Guangzhou Nov 2014 - Travel Diary Pt 4

Guangzhou has several attractions and we visited a few (Chiamlong safari park, Chiamlong theme park and the wong fei hong temple/museum). Of the three, I highly recommend the safari park which is basically a zoo. Huge place with several types of animals and shows that will occupy old and young equally (who doesnt like cute elephants performing tricks!), one day is almost not enough.

Best parts of the zoo include

baby animals! Theres a nursery where visitors can see tiger cubs, baby monkeys and this adorable baby chimpanzee; he was adorably mischievous and we spent a good 20 mins watching him get up to his antics 

A train ride round the "safari" where animals were divided into different parts of Africa based on where they originated; we got to see zebras, bears, even camels grazing 

Close up of animals! Visitors get to feed the animals (for a small fee) and it was so much fun! We fed this lovely giraffe leafy greens and took many a selfie with him. Other animals available for feeding include tigers, elephants, cute little monkeys etc

And the main attraction - pandas! 

Chiam long is home to many pandas, my absolute favorite animal; I spent at least a good hour watching these cute animals going about their own business

As luck would have it, we had the privilege of viewing the world's first panda triplets. As the mama panda would only take care of one cub, the other two would have to be taken care by staff. And well taken care they were, with a huge nursery filled with toys. 

Mama panda with the other cub. Awww 

Guangzhou Nov 2014 -Travel Diary Pt 3

More food updates from Guangzhou

Seafood from Shangxiajiu street, looked tasty but was disappointingly one-note; not much taste other than the spices used.

Dim sum at a nondescript restaurant opposite the hotel and darn was it good dim sum

Liu sha bao passed the test

and the xo fried carrot cake was probably the best I ever had. Would go back to Guangzhou just for this dim sum again

Explored the mall next to the apartment, this place serves meat in a large pot with seasoning/spices. This was fish (non-spicy) and the below was prawns (spicy). Both were pretty darn tasty though the spicy version got too numbing after awhile.

GuangZhou Nov 2014 - Travel Diary Pt 2

So we stayed at the GuangZhou South & North International Apartment which was pretty awesome. Luxuriously decorated in typical chinese style (gold accents, chandeliers, brocade wallpaper etc) and comes furnished with microwave, fridge and a washing machine. Each apartment fits 6 comfortably (3 king size beds) but for some reason only comes with 1 toilet so there may be some awkward situations. But still given the location (next to Beijing lu) it was great.

The train station is a distance away (~10 mins walk)

As mentioned Guangzhou is basically a less modern Hong Kong so of course, the food was awesome. Especially so if you are a Cantonese (going back to your roots and all that right)

cant do without your combination plate of meats, not as good as the ones in Hong kong but still decent

Chanced upon this eatery that serