Postscript - Some Suggestions For Anyone Thinking of Visiting China

Some Tips & Insight On Sinorama's Tours Of China
We did Sinorama's 21+2 Days B Trip between September 23rd and October 13th, 2013.  All I can say is "Wow!!!"  What a trip!  Talk about value for money!  It was all that it was advertised and then some. 

The fare includes your international flight to-and-from China.  Five domestic flights within China.  One trip on a high-speed train.  A 4-day 3-night cruise on the Yangtse River.  All of your meals except 3.  Tour buses throughout your trip.  A very knowledgeable "national" guide who's with you from the time you come through the arrival gates in Beijing until the time you head off for your departure gate in Hong Kong.  Local guides who will give you the lowdown on the attractions you are going to see.  It's well worth the extra money to sign up for the tour of Hong Kong. 

This is very much a go-go whirlwind trip.  After all, you are going to see a lot of China in a relatively short period of time.  So be prepared.  Do some walking 6 weeks before you go.  Get some daily exercise.  Do some research. You'll be in much better shape to understand and enjoy this adventure if you do. 

Research, Research, Research
On this trip you're going to see two parts of China:  Old China - before 1979, and New China - after 1979.  Your tour will take you to a lot of Old China.  However, wherever you go, you'll be surrounded by New China.  How did all of these new buildings, toll roads, airports, high speed railway lines, 20-25 storey apartments - all of it less than 20-30 years old - get built!?  This is where a bit of research before you go will greatly add to your enjoyment of this trip.

Before you go, you should do some research so that you can enjoy what you are seeing even more.  Two books to read - "Deng Xiaoping & The Transformation of China" by Ezra Vogel.  At 920 pages, a heavy read but certainly well worth the effort if you want to understand what modern-day China is all about.  What you are going to see will blow your mind and show you just how the West is losing the economic and technology race due to our own stupidity and China's strategic planning.  Don't believe what you read about China's economy in the Western media. 

The second book to read is "China's Superbank: Debt, Oil and Influence - How China Development Bank is Rewriting the Rules of Finance"  by Henry Sanderson, Michael Forsythe.  A long title but only 250 pages. This will help you understand how all of this modern development - from the toll roads, the airports, the subways, the factories, the apartment buildings, the parks, the attractions - have all been financed and how China is using this financing model in the developing world. 
Two Books To Read

Last but not least in your research, take the itinerary posted on the Sinorama website and research the historical places you'll be visiting and the hotels that you'll be staying at.  This will greatly add to the enjoyment of what you will be seeing instead of wondering what you're looking at on the day of your visit and what is the significance of this vista mentioned by your local guide as you're bouncing along in the bus from your last attraction to your next attraction.  I posted all of my research in a blog and then printed it all off using Blog2Print.  A trip to Staples to make an extra copy or three, clear plastic covers front-and-back, some coil binding and ....... voila!  ......our daily travel guide that we read either the night before or during breakfast so that we could appreciate the significance of what we'd be seeing that day.  For a minimalist travel guide, print off the pages for each of the attraction websites and put them in a binder. 

Getting There - Very Easy
Your international flight from Canada may take you through the United States - for example our local flight took us from Ottawa Ontario to Newark New Jersey with a 4-hour layover where folks from Montreal and Toronto joined us on the flight from Newark to Beijing.  Be prepared for a long flight - would you believe over the Arctic Ocean - Bering Sea!?

Once you get through Chinese customs, pick up your luggage, and make your way out to the Arrivals area.  There's always lots of people in China's airports.  Look for a "Sinorama" flag.  While your group will be a small one of 25-30 people, there can be as many as 250-300 Sinorama tourists on all of the different tours that Sinorama offers.  And you'll be bumping into them throughout your tour.  However, they'll be on their bus and you'll be on yours along with your 25-30 companions. Once you locate that Sinorama flag, you'll be directed to your national guide who will be with you throughout your trip.  Once you've located your guide, you're on your way to an adventure of a lifetime! 

Your national guide will always carry a distinctively coloured flag on the end of a long collapsible pole. Memorize what that flag looks like! When you are walking through crowds, don't ever lose sight of that flag!!  Keep up with your group.  You'll have plenty of time to take photos but no lollygagging behind when you are going from Attraction A to Attraction B.

Toilets, Toiletries & Toilet Etiquette
One word of caution and this is for the ladies.  (Due to men's plumbing, us guys don't have to worry as much about the toilets as the ladies do.) 

Ladies, if this is your first trip to Asia, you have to be warned that there's a major difference with the public toilets.  They aren't the same as what we have here in Canada.  Public toilets are euphemistically known as "squat" toilets.  They are NOT "sitting" toilets.  While you don't have to worry about "squatting" toilets in your hotel room (they're "sitting" toilets), you may have some problems with the restaurants at lunch and sometimes at dinner (depending on whether you're eating in a restaurant or your hotel). 

