered and require a chartered car. We first stored our luggage. The station staff kindly stopped a departing minibus and sent us to Li Garden. The road was flat. In the fields, diaolou stood here and there. We got off at an intersection and walked 15 minutes following the signposts to Li Garden. We booked tickets online with a discount. Guides were in high demand. Luckily, we intercepted a guide who had just finished a tour at the garden entrance. Li Garden is a large villa of a local wealthy family, not part of the World Heritage, but worth seeing. The garden features Western-style buildings and only two diaolou, quite beautiful. We especially liked the interior floor tiles and glass partitions—anything related to decoration. Li Garden was built by the overseas Chinese Xie Weili from Tangkou Town in the 1920s, taking ten years to initially complete. Before liberation, it suffered misfortunes: Japanese soldiers bent the 30 mm thick iron window bars and ransacked the place, after which it gradually fell into disrepair. On October 10, 1999, the garden's owner, Ms. Xie Yuyaoqiong, signed a contract with Kaiping Municipal Government to entrust the garden to the government for 50 years for public visits and tourism development. Li Garden is huge, with villa areas, large and small flower gardens, the owner's bird-and-flower house, the Tiger Mountain across the canal, the Tiger-Whipping Stick at the main gate, and the residences of several wives—unique and worth seeing.

Leaving Li Garden, we returned to the intersection and took the same minibus to Zilicun Village. Here is a concentration of diaolou, a World Heritage site, and the place where Huang Silang's movie was filmed. Getting off at the intersection, we walked 20 minutes along a road lined with red banners into the scenic area. The rise of Kaiping diaolou is closely related to Kaiping's geographical environment and past social order. Kaiping has low-lying terrain, dense river networks, and in the past, poor water conservancy led to frequent floods during typhoons and heavy rains. It was located at the remote border of Xinhui, Taishan, Enping, and Xinxing counties, earning the nickname 'No man's land,' with chaotic social order. Thus, as early as the early Qing Dynasty, villagers built diaolou for flood and bandit protection. After the Opium War, Qing rule declined. Kaiping people, forced by livelihood, went abroad in large numbers, resulting in many overseas Chinese. It is said there are now 680,000 locals and 750,000 overseas Chinese. According to the guide, banditry was especially rampant during the Republic of China. Overseas Chinese lived relatively well, so bandits concentrated in the Kaiping area, committing countless atrocities. They even captured the county seat of Cangcheng three times, including the county magistrate Zhu Jianzhang. It seems the movie scenes were not baseless—the necessity of diaolou back then is clear. The architectural styles and decorative arts of Kaiping diaolou are diverse and breathtaking. There are traditional Chinese styles and various European architectural forms from different periods. We looked at the exteriors, climbed the diaolou, learned the difference between 'lou' and 'lu' (buildings vs. villas). The surrounding rice fields were scenic. No wonder so many people say to come in March for rapeseed flowers, with the diaolou as a backdrop. Tired from walking, we sat down to eat eel rice here. There were very few people; mostly families driving here. The farmhouse food was fairly priced, no tourist-trap greed. The diaolou are not as majestic as Fujian tulou, but more exquisite and stylish. After comfortably touring Zilicun, we returned to the intersection to wait for the bus. Checking the time, we decided to go directly to the station. We boarded a minibus, but the driver messed up—he took us to Yici Station in the north of the city. Although all buses come here, we needed Changsha Station in the south because our luggage was there. Fortunately, the city is small. After some complaints and noise, we retrieved our luggage and changed our bus tickets for the next one. Indeed, the long-distance bus came to Yici Station. The fleet manager made a return visit to address our dissatisfaction, promising, 'If there's a problem, I'll ensure you can go to Zhuhai.' That was satisfactory. There were very few people on the bus. No tourists. We were going to Zhuhai. The driver, fearing traffic jams, suggested we take a national road for a section to bypass the congestion and then get on the expressway. We all agreed. Smoothly, we arrived in Zhuhai under twilight. The hotel was nice, a bit pricey. Another fresh city. Night stalls, seafood, no crowds. Tomorrow, Macau.

