Chris & John’s Newsletter from China Issue 5 - February 2012
This is a hotel quite close to our apartment
Many tall buildings in Chinese Cities are lit up elaborately in the evening!
HELLO AGAIN FROM CHINA Xin Nian Quoi Le! This is the mandarin version of Happy New Year. I don't think we can cope with Cantonese as well, but for some reason many of you seem to know – Gung Hay Fat Choy! To be honest, we've had a very quiet Chinese New Year, apart from all the fire works going off outside our window (quite literally, as we are on the 16th floor). Shenzhen was now almost deserted, as there was a mass exodus of the population, who all by strict tradition, go to visit their families elsewhere. This is enormously taxing on the pubic transport system, who have to prepare for it well in advance, with hundreds of extra buses and train carriages. According to Page 2
Shops renting stuff out for the Chinese New Year.
CCTV, the main terminus in Guanzhou city alone (Guangdong capital) was expecting to cope with an estimated 31 million journeys over the festive period. Furthermore, apart from a few people we've met at English Corners here, we only had one friend/drinking partner here, an Aussie called James, who has unfortunately returned home to the Land of Oz, so we'll be on our own once again and will miss him. John keeps meeting Chinese people and we have had several meals with Chinese people from the English corners as a result. One guy has promised to take us to a Bowling Alley! Another got us out on a one day trip East of Shenzhen to a beach and holiday area.
On John's daughter's advice and contrary to our initial idea of returning to the UK for a few weeks, we looked into a holiday in another Asian country as something to fill in the lull period, while we're waiting for our next jobs to come up. However, we discovered that our visa wouldn't permit us any further re-entries into China if we went to another country. We could leave China, but wouldn't get back in again, so no hols for us this time. This is a real shame, as we might have been able to visit Malaysia and Singapore - there were some good, cheap package deals going for this. Anyway, there's plenty more time for us yet, as we intend staying here until the lease on our flat expires in late November, so for almost all of 2012! Page 3
CHRISTMAS IN CHINA For Christmas, we had nothing planned, having only recently moved into Shenzhen. We didn’t really know anyone here, except James, the Aussie who helped us get our apartment and who lived in the same block. We also didn’t know exactly what the Chinese did for Christmas. They do put up decorations and lights and play Christmas carols in shops and supermarkets, but it’s really just a hype thing for businesses, and they do like to do a lot of Western things here, otherwise it’s not actually celebrated here, or at least not in the ‘Christian’ way. Then Chris got a text message from Carolyn, whom he’d worked with at the STL school in Huizhou, inviting us to join her and friends there for Xmas Page 4
A local shop before Christmas.
In a Metro Station beforeChristmas.
Another shop before Christmas.
day. This turned out to be the best and only thing we could do for Xmas day. James was also invited, as he is also an old friend of the Huizhou set - fellow Aussies Robert, Jodi and Kiwi Carolyn. Carolyn had done some research on where we could have our Xmas day lunch out. This being the only alternative to trying to ‘stir fry’ a whole turkey in a wok, as they don’t use ovens much here and no one seems to have one. Carolyn booked a meal for 7 of us in the revolving restaurant on the 41st floor of the 2nd tallest building in Huizhou. The special deal for the day was; ‘eat and drink ALL you can for only 328 RMB’ (£33.00)! We thought this way too good to miss and went for it.
after Chris’s class had finished at 5.00 pm and got the coach to Huizhou, arriving there at around 7.15 pm. We checked into the City Inn hotel, then almost immediately went out for dinner with the friends. We dined in our favourite Chinese restaurant there and then hit the bars. First ‘Momo’, where we got a nice cosy, corner table on the mezzanine and after several ‘Long Island Iced Tea’s (you may know this better as a Singapore Sling) we got a taxi to ‘Show Bar’, from which we finally emerged at around 4.30 am, a good time having been had by all.