While most of the toilets in a restaurant at lunch will be "squatting" toilets, there will usually be one (and only one!) "sitting toilet.  Remember those 250-300 Sinorama tourists you bumped into at the airport ...........?  While the toilets normally wouldn't be a problem, if all of the Sinorama tours pull up to the restaurant at the same time, you're going to have a long lineup for that one toilet!! Unless you learn how to squat.  My suggestion would be to practice a little bit of squatting before you go.  Many of the older attractions will only have "squatting" toilets.  So be prepared. (There are some YouTube videos that will give you some lessons on how to use "squatting" toilets.)

For both the guys and the gals, carry some toilet paper, hand wipes (the ones in the small packages), and a very small hand sanitizer with you in your packsack or pocket (this is where a pair of Tilley cargo pants are very handy).  You can get small rolls of toilet paper at Shoppers Drugmart.  Or roll up some of the toilet paper that's in your hotel room, stuff it in a Ziploc bag, and carry it in your packsack.  (And as a suggestion, you might want to do your "serious stuff" before you leave your hotel.)

Food Hygiene
Throughout your tour, you'll be with a maximum of 25-30 people.  These people will be with you from start to finish.  Throughout your tour at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, your group will be seated at 3-4 round tables with 6-9 people seated around each table.  Those 6-9 people seated around your table will be with you from start to finish.  No musical chairs are allowed.  By the end of the tour, you'll know the name of each of your table mates, the names of their grandkids, and where they all live. 

In the middle of each round table will be an extremely large circular lazy susan - usually glass.  At each meal 10-12 large platters of food will be placed on the edge of this large lazy susan.  You simply spin the lazy susan until the platter that you are interested in comes in front of you.  You then scoop what you want off of this large platter onto your plate. 

STOP!!!!!

Regardless of how well you get to know your tablemates, one thing you don't want is to pick up their germs.  Before you scoop the food off this large platter....... please put your fork or chopsticks down.  DON'T dig into that large platter of food with your fork or chopsticks that you've just taken out of your mouth ....... cause I'm going to be the next one who's going to take food off that large platter.  And I don't want to get any germs that are going to spoil the rest of my trip to China. 

When you sit down at your table, scout out where the serving spoons, extra chopsticks, and other serving utensils are.  Ask the servers for serving utensils.  However, they may not understand you.  So tell your national guide to get you some serving utensils. 

Before you ask for serving utensils, TELL your tablemates NOT to take food off of the platter with their forks or chopsticks that have been in their mouth.  Get them onside on this most important hygienic  matter!  If you see one of your tablemates reaching for food from a platter with their personal chopsticks or fork, STOP THEM!!  You aren't being impolite.  You are simply looking after their (and your) health and welfare. 

The Food Is Good!
In all of this warning stuff, did I tell you that the food is very good!?  Almost forgot!  Yes, the food is very good.  But it ain't gonna be hamburgers or Kraft Dinner.  Not until you get to Macao are you going to get any pasta, hamburgers, or potatoes and gravy.  Lots of vegetables, local cuisine, stir fried.   When you're in Sezshuan, guess what the cooking's going to be?  Yup.  Sezshuan.  Xi'an is the dumpling capital of China.  Guess what you're going to be eating one night for dinner?  Yup.  Dumplings.  But dumplings like you've never tasted before.  Beijing is famous for Peking (Beijing) duck.  Guess what you're going to be eating for dinner one night when you're in Beijing?  Yup.  Beijing duck.  You not only get to see the sights and sounds but you're going to smell and taste the different varieties of cooking found in each region of China. 

Always a glass of beer or cola at lunch and dinner.  Only one glass.  If you want an extra bottle of beer, it's always very cheap - ¥10 - ¥15 (yuan) (about $1.75).  Local beer but always very good.  Not a high alcoholic content but always refreshing.  Cola is available but in a very large 1-1.5 litre bottle.  And never, ever put ice in your cola (or beer)!

BTW, you might want to practice a bit with some chopsticks.  However, if you're all thumbs instead of nimble fingers, there's always a fork close by.


A Word On The Water
The last thing you want while on any trip is a bad case of Montezuma's revenge.  One of the ways to get a close look at the porcelain telephone in your hotel room is to get a bad case of diahrea.  The best way to meet that white porcelain beast is to drink the tap water.  DON'T!!!

In your hotel room, you'll find one bottle of water that will be free for each day.  If you take more than one bottle of water, you'll have to pay for it.

However, you'll quickly find that you'll be going through more than one bottle of water a day - more like 6-8 bottles a day.  You'll be drinking water constantly (it's hot in China).  You'll need bottled water to brush your teeth.  To swallow your medication.  Don't throw away those empty plastic bottles, eh!?  You're gonna need them.  And here's why. 

Each hotel room has a kettle.  Fill the kettle full of tap water first thing when you get to your hotel in the evening and last thing before you leave in the morning (in some places you'll be staying a couple of days).  Bring the water to a ROLLING boil and keep it there for 2 minutes.  Leave it overnight and let it cool down. Pour into those empty plastic bottles.  Use this water for brushing your teeth, taking your medication, and sipping while in your hotel room.  Take a bottle (or two) on the bus in the morning  ....... or alternately  ........
...... your bus driver will have a cooler full of bottled water on the front seat.  It will cost you about ¥10 (about $1.75) for 5-6 bottles of water.  This will be on the honour system.  Throw in a ¥10-¥20 bill and take out one bottle of water at a time.