Macau

We allocated one day for Macau. The Gongbei border crossing was packed in the morning—like the World Expo again. Scalpers with Guangdong-Macau dual license plates offered to get us through quickly for 100 yuan. We didn't try it. We queued patiently. Surprisingly, it went fast. Macau customs took less than 40 minutes. A local young man said today's crowd was small, just normal. Lucky! Through the Macau border gate, we were in Macau. The 'one country, two systems' region had some unfamiliarities. The square was full of free shuttle buses from casinos. We headed directly to Grand Lisboa, which offers free luggage storage and is close to the old city. Everything went smoothly. We stored our luggage, toured the opulent Grand Lisboa, asked the front desk for a local map, withdrew local currency at the Bank of China across the street, and took photos. We walked to the Wynn entrance and hailed a taxi to A-Ma Temple. Our purpose in Macau was to see the old city. The 'Historic Centre of Macau' is a heritage area centered on the old city, connected by adjacent squares and streets, including 8 squares and 22 historic buildings. Among them are China's first Western-style university (St. Paul's College), first Western-style theatre, the first modern lighthouse on the Chinese coast, Lingnan-style temples, and courtyard houses of late Qing wealthy merchants. Lots of information is available on Baidu and Google, so I won't detail here. A-Ma Temple was our starting point for exploring Macau's World Heritage series. Although the old city is a World Heritage site, there are no tickets; it still serves modern society. No deep gardens or high walls—just closeness. Directional signs and free maps everywhere allow you to wander the intricate alleys of old Macau. Occasionally, we saw small shrines to the Earth God in corners of buildings. Seems everyone believes in bodhisattvas! The bright Western-style buildings might be part of the World Heritage. We walked, stopped, and looked. Various churches with European names. Macau indeed has many churches. The theatre was quite charming. Cars in the old city had a hard time—up and down, steep slopes, sharp turns. But people followed the rules, and there were few non-motor vehicles, probably because it's too hard to pedal. From A-Ma Slope Street, we walked towards the Senate Square. More and more people, busier. The surrounding shops went from quiet to jam-packed. Naturally, 99% were mainland tourists. Amazing! Near the Ruins of St. Paul's, the crowd was surging. But reportedly much less than previous days, still acceptable. We took photos, bought snacks from Choi Heong Yuen, climbed the fortress, and saw the Macau Museum. The content wasn't much, but we got a systematic understanding of Macau. Time was ample. Besides the distant lighthouse, we walked through the entire old city. Finally, we sat at Yee Shun Milk Company, eating double-skin milk and pork chop buns. A delight to end the old city tour. Overall, Macau's preservation of the old city differs from the mainland: more reliance on the private sector and better serving the public. Grand Lisboa was right ahead. We wandered the casino, tried a slot machine for fun. We asked the lobby staff for a token to the ferry terminal. My luck was mediocre, and I wasn't interested in gambling. Soon, the shuttle bus took us to the pier. The Macau-Hong Kong Ferry Terminal is an important hub; casino shuttles are enough. It was near the racing circuit area. There used to be F1 here. Ferry tickets were easy, not many people. One hour to the Sheung Wan ferry terminal in Hong Kong. Customs clearance was extremely efficient, comfortable.

Hong Kong

Due to the accident on Lamma Island, Victoria Harbour's night was slightly dim. We had walked all day. After a casual meal at a cha chaan teng, we rested early. This was my first time in Hong Kong. It was a scenario of me enjoying my wife's guided tour. Hong Kong movies from childhood gave us an impression of the city—many place names remembered. A short history, colonial background made it a prosperous international metropolis, a major financial, service, and shipping center. Of course, my wife loves it as a 'shopping paradise.' We stayed in Sheung Wan: close to the ferry and convenient.