Feeling a little peckish again, Robert took us to an all night eats place he knew about around the corner, and while on the way we noticed that flamWe left Shenzhen on ing ashes were falling on Christmas Eve (Saturday us from the sky. As we afternoon) immediately got to the street where Page 5
the eats place was, we discovered a new, unfinished, high rise building was on fire. We could see there were several floors ablaze and the scene was quite surreal, it almost looked like ‘The Towering Inferno’ We were able to observe the Chinese emergency services in action, which was ‘interesting’, and it was an unexpected and rather dramatic end to a great Christmas Eve in Huizhou. We finally hit the sack at about 5.30 am. Perhaps needless to say then that Christmas Day didn’t begin for us until half of it was over, having finally surfaced at about 2.00 pm. We had just enough time to dress and take some much needed fresh air with a leisurely stroll along the river front. Then we headed for the restaurant. All the dining tables were Page 6
arranged around the perimeter on a floor rotating around the central area, where displayed before us was the most amazing buffet! Chris had a multi-course meal beginning with several entrees, including soup, sea food platter, salad and cold meat plate, then two servings of the roast turkey main course with lobsters in between. There was an array of fresh fruit for desert and to finish off with - ice cream from a ‘pull your own’ dispensing machine with cones, all of course washed down with just a few glasses of red wine. You could keep going at it for as long as you were there (5.30 – 10.30 pm).
In the revolving restauarnt on the 41st Floor!
So it really was excellent value for money and the views from our table over the whole city of Huizhou, with its night time illuminations, were a spectacular addition to the treat! Perhaps also needless to say, after the previous all nighter, we decided to have an early one. We also had to be up early Boxing day, as Chris had to get back for his 2.00pm class at Intercontinental Hotel in Shenzhen.
Page 7
WESTERN NEW YEAR IN CHINA & NIGHTCLUB IN JANUARY For New Year's Eve, again we had nothing planned and asked James what he was doing. He had no specific plans either, so we suggested going out on the town at the nearby 'Coco Park' complex. This is famous in Shenzhen for its night life, with very plush and stylish Western type bars, clubs and restaurants. So, the three of us went out there, starting off at Club Viva, which James told us is the most famous club in Shenzhen, if not the whole of China! Then we went for eats at Rapscallions Bar, where we met up with a Chinese friend of James and eventually saw in the New year there. There were a number of other Westerners present and the bar had a countdown at 10 seconds to mid-night followed by a big cheer for 2012, but it was a mild affair compared with many we've had in the West. Page 8
After this. we went on to Club Ga Ga for the rest of the night, but it turned into another very late one, arriving home just before dawn. The trouble is, it takes us much longer to recover from these sort of things, now that we're both getting on a bit! On 26th January, we also went with James to another night club near here called “Evening Show”, in the same block as the lit up hotel on the front cover. The beer was quite expensive, so we were advised by the Manager, a friend of James to buy a 12 year old bottle of Whiskey and a bucket of Ice Tea! He obtained a discount on the first bottle for us. When it came to buying the next one a Chinese Military man had joined us and bought the bucket of Ice Tea! Now I have heard of this before and told the Chinese guy at the time, that it’s sacrilidge and now here we were doing the same! Page 9
IPHONE APPS - GAMES & BOOKS I bought a "Kindle App" for my iPhone after my daughter told me NOT to buy a Kindle. I then also discovered that Apple had a already got a book App on my iPhone. So, I have purchased a few books for Amazon and Apple for reading on my iPhone. I have already finished the Steve Jobs biography which was fascinating and riveting. I was unable to put it down! I then bought Tom Clancy's "Locked On" which again was riveting. I am now reading Tom Clancy's "Against All Enemies". It gives me something to read when on the Metro here and also in bed before dropping off! I wish I had discovered this a few month's ago! The Family bought Chris's mother a new Kindle for her 70th birthday and she loves it. She reads a lot and some books were just to heavy to take to bed and read. The Page 10
Kindle is light and also you can lock the text so it reads OK when laid sideways. A great present and they also bought a few hundred books to get her started! You may remember that we played Scrabble a lot and had to unpack our de-luxe edition when we were overweight for flying here. We really missed our Scrabble games every day. well, I wondered if they had a version that we could play on our Laptops. They did NOT, BUT, I discovered a version for my iPhone!!! What a result, as we can now play every day! Some words we know are correct, but they won't allow them. The majority it knows, so we are happy. We can play after meals and when we have eaten in a local restaurant, whilst we finish the beers! I then discovered Connect 4 and Battleships! So, we can while away our spare time with games and books and never be bored! Page 11
SHIMEN NATIONAL FOREST Shimen National Forest Park against the unique natuis on the northern out- ral forests and river valley skirts of Guangzhou. in the Shizao scenic area. One of the Managers at the software house where I was teaching business English last year invited me on his bus tour on New Year’s Day. When I said what a shame that I couldn’t make it as we celebrate New Year’s Eve, he changed the trip to Monday 2nd January! The Shimen National Forest Park is located at “Guangzhou back garden” Conghua, this park has become the ideal tourist attraction in recent years for the local resident and the peripheral locality tourists. Rape flowers are blooming in the Shimen National Forest Park on the northern outskirt of Guangzhou with the advent of spring. There is an amazing sight with the golden ocean of the flower filed with an area exceeding a thousand mu Page 12
Lijin, the principal of Shimen National Forest Park, says that Shimen’s rape flowers are one of ornamental rape flowers. The rape flowers grow at the place nearly 1,000 m above sea level and surrounded by the original secondary forest with an area of 16,000 mu. Thus, it has earned as the nickname of “Shimen’s golden ocean”.