And while you're at it, why not make yourself a cup or a pot of tea?  There's always tea bags, ground coffee sachets, sugar/sweetener in your hotel room.  As an alternative to that bottle of water, make up a pot of tea in the evening, let it cool overnight, and then pour it into a plastic bottle or two for use during the day.  Tea is a very refreshing beverage in the hot sun. 


*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
In spite of the seriousness of all these tips-and-tricks,  you will be embarking on a fantastic adventurous journey.  With a bit of research, a few small things to remember, you're going to have a lot of fun.  We did!

Enjoy!

So let's get started and go back to the beginning .......


The Itinerary - Day 23 - Leaving Hong Kong & The End Of The Adventure.

Today we leave Hong Kong to fly back home.  It's been quite the adventure, eh!? 

We've travelled quite a distance to get here. 


And we've travelled quite a distance around China, Macau, and Hong Kong taking in all the sites and attractions. 


But we haven't see it all, though. Who knows?  Maybe some day.  

Postcript - Some very important tips and tricks that will make your trip more enjoyable!   




The Itinerary - Day 22 - Tour Of Hong Kong

We're almost at the end of our trip but we've still got a very interesting day ahead of us - a tour of Hong Kong.

In decades gone by, westerners' connection with the Orient was through the port city of Hong Kong.  For decades as British protectorates, Hong Kong and Singapore were the centres of trade in Asia.  As business became more global in the 1970s and 1980s, the importance of these two city-states grew to the extent that the word "largest" - as in largest transportation hub, largest financial institutions, etc - could be applied to them.  Hong Kong became the largest port for the trans-shipment of goods throughout the world.  Investment reached an all-time high in manufacturing and finance.  It very quickly became a place where East met West.

Today we're going to take a tour of Hong Kong and perhaps see a bit of how this all evolved.

Victoria Peak - A Panoramic View of Victoria Harbour

Victoria Peak (formally known as Mount Austin and locally as "The Peak") is a mountain in the western half of Hong Kong Island. With an altitude of 552 m (1,811 ft), it is the highest mountain on the island, but Tai Mo Shan is the highest point in all of Hong Kong.  While the summit is occupied by a radio telecommunications facility which is closed to the public, the surrounding area of public parks and high-value residential land is the area that is normally meant by the name "The Peak".  With over 7 million visitors a year, The Peak is a major Hong Kong tourist attraction offering panoramic views of Central, Victoria Harbour, Lamma Island and the surrounding islands
 
The view of Central, Kowloon and Victoria Harbours from Victoria Gap, near the top of Victoria Peak
As early as 19th century, The Peak attracted prominent European residents because of its panoramic view over the city and its temperate climate compared to the sub-tropical climate in the rest of Hong Kong.  The sixth Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Richard MacDonnell had a summer residence built on the Peak in 1868.  Those that built houses named them whimsically, with names such as The Eyrie, and the Austin Arms.

These original residents reached their homes by sedan chairs, which were carried up and down the steep slope of Victoria Peak.  This limited development of the Peak until the opening of the Peak Tram funicular in 1888.  We might get to the top by travelling on one of the world's oldest and most famous funicular railways - the Peak Tram.  The tram rises to 396 metres (1,300 feet) above sea level. It is so steep that the buildings you pass look like they are leaning between 4 to 27 degrees 

The vistas of Victoria Peak have been further enhanced by the 2006 revitalisation of one of Hong Kong's most striking landmarks - "The Peak Tower" and "The Peak Galleria".  The tower, with its wok-like top, offers a vast array of shops and restaurants with a great view of the harbour, leisurely shopping and souvenir hunting. The tower incorporates the upper station of the Peak Tram, the funicular railway that brings passengers up from the St. John's Cathedral in Hong Kong's Central district.  The Peak Galleria incorporates the bus station used by the Hong Kong public buses and green minibuses on the Peak. The Peak is also accessible by taxi and private car via the circuitous Peak Road, or by walking up the steep Old Peak Road from near the Zoological Botanical Gardens.


Victoria Peak Tower

There are several restaurants on Victoria Peak, most of which are located in the two shopping centres - the Peak Tower and the Peak Galleria.  However, the Peak Lookout Restaurant is housed in an older and more traditional building which was originally a spacious house for engineers working on the Peak Tramway.  It was rebuilt in 1901 as a stop area for sedan chairs and was re-opened as a restaurant in 1947.

The Peak is also the summit of Hong Kong's property market.  At the peak of The Peak, properties were appraised at the highest prices in the world.  Most of the super-rich billionaires in Hong Kong live in residences in Island South or The Peak.  A house on The Peak recently sold for HK$1.8 billion ($13.7 billion). At $68,228 per square foot, it is the most expensive location in the world. 

Stanley (Chizhu) Market
Stanley, the town on the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island and east of Repulse Bay, is one of the famous attractions of Hong Kong.  In Mandarin Stanley is called '"chi-zhu" which literally means "bandit's post" or "red pillar".


