Meizhou is a relatively small town so foreigners are rare. This was where my father-in-law grew up and a lot of extended family still live here. The people of Meizhou reminded me that I looked different than everyone else as they stared at me in what seemed to be confusion and/or amazement. It was actually funny because people would stand next to or in front of me like we were going to have a friendly conversation, and yet they would just stare. A young guy walked up to me and attempted to give me a flyer. When I responded in Mandarin that I didn't want the paper, he giggled and ran away (my husband got a kick out of that).
Guangzhou is the third biggest city in China with a population of over 8.5 million people. Foreigners were much more common here so I didn't feel like a reluctant celebrity. One of my favorite things about this city is that you could walk for miles and explore. There's so much culture to take in. I was also able to meet more family members on my husband's side of the family who lovingly showed us around.
Lots of walking and lots of eating - the only way to do overseas adventures :)
Photos: iPhone 5
Favorites:
- Dim Sum in Guangzhou: In college I would meet up with friends to have dim sum on the weekend (all of my favorite things always involve food!). Dim sum is like a Cantonese version of tapas and is often a great place for large groups to gather. There are many places in U.S. that serve dim sum.
- Guangzhou Pearl River Cruise: Not a cruise in the way we think of cruises here in America, but this was more of a 2 hour ride on the river at night and included a dinner buffet. This was a great way to relax and see the night lights of the city after a hot and humid day of walking.
When you travel, do you prefer to have a packed itinerary or leave it wide open for unexpected adventures?
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