Page 13
INTERESTING PHOTOS Soup Pot Restaurant
Serving our tea!
Above: Caged animals. Below: Sign on Metro that should read “Mind the doors”! I thought it meant “No Stealing”!
Nice sized Beer!.
The only homeless person we have seen so far.
Page 14
INTERESTING PHOTOS Coco Park Shenzhen It all happens here!
Chris in a local market No
restaurant washes their own dishes! They go away in crates
Page 15
LOCAL RESTAURANT & ENGLISH CORNERS (FAR RIGHT)
Above: Here we see the man putting soup dishes in small stone pots, within a large pot outside the restaurant. He then lights a fire and the soup cooks overnight.
Right: Some of the staff. One evening, we were last out and they were mucking about and someone took a photo of us, so we took some of them.
There seems to be about 20 staff and they eat When we see these large later on after the mastone pots outside any jority of customers.
restauarant, we know that it is a restauarnt that serves good food and usually has a picture menu! This is necessary for us, although the other day we asked for a dish not on the menu by using a translator on John’s iPhone! See right. It’s egg & tomato and was very tasty! Page 16
Above: A meal after a Saturday English Corner in the park next to Shenzhen Library. Below: A poster at one of the Academies we work for, showing an advert for their Englsih Corner. John appears in one bubble and is asked to go about twice a month on a Sunday afternoon. Last week the subject was “Chinglish�. See separate section.
Page 17
SEASIDE & AMUSEMENTS! YANG TIAN & OCT EAST We didn’t know that Shenzhen had a seaside resort nearby until a Chinese guy we met, called Stone, invited us over to his home town of Yang Tian. It was quite an adventure and a full day out. We had to catch a bus and went to 4 bus stops before we found the right one. ou try geting a bus when the whole timetable and route is totally in Chinese! we were looking for a 101 bus that wasn’t listed at any of teh stops. we were just in the middle of getting our friend to talk to a Chinese lady at the bus stop, when a 101 came along and we jumped on! We then missed the last 101 bus back, but discovered another bus went to our bus stop. Had we known, we could have got this this bus number on in the morning! Anyway, we had a brilliant time. Page 18
Standing room only Upstairs!
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
HEALTHY WOK FOOD AT HOME meal for both of us and some beers is between £7.50 and £15.00 depending on what we eat and drink. It IS said that it’s cheaper to eat out, but if we go to a western area and restaurant/bar it works out at about £40 for both of us. This is mainly due to the excess prices for the food and a pint of beer, even during “Happy Hour”. Lunchtime Evening Meals It’s amazing much easier cooking in a
how it is WOK!
There is only one pan and a lid to wash up and not heaps of them. Also, the food cooks quickly and doesn’t go to pulp. We are sure that this is proving a healthy way to eat for us both! We eat in every other day and eat out the other days, at a local Chinese Restaurant. The cost of a light
Page 22
We have a healthy sandwich with a pint of Ice Tea for Chris and a pint of Fruit Juice for John. The sandwich consists of brown bread, chedar cheese, French Ham, tomato, egg and lettuce!
HEALTHY FOOD OUR WOK AND EATING OUT
Page 23
CHINGLISH
This DVD cost 50 pence!
Page 24
HAIRCUT
Chris! £2.50 for a pre-wash, cut and after wash!
Page 25
LICHEE PARK CENTRAL SHENZHEN
Page 26
CIVIC CENTRE SHENZHEN & LIANHUASHAN PARK
Above: There is a park and nice walk up this hill, through wooded paths. At the top is a giant stautue of Mau Tse Tung. You have a great view of Shenzhen from the top too.
Above: One of these giant TV screens (right red one) is on top of the tower next to our block of flats. There is a giant screen on each side, so if you are lost, or in a taxi, you look for this giant screen!
Page 27