Chizhu (Stanley) Market

The original Cantonese name of the village was believed to be based on a big tall cotton tree, often covered with bright red blossoms at the time, hence "red pillar" in the local Hakka language.  It was given an English name after Lord Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby who was a19th-century British Secretary of State for War and later Governor General of Canada. (The NHL's Stanley Cup was donated by Lord Stanley during his stay in Canada.) 

The Stanley Market is one of the most famous markets in Hong Kong with museums and historic monuments near by.

Repulse Bay
Repulse Bay is located on the south shore of Hong Kong Island, to the east of Deep Water Bay and to the west of Middle Bay, South Bay, and Deep Water Bay.  Middle Island is located off of Hong Kong Island between Repulse Bay and Deep Water Bay. 

In 1841, the bay was used as a base by pirates causing serious concern to foreign merchant ships trading with China. The pirates were subsequently repulsed by the British Fleet and hence the name Repulse Bay.  However, another theory holds that the bay was named after the British naval ship, HMS Repulse, which was stationed at the bay at one point in time in Hong Kong's British history.

In the 1910s, Repulse Bay was developed into a beach and the Repulse Bay Hotel was built in 1920.  To attract swimmers, a bus was run from central Hong Kong to Repulse Bay making it one of Hong Kong's oldest bus routes.  During the Battle of Hong Kong in World War II, Repulse Bay was an important strategic naval base.  The beach was later extended artificially and thus the sand closest to the shore is coarser than that further away.
Repulse Bay At Dusk

Until the early 1960s, residential buildings were quite restricted.  Three blocks of 6-storey luxury apartments were developed part way up the mountain overlooking Repulse Bay.  Blocks A and B had only two apartments per floor, complete with servants quarters.  Apartments in Block C are smaller.  For a long time, these were the only apartments allowed on the mountain.

Occupying all of the west side cliff above the beach was Eucliffe - a large historical castle with a swimming pool, greenhouse and tennis court - one of three castles owned by the millionaire, Eu Tong Sween.  Eucliffe was demolished to make way for a row of low-rise apartments. 

The Repulse Bay area is one of the most expensive in Hong Kong with real-estate prices only matched by those on The Peak.  In 2012, some townhouses reached a high of HK$50,000 ($70,000) per square foot. 

The Repulse Bay Hotel was demolished in 2 stages during the 1970s - 1980s and a boutique-type shopping mall was built to mimic some of the lost colonial architecture.

Jumbo Restaurant at Aberdeen Fishing Village



Aberdeen Fishing Village

Since the 19th century, Aberdeen has emerged as one of the most important fishing ports in Hong Kong.  The Aberdeen floating village is located in the harbour and contains about 600 junks housing an estimated 6,000 people.  The total population of boat dwellers in Hong Kong was estimated at 2,000 in 1841 150,000 in 1963 but declined to 40,000 in 1982.  The population of the floating village has decreased due to rapid fisheries development in nearby Guangdong Province and increased operating costs of the fishing industry in Hong Kong.  Instead of living on the boat permanently, the majority of the boat people only fish on the boat during the day. 

The people living on the boats are mainly Tanka, a group which arrived in Hong Kong around the 7th-9th century.  While sometimes referred to as "boat people", they are in fact boat dwellers and should not be confused with the unrelated Vietnamese refugees boat people who came to Hong Kong by boat in the 1970s. 

Aberdeen's role as a port emerged between the 14th and 17th centuries when sandalwood arrived in junks and was trans-shipped to larger boats for transport up the east coast to major cities in China. 

We'll be eating dim sum for lunch at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant, one of two floating seafood boats that are anchored in the Aberdeen Harbor.  We'll take a free ferryboat shuttle to reach the restaurant.


Jumbo Floating Restaurant

Visit to TSL Jewelry Factory Shop
One of the big Hong Kong chains, TSL (Tse Sui Luen) specializes in diamond jewelry and manufactures, retails, and exports its designs.  Although its contemporary designs use platinum settings, TSL also sells pure, bright, yellow-gold items targeted at Chinese customers.

Golden Bauhinia Square and The Hong Kong Conference Centre
The Golden Bauhinia Square is an open area in the North Wan Chai area of Hong Kong. The square was named after the giant statue of a golden Bauhinia blakeana flower.  The sculpture is situated outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre where the ceremonies for the handover of Hong Kong and the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region was held in July 1997.

The sculpture, a gilded flower bauhinia, stands 6 meters high. The major part is composed of a bauhinia on a base of red granite pillar on a pyramid.  The sculpture is deemed an important symbol for the Hong Kong people after the handover. On the second day of Chinese New Year and the National Day of the People's Republic of China, the square is lighted up by a fireworks show.


Golden Bauhinia Square

We next get some time to tour the Hong Kong Converence Centre


Hong Kong Conference Centre. 

We get to return to our hotel late in the afternoon.  Tomorrow we leave Hong Kong to fly back home via Chicago.  