Another fine day. The last two days were for Hong Kong. I wanted to go to The Peak in the morning. The Hong Kong Island MTR has evolved; they no longer promote standing on the left or right, but ask everyone to 'stand firm' for safety. Directly to Central MTR. We walked to see the Bank of China Tower, Cheung Kong Center, the Legislative Council building across the street, the WWII Cenotaph. Some private roads up the hill looked mysterious. We walked to Government House, checking if the sharp edge of the Bank of China Tower points directly at it. Seeing the historical accumulation, we reached the Peak Tram station. The tram looks like a train, but we learned it's pulled by steel cables, hence 'cable car.' The Peak Tram is Hong Kong's earliest motorized public transport, running between Garden Road in Central and Victoria Peak. Like the city's trams, it's full of history—you don't feel outdated; on the contrary, you like it. Hong Kong's preservation of history is commendable; Shanghai really lags behind. The Peak was leisurely, no Golden Week noise. My wife knew her way, leading me to take photos, overlooking Victoria Harbour. Typical touristy. We walked around the Peak: Madame Tussauds, tea restaurants, fast food—everything. I had a McFlurry, looking out at Lamma Island. Some Hong Kong volunteers were on the Peak with patients, doing activities—quite authentic. Mansions half-hidden in the trees on the hillside seemed mysterious. A double-decker bus drove down the narrow, winding roads—requiring skillful driving. Some bends needed reversing. Swinging down to Wan Chai, we walked a short distance to the Convention Centre. On the square, five jiao for a look? We looked across the harbor. Many locals were fishing, and some actually caught big fish. Octopus Card was convenient—MTR and McDonald's. Back to Sheung Wan by MTR. A random cha chaan teng had decent food. On the street, someone had set up a Buddha statue and an altar for worship. We walked through the ginseng and seafood streets, feeling the bustle of the old city—just like in the movies. The famous Hollywood Road antique street was nearby. Ma Chengyuan used to visit here every time he came to Hong Kong, and the legendary 'Jin Hou Su Bell' (a cultural relic prohibited from export) was discovered and purchased by him here. Shops of all sizes lined both sides, stuffed with items—countless Buddha heads and pagodas, real or fake? My wife doubted if they were genuine. In the past, maybe, but probably not now. These shops felt somewhat distant; the casual street stalls were more appealing. We wandered, looking at the escalator up the hill, and walked around the bar street—full of foreigners, lively bars. Following the road, we saw the former prison, gas lamps, etc., none missed. Passed by a restaurant where my wife had dined three years ago. The streets here are really worth exploring. We walked to the public pier, looked at the historic Star Ferry, waited for the boat to Lamma Island, enjoying the sea breeze. So comfortable! My wife arranged to eat at Rainbow Restaurant on Lamma Island. The free ferry was great value: sea breeze, views of Tsim Sha Tsui, Central, Repulse Bay, and Ocean Park in the distance. One hour direct to Lamma Island. The ship collision had brought some sadness to Lamma, but little effect. Eating was my wife's favorite. We feasted until we couldn't walk: giant razor clams, tiny lobsters, special mantis shrimp—all delicious. The owner was honest, saying the seafood was from Hainan, not Hong Kong. The flavor was good. At the next table, there were volunteer activities again—Hong Kong's volunteer organizations are indeed impressive. After dinner, under the night sky, we took a boat to Tsim Sha Tsui, walked along the Avenue of Stars, visited the huge Harbour City mall—a bit crowded. The Victoria Harbour light show was still suspended, no regret. We bought a few boxes of chocolate and returned to rest.

Last day of the trip. Time flies. After packing our luggage in the morning, we took the MTR to Luk Yu Tea House in Central. Nostalgic atmosphere. To be honest, the food wasn't as good as in Guangzhou, and more expensive. Why weren't we allowed to sit on the first floor? Did Tung Chee-hwa always drink tea there? My wife, who had been a few times, said they were always on the second floor. After eating, we took a tram to Causeway Bay. The slow tram was very comfortable. Times Square, Sogo—these malls felt more accessible than Harbour City, and the goods were reasonably priced. I treated it as a sightseeing spot. Today was Sunday, the rest day for Filipino domestic helpers. Many gathered on the streets, socializing, shopping, playing games—orderly but noisy, a scene. We passed Eslite Bookstore but didn't go in; we preferred the small bookstore in Causeway Bay. Buying books, reading, even immigration service with humor. I bought a random book, marking the end of this trip. Octopus Card allows overdraft; we fully utilized the deposit. Metro to Lo Wu. Few people. Customs clearance took almost a second. Our luggage became insignificant. The standard equipment here was woven bags, sacks, large suitcases… We worried about food, books, but here they are normal daily items. After all, people on both sides of the border cross regularly to buy groceries. A few pieces of barbecued meat were nothing. Arriving in Shenzhen felt different from Hong Kong—more familiar. The airport bus showed us Shenzhen's streets: clean, wide roads—a mark of reform. As I told my wife earlier, without colonization, Hong Kong and Macau would still be small fishing villages under Zhuhai and Shenzhen. History can't be assumed. Smooth clearance got us to the airport early. We were about to go home. Tired but happy. The flight was smooth, and we arrived home together with the barbecued meat in our bag… A 9-day trip. As my wife said, you need to choose the right place at the right time. A happy journey. The Ministry of Railways gave us a little thrill. World Heritage sites didn't let us down. The circle drawn this time wasn't big, but the content was still wonderful. Looking forward to the next trip. Thank you, my wife.