Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Onto Shantou

Just arrived in Shantou today. Long and bumpy bus ride from Dongguan. Managed to get through the bus station without losing anything! Apparently Dongguan is notorious for bag snatching. My second cousin warned us and made sure we didn't carry any bags out when we went walking around town. None of them do. Apparently it happens all the time there.

I forgot to mention in the previous post that Dongguan is an excellent example of China changing very quickly. Just 2 years ago, Dongguan was a little city with little to show. Now, it has the second largest government area in Asia (next to Tianamen). It's very impressive. It's too bad I didn't have my camera with me then. The buildings are grand, very grand and all very futuristic. On Saturday nights, they also have a synchronized fountain show with music. Quite impressive. Puts our little one spout fountain in the Eaton Centre to shame.

Everything here in China is grand. If you're rich, you show it.

Here in Shantou (my grandparent's 'village' from my mom's side), we're staying with another one of my mom's cousins. Yet another 4 storey house with marble floors. It's crazy! 6 bedroom house with 6 washrooms to match. How are we seriously supposed go live in dingy hostels after this kind of treatment! I'm looking forward seeing the house my grandfather sent money back to build... or what remains of it at least. They're tearing a lot of the older areas down to build highways.

Photo from a temple we visited near Shantou.

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