The Itinerary - Day 21 - Hong Kong

11 October 2013, Friday

For the next two days, we'll be visiting Hong Kong.  On the third day, we'll be flying back home.  In the morning, we leave Macau and take the ferry across the Pearl River estuary to the island of Hong Kong.  For Friday afternoon, we get to explore Hong Kong on our own (perhaps a "Big Bus" tour), maybe walk the streets, or find something else to do.

For Saturday morning, we've signed up for the formal Hong Kong City tour which includes a boat trip to Hong Kong Island, a visit to the Stanley Market.  The afternoon is free to do as we please.  We'll have to search out some interesting restaurants for lunch and dinner.  A chance to experience some new Oriental cuisine, perhaps. 

The Districts Of Hong Kong
But first a bit of history.

Overview

Hong Kong is one of the two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China, the other being Macau.  It is situated on China's south coast and is almost surrounded by the Pearl River Delta and the South China Sea, making it a "peninsular" city.  It is known for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour.  With a land mass of 1,100 square kilometres (426 square miles) and a population of 7 million people, Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated areas in the world.  Hong Kong's population is 94% ethnic Chinese and 6% from other groups.  Hong Kong's Cantonese-speaking majority originate mainly from neighbouring Canton province (now Guangdong).  Many of these residents fled from China to Hong Kong to escape wars and Communist rule from the 1930s and into the 1960s.  Here's an historical recap of the growth of Hong Kong.

  • 1842 - Hong Kong Island - Central, East, South Regions
  • 1860 - Kowloon Island
  • 1800 - Lantau Island & Outlying Islands
  • 1899 - New Territories

Hong Kong Waterfront

Hong Kong became a colony of the British Empire after the First Opium War (1839–1842) when Hong Kong Island was first ceded to Britain in perpetuity.  This was followed by the British leasing the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and the New Territories in 1898.  It was occupied by Japan during the Pacific War (1941–1945), after which the British resumed control until 1997, when China resumed sovereignty.  The region espoused minimum government in the economy during the colonial era.  This time period of free unterprise under British rule greatly influenced the current culture of Hong Kong.  It is often described as the place where  "East meets West".  Their education system used to follow the British system until reforms were implemented in 2009.

Under the principle of China's "one country, two systems", Hong Kong has a different political system from mainland China.  Hong Kong's independent judiciary functions under a common law framework.  Hong Kong Basic Law, its constitutional document, stipulates that Hong Kong shall have a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign relations and military defence.  The Basic Law governs its political system.  Although its government is based on a multi-party system, a small-circle of the electorate controls half of its legislature.  The head of the government, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, is chosen by an Election Committee of 400 to 1,200 members.  This situation will change after the first 20 years under Chinese sovereignty - until 2017. 

Hong Kong Skyline

As one of the world's leading international financial centres, Hong Kong has a major capitalist-style economy that is characterised by low taxation and free trade.  Its currency, the Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world.  The lack of space has caused demand for denser construction.  As a result, the city has developed into a centre for modern architecture and is the world's most vertical city.

Hong Kong has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.  The dense space has also led to a highly developed public transportation network with a rate exceeding 90% - the highest in the world.  Hong Kong has numerous high rankings in various aspects.  Its economic freedom, financial and economic competitiveness, quality of life, corruption perception and Human Development Index are all highly ranked.  According to estimates from both UN and WHO, Hong Kong had the longest life expectancy of any region in the world.  Hong Kong also has the highest average IQ score in 81 countries around the world.

Hong Kong - Nathan Road

The name "Hong Kong" is an approximate phonetic rendering of the pronunciation of the Cantonese or Hakka name meaning "fragrant harbour".  Before British control in 1842, the name referred to a small inlet between Aberdeen Island and the south side of Hong Kong Island  (now known as Aberdeen Harbour or "Little Hong Kong").  This was one of the first points of contact between British sailors and local fishermen.

Archaeological studies indicate that humans were present in Hong Kong's Chek Lap Kok area from 35,000 to 39,000 years ago, and in Sai Kung Peninsula from 6,000 years ago.  In 214 BC, Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, conquered the Baiyue tribes in Jiaozhi (modern Liangguang region) and incorporated the territory into imperial China for the first time. 

The earliest recorded European visitor was Jorge Álvares, a Portuguese explorer who arrived in 1513.  After establishing settlements in the region, Portuguese merchants began trading in southern China.  At the same time, they invaded and built up military fortifications in Tuen Mun.  Military clashes between China and Portugal led to the expulsion of the Portuguese in the mid-16th century.  The Haijin order banned maritime activities, prevented contact with foreigners, and restricted maritime shipping.  In 1661–69, the territory was impacted by the Great Clearance ordered by Emperor Kangxi.  This resulted in the forced evacuation of the coastal areas of Guangdong with 16,000 persons being driven inland.  When the evacuation order was rescinded in 1669, 1,648 of these evacuees returned.  However, the area that is now Hong Kong had become a large wasteland.

