Guangzhou Day Trip

Last Wednesday the US Consulate emailed me that my passport is ready and that I could pick it up whenever. Since i did not have the money at the time to take the fast rail both ways, I had to wait until my weekend (Monday).

Yesterday I headed to GZ. i took the fast rail train there which took about an hour and a half. The fast rail is very easy and convenient. The stations are connected to the metro so its easy to get to. The worst part is waiting because chinese people don't understand how to stand in line!

i got there right when the Embassy closed for lunch hour so I did some shopping. One hilarious thing about IKEA in China is that people make themselves at home. Usually during the long lunch break there are loads of businessmen taking a nap on the sofas or beds.

The Embassy is HIDDEN. The building isn't labeled and then the US Embassy is impossible to get to since it is on the 5th floor and you have to take certain escalators up (the one on the right on the first and second floor, the one on the left from the second to the third...) Since I had already been to the embassy 2 weeks ago i quickly found it, checked my bag for 30 RMB (I almost left it a FREE locker at IKEA--so ridiculous to check it for so much!)

After I got my passport I walked around the city a little bit. I walked through a gorgeous park and went to a pedestrian shopping street that was well known. Guangzhou is pretty similar to Shenzhen--there are a lot of parks and greenery and a lot of shopping. Guangzhou has a lot more history though. While I was shopping on the pedestrian street there was a huge 3D map of Guangzhou during the Qing dynasty. There are also many temples and museums around the city. I couldn't find a temple that i had wanted to see and wasn't in the mood to ask for help so I just decided to head back.

The People's Park

These guys were yelling and screaming at each other over a game of cards

I went to the East Train station and followed the signs for the station. When i got there it didn't look how i remembered, but i figured i came to a different part of the large station. I bought a ticket and got my passport out to show them but she said she didn't need it. My ticket was about 10 RMB less than it should have been and when i walked to the waiting room, i noticed there were coach buses parked outside. WHOOPS!

I should have just refunded the ticket but i didn't want to bother and my bus was about to leave. There were only 3 other people on it...they were laughing hysterically while i was trying to find my seat number.

The fast rail train home only takes about 40 minutes to an hour. The bus took almost three hours and it was impossible to relax because chinese drivers are the WORST. and of course the last hour was in pouring rain.

Needless to say i made it home safely! I was planning on going to Macau today but it turns out I can't because I need to replace my visa first...if I had gone to Macau I wouldn't be allowed back in the mainland :(