I think I have the hang of it now

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I have been in Guangzhou for three days now, its getting easier.

(Im sorry for the continuing lack of pictures, I promise as soon as I figure out how to upload them you will see all)

Guangzhou is a an onslaught for all five senses. The first thing you notice is the heat. It is increadibly hot and increadibly humid. It is constantly foggly like a bathroom is when you have a very long, very hot shower with all the windows closed and no fan on. On top of that you add the noise. The noise is indescribable. The symphony of honking, grinding, squeeling, chugging is background music for the talking, yelling, coughing, laughing, clapping and spitting of millions of people going about thier daily lives. After the noise your eyes are overwhelmed by having too much to look at. Everything moving everywhich way, incomprehensible signs all around, everything looks strange and new. Then, of couse, you have the smell. Half way between a toilet and a rubbish tip, cigarette smoke and exhaust fumes mixed with wafts of tantilizing food. The air has a gritty, acidic flavour to it. When you stop and let it all flow over you it is an exhilerating and wonderful thing to behold.

I realised when I got up that I hadnt had a coffee for three days, so, despite promising myself that I wouldnt, I ordered a coffee from the coffee shop in the hotel foyer. Stupid! What I paid 20juan for (an exhorbitant amount) was a small glass of brackish looking water with lumps of curdled milk floating in it. No amount of stirring would make it right so I took a sip, just to teach myself a lesson, and left it.

I spent the first couple of hours just walking around the streets. The gereral rule seems to be huge arterial roads criss crossing the city, and all the space inbetween them is a maze of tiny, totally claustrophibic allyways. The two extremes juxtapose each other so beautifully. The Crazy main roads that are three layers deep (you will have to wait for the pictures to see what I mean) with 10 lanes and more, with all manner of traffic careering along them. Then the quiet(er) little streets, too narrow for one car, where moss grows between the cracked pavement and people sit in the doorways watching you walk by. You can tell it is a city on the brink of development. Old world relics in the shadows of illuminated bill boards.

After enjoying the sights and sounds of the city I headed towards the main "tourist" destinations. When I say tourist I mean Chinese tourist. There are plenty of those, with thier cameras and maps and puzzled faces. In the three days I have been here I havent seen more than ten westerners and two black men (who I felt very sorry for. I thought I was conspicuous, they stood out like Alaskan nipples). First I went to Yuexiu Park and Zhenhai Tower, both of which were very pretty. The park is like our botanic gdns in Melbourne (except not as nice) and the tower is in the park, an old monastary converted into a museum. The thing I liked most about the park was the extraordinary number of people doing social things. There were old men playing cards, old women playing chinese hackey sak (strange, I know), couples learning to tango and waltz, groups of people doing tai chi, dancing to pop songs, singing hymns and generally just hanging out together. I really liked how communal it all felt, our culture is so insular in comparison.

Next I went to the Guangxio Buddhist Temple. It was truely spectacular. Incense, flowers, paper offerings, and enormous gold statues. I wanted to take a photo but it seemed innappropriate. The last thing I want to do is piss of some deities. I got carried away with the atmosphere of the place and had a little spiritual moment of my own. I prayed to Buddha that my journey bring me peace and that I learn to love the world and find my purpose in it. I really hope he was listening, I think I might need the help.

On that note I just have to say that everyone here has been really helpful and friendly. It must just be the angry bueruocratic kind of people who yell all the time. The language thing has been a major, major handicap. The few pleasantries I sort of know are incomprehensible to the poor baffled sales staff, and pointing isnt always effective. But they laugh, and do what they can. The other day I needed an umbrella. After walking through the rain for an hour looking for one I was getting increasingly frustrated so I decided to ask someone. I chose a likely shop and started doing all sorts of amusing hand movements to try and signal "rain" and "umbrella" at last a little girl was able to procure an umbrella, much to my delight and to the amusement of the other staff. A few times people have tried to engage me in conversation, but all I can offer them is a puzzled expression and an apologetic wor boo ming bai (I dont understand).

I think I will have to come back when I can speak the language. I will get much more out of it.

On my second day I set off to find the Guangzhou museum of art and the place I am sitting at so I could use the internet. Happy with my efforts of getting around the first day I thought I would liven things up a bit and try out public transport. Ha.

First I tried the Main Train Station (the one just next to my hotel) as somewhere there was supposed to be a terminal for the underground metro. If there is one I didnt find it, and I consider myself lucky to live to tell about it. Its CRAZY. A seething mass of humanity at its worst. People pushing and shoving and elbowing, one way isles that lead nowhere, ticket inspectors demanding tickets when all I wanted was to get out. Somehow, if I ever want to get out of this city I am going to have to tackle this beast head on. Stay tuned to see if I win or, in bitter defeat, I am forced to live out my days in Guangzhou.

Failing Plan A I walked half a K down the road and tried another terminal. It turned out thier new whiz bang metro system was fantastically user friendly. I bought a ticket at the auto teller and jumped on the train. I got off two stations later which was supposed to connect to another train to take me to the gallery. Hmmm, couldnt find the connecting train. Warning bells. Oh well, I knew it wasnt too far, I could just walk. So I headed off in the general direction that the art gallery was supposed to be in. My poor little lonely planet maps are very difficult to follow and dont have most of the streets names so I became very frustrated trying to figure out where I was on the map, so I put the map away and kept walking. After about an hour it starts to rain. And I dont mean drizzle, its pelting down. And I still cant find the art gallery. Somewhere in the back of my mind the bells are getting louder. By this stage I am walking around in circles trying to find some kind of landmark that will tell me where I am, and hopefully where I am going. I couldnt find either and accepted that I was completely and utterly lost. My only option was to retrace my steps. After another hour or so walking I am wet through, foot sore and just a little nervous.

For some reason, that I cant explain, my vague and sometimes frantic retracing lead me to a very familiar looking corner. I had to laugh at myself because I had ended up back where I began, at my hotel. The totally user friendly metro system has two choices, this way or that way. Turns out I went that way when I should have gone this way. So with that valuable lesson learnt I tried again. Lo and behold, not only did I go the right way, but I got off at the right stop and found the connecting train. Hallelujah, it only took three hours.

All of you hanging on the edges of your seats to find out all about the Guangzhou museum of art, and I know that's all of you, sadly you will have to wait because I never made it there. After leaving the train station I found the road I was supposed to be on and, for the second time that day, set off in completely the wrong direction. I did rectify this after about half an hour (at least my reaction time has improved) and 45 minutes later was at the spot where I thought the art gallery was supposed to be. Instead I was out the front of the People Revolutionary Institution Museum. I didnt care, I just wanted somewhere quiet to sit and rest my weary feet.

So I paid the 5juan to get in and it was magical. It was a beautiful courtyard surrounded by gorgeous old buildings and not a soul in sight. I sat for an hour and watched the rain from the verandas and enjoyed the tranquility of the moment. After being revived I even learnt a little about the peoples revolution in China. I left with a peaceful mind, a renewed sense of enthusiasm and happy thoughts of revolution.

I have been sitting at this internet place for nearly four hours (another adventure in itself to find). It has been a welcome rest but it is 8.30pm and I am not supposed to venture out at night so I must leave.

I will be in Guangzhou for another two days and do very much intend to find the art gallery, so I will let you know how it is. Then I am off to Nanking.

I'll write again soon,
Chow

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