Hong Kong - Star Ferry

In 1685, Kangxi became the first emperor to open limited trading with foreigners.  This started with the Canton territory.  He also imposed strict terms for trades such as requiring foreign traders to live in restricted areas, staying only for the trading seasons, banning firearms, and only making payments with silver.  The East India Company made their first venture to China in 1699.  The region's trade with British merchants developed rapidly soon after.  In 1711, the company established its first trading post in Canton.  By 1773, the British reached a landmark 1,000 chests of opium being imported into Canton with China consuming 2,000 chests annually by 1799.

In 1839 the refusal by Qing Dynasty authorities to import opium resulted in the First Opium War between China and Britain.  Hong Kong Island was occupied by British forces on 20 January 1841 and was initially ceded under the Convention of Chuenpee as part of a ceasefire agreement between Captain Charles Elliot and Governor Qishan.  However, the agreement was never ratified due to a dispute between high-ranking officials in both governments.  It wasn't until 29 August 1842 that the island was formally ceded in perpetuity to Britain under the Treaty of Nanking.  The British established a crown colony with the founding of Victoria City the following year.

Hong Kong - Wong Tai Sin Temple

In 1860 after China's defeat in the Second Opium War, the Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutter's Island were ceded in perpetuity to Britain under the Convention of Peking.  In 1894 the deadly Third Pandemic of bubonic plague spread from China to Hong Kong resulting in an estimated 50,000–100,000 deaths.

In 1898 under the terms of the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, Britain obtained a 99-year lease of Lantau Island and the adjacent northern lands, which became known as the New Territories.  This lease ended in 1997.  Hong Kong's territory has remained unchanged to the present.  During the first half of the 20th century, Hong Kong was a free port serving as a major merchant and naval port of the British Empire.  The British introduced an education system based on their own model  The local Chinese population had little contact with the European community of wealthy tai-pans as the latter settled near Victoria Peak.

Japan invaded Hong Kong on 8 December 1941 - four days after the bombing of Pearl Harbour.  The Battle of Hong Kong ended with British Anzac, and Canadian defenders surrendering control of the colony to Japan on 25 December.  During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, civilians suffered widespread food shortages, rationing, and hyper-inflation due to the forced exchange of Hong Kong currency for Japannese military notes. Through a policy of enforced repatriation of the unemployed to the mainland throughout the period, and because of the scarcity of food, the population of Hong Kong dwindled from 1.6 million in 1941 to 600,000 in 1945 when the United Kingdom resumed control of the colony.

Hong Kong - Kowloon

On 1 July 1997 the sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred from Britain to the Peoples Republic of  China officially ending 156 years of British colonial rule.

For the next two days, we're free to wander the streets of Hong Kong.  However, we've signed up for a guided tour.  What we'll see........ well....... we don't know.  But we'll soon see, eh!?

Hotel - Hong Kong l'Hotel Nina Tower


Hong Kong l'Hotel Nina

Tomorrow we take our tour of Hong Kong starting off with a trip to Victoria Peak...... or simply......"The Peak". 

The Itinerary - Day 20 - Zhongshan To Zhuhai And On To Macau

10 October 2013, Thursday

Today our journey is relatively short in terms of the territory covered - about 30 miles (50 km) from Zhongshan to Zuhai and on to the former Portuguese colony of Macau - all by motor coach.  Hong Kong is a short ferry ride across the water which we'll take tomorrow. 


Zhongshan to Zuhai And On To Macau With Hong Kong Across The Estuary

But first we stop in the city of Zuhai to take a tour of the city.

Zhuhai

Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones established by the Chinese government under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s.  It was through the SEZ's that China became the economic powerhouse that it is today.  Being located next door to Hong Kong, China was able to export its manufactured good to the rest of the world.  Zhuhai is also one of China's premier tourist destinations, being referred to as the Chinese Riviera.


The Beach In Zuhai

Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south.  Due to its location near Hong Kong and Macao, its ports with excellent conditions, its overseas Chinese contributions, and especially the policy of the SEZ's, foreign investment, advanced technologies, and management methods stimulated the economic boom of the area.  As a result, transportation networks and accommodation services improved.  Diversified transportation links provide a wide range of ways to get there or to travel inside the city. 


Zuhai Panoramic View From Mount Jida


Its territory includes 146 islands and a coastline of 429 miles (690 kilometres).  The islands within the prefecture-level city of Zhuhai include a number of near-shore islands that are often connected to the mainland by bridges or causeways.  It also includes some islands further out in the Pearl River estuary or the the Wanshan Archipelago on the open South China Sea. Some of these latter islands are actually located closer to Hong Kong than to the Zhuhai mainland.

The outstanding geographic location of Zuhai, a wide range of supporting infrastructure, and a deep-water port serve as a major attraction for foreign investment which reached $10 billion in 2008.  This includes 19 of the the top 500 multi-nationals, including ExxonMobil, BP, Siemens, Carrefour and Matsushita.  Hong Kong is the largest foreign investor in Zhuhai accounting for 22% of total foreign investment in 2002.  Industrial development in Zhuhai focuses on 5 high-tech and heavy industries including electronics, computer software, biotechnology and pharmacy, machinery and equipment, as well as petrochemical industries.

Zhuhai supplied 70% of the world's printer ribbons, 60% of the after-market inkjet cartridges and 20% of third-party laser ink toner cartridges.  Their combined sales were worth more than $1.3 billion dollars or 10% of all the sales in the world.  Zhuhai owns a comprehensive supply chain and almost any of the raw materials needed by the printer consumables industry can be provided locally.

After lunch in Zuhai, we then travel on to Macau.  Before we check in to our hotel, we tour the City of Macau.

Macau City Tour

Macau (also spelled Macao) is one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Hong Kong.  Macau lies on the western side of the Pearl River Delta across from Hong Kong to the east, bordered by Guangdong province to the north and facing the South China Sea to the east and south.  The territory's economy is heavily dependent on gambling and tourism, but also includes manufacturing.

A former Portuguese colony, Macau was administered by Portugal from the mid-16th century until 1999, when it was the last remaining European colony in Asia.  China gave Portugal the right to settle in Macau in exchange for clearing the area of pirates under strict Chinese administration.  Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East.  It became a Portuguese colony after the treaty signed by the Qing and Portuguese governments in 1887. It was also the last, when pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal in 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999, ending over 400 years of Portuguese administration.  


St Paul's Jesuit Convent Macau - Destroyed By Fire In 1835.  Painted In 1854

Portuguese traders first settled in Macau in the 1550s.  In 1557, Macau was rented to Portugal by the Chinese empire as a trading Port.  The Portuguese administered the city under Chinese authority and sovereignty until 1887 when Macau became a colony of the Portugues empire.  Sovereignty over Macau was transferred back to China in 1999 under the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration.  The declaration states that Macau will operate with a high degree of autonomy for fifty years after the transfer - until 2049.    




Ruins Of St Paul's Jesuit Convent, Macau

Under the policy of "one country, two systems", China is responsible for the territory's defense and foreign affairs, while Macau maintains its own legal system, police force, monetary system, customs and immigration policy.  Macau participates in many international organizations and events that do not require members to possess national sovereignty.
 
Macau Skyline
 

According to The World Factbook, Macau has the second highest life expectancy in the world.  Macau is one of the very few regions in Asia with a "very high Human Development Index", ranking 23rd or 24th in the world in 2007 with Japan being the highest in Asia.  The other Asian countries/regions in the "very high HDI" category are South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Brunei.  (The Human Development Index is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and income indices used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. It was created by Pakistani economist Mahbub ul Haq and the Indian economist Amartya Sen in 1990.  It is published by the United Nations Human Development Program.) 
 
Macau Skyline


In recent years, Macau's economy has bloomed rapidly due to the opening of the gambling casinos.  Thousands of tourists flock to Macau each day, mainly from mainland China and neighbouring regions. As a result, the standard of living in Macau has grown significantly.  In many cases it is on a par with some European countries. The tourist industry has also diversified through promoting its historic sites, culture and cuisine.  
 
Macau Skyline


Macau's nominal GDP growth rate for 2010 and 2011 was a staggering 32.0% and 29.1% respectively. The average annual GDP growth rate over the last decade was 13.8%.  Macao is undoubtedly one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Hotel Sheraton Macao Hotel Cotai Central 
If gambling is your thing, hang on to your hats!  You'll be staying on one of the world's largest gambling complexes.  This Sheraton has over 3,000 rooms.  And it's only one of several hotels in the complex!



Sheraton Macao Hotel Cotai Central

We're on our own for dinner tonight.  Tomorrow we take the ferry to Hong Kong and the final days of our adventure.


The Itinerary - Day 19 - Guilin to Guangzhou And On To Zhongshan

09 October 2013, Wednesday

We're going to start the day with a flight from Guilin to Guangzhou where we'll tour the Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family and then take the coach on to Zhongshan.  Here's what our route looks like.  About 1,900 km or1,200 miles.

Guilin To Guangzhou And On To Zhongshan

But first Guangzhou and the Chen Family Ancestral Temple.

Guangzhou
Guangzhou (known historically as Canton or less commonly as Kwangchow) is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province.  Located on the Pearl River about 75 miles (120 km) north-northwest of Hong Kong and north-northeast of Macau, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port.  It is the third largest Chinese city and southern China's largest city with a population of 13 million.  The population of the entire Pearl River metropolitan area is about 40 million covering an area of 7,700 square miles (20,000 square kilometres). 

Panoramic View of Guangzhou

Guangzhou's earliest recorded name is Panyu derived from two nearby mountains known as Pan and Yu in ancient times.  Its recorded history begins with China's conquest of the area during the Qin Dynasty (221BC - 206 BC).  Panyu expanded when it became the capital of the Nanyue Kingdom.  (This included what is known as Vietnam).  Although "Guangzhou" replaced "Panyu" as the name of the walled city, "Panyu" was still the name of the surrounding area until the end of Qing Dynasty.  The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief abortive restoration in 1917.  It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. Today, Panyu is a district of Guangzhou. 

The Old Book of Tang described Guangzhou as an important port in the south of China with connections to the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.  Arab and Persian merchants raided and looted warehouses in Guangzhou (known to them as Khanfu or Sin-Kalan) in AD 758.  In  that period, direct routes connected the Middle East and China as part of the Silk Road.  Guangzhou was mentioned by various Muslim geographers such as Al-Masudi and Ibn Khordadbeh in the 9th and 10th centuries.  The Arab historian Abu Zayd as-Sirafi mentioned Guangzhou several times in his book "The Journey of as-Sirafi", providing a description of daily life, food, business dealings, and the justice system of the city. As-Sirafi also reported that, in 878 AD, followers of the Chinese rebel leader, Huang Chao, besieged Guangzhou and massacred a large number of foreign merchants residing there. The foreign merchants were Arab Muslims, Persians, Jews, and Christians.

Plan Of The City Of Canton - 1910

The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Guangzhou by sea in 1514, establishing a monopoly on the external trade out of its harbour by 1517.  They were later expelled from their settlements in Guangzhou (Cantão in Portuguese).  Instead, they were granted use of Macau as a trading base in 1557.  They would keep a near-monopoly on foreign trade in the region until the arrival of the Dutch in the early 17th century.  It is believed that the romanisation "Canton" originated from the Portuguese "Cantão" which was the name adopted for the walled city by the Europeans. 

The Portuguese in Macau, the Spanish in Manila, Arabs from the Middle East and Muslims from India were already actively trading in the port by the 1690s when the French and English began frequenting the port through the "Canton System" - a monopoly of Chinese merchants established by the Emperor to collect taxes on traded goods.  Other European companies were soon to follow: the Ostend General India company in 1717; Dutch East India Company in 1729; the first Danish ship in 1731 followed by a Danish Asiatic Company ship in 1734; the Swedish East India Company in 1732 followed by an occasional Prussian and Trieste Company ship; the Americans in 1784; and the Australians in 1788.

By the middle of the 18th century, Guangzhou had emerged as one of the world's great trading ports under the Thirteen Factories, an area where trade with the Europeans was allowed, a distinction it maintained until the outbreak of the First Opium War in 1839 and the opening of other ports in China in 1842.  The trading privileges during this time period made Guangzhou one of the 3 largest cities in the world.  During the Opium War the British captured Canton on March 18, 1841. The Second Battle of Canton was fought in May 1841.

Thirteen Factories, Guangzhou (Canton) c1850

The plague epidemic – part of the Third Pandemic – reached Guangzhou in 1894 resulting in the death of 60,000 people in a few weeks.  In 1918, the city's urban council was established and "Guangzhou" became the official name of the city.  The Japanese occupied Guangzhou from October 21, 1938, to September 16, 1945 after a violent bombardment of the city.

Reforms under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping who came to power in the late 1970s, led to rapid economic growth due to the city's close proximity to Hong Kong and access to the Pearl River.  As labour costs increased in Hong Kong, manufacturers opened new plants in Guangzhou. As the largest city in one of China's wealthiest provinces, Guangzhou attracts farmers from the countryside looking for factory work.  Cantonese links to overseas Chinese and tax reforms of the 1990s have aided the city's rapid growth.

Guangzhou - Old & New

Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family
In the late Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1912), Chen Ruinan and Chen Zhaonan, Chinese-Americans who returned to Guangzhou, proposed to raise money from all the Chen clans to build a temple for the worship of their ancestors.  It also included a place for their clansman to study for the Imperial examinations which allowed them to enter the Chinese civil service.  The Chen Clan Academy was finished in 1894 with money donated by Chen families in 72 counties of Guangdong Province as well as some overseas family members. When the imperial examination system was abolished in 1905, the Chen Clan Academy was changed into an academic school of the Chens. In 1957, the Guangzhou City People's Committee approved the Chen Clan's Academy as a Guangzhou City historic site.  In 1959 the government introduced a folk arts and crafts gallery into the temple. Now it serves as the Guangdong Folk Art Museum.
 
The Chen Clan's Academy


Located at Zhongshan 7th Road, the Chen Clan Academy is a symmetrical complex of 19 buildings with nine halls and six courtyards.  Facing south, the complex is built on a north-south axis.  A large collection of southern China art pieces, wood carvings and pottery can be found in the structure.  The complex exemplifies traditional Chinese architecture and decoration and has influenced cultural and architectural developments worldwide.  It was added to the list of "Cultural Relics of National Importance under the Protection of the State" in 1988.

Zhongshan
Zhōngshān,  historically known as Xiangshan, meaning "Fragrant Mountain") in reference to the many flowers that grew in the mountains nearby, is named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925) who was also known as Sun Zhongshan.  Sun is considered to be the "Father of Modern China".  He was born in Cuiheng village in Nanlang Township in what was then Xiangshan County.  After his death in 1925, Xiangshan was renamed Zhongshan in his honor.  The main ethnic group in Zhongshan is Han, and the main language is Cantonese.

Hotel - Sheraton Zhongshan 

Hotel - Sheraton Zhongshan

Tomorrow we're off to  Zuhai where we'll enter the former Portuguese colony of Macau and a different part of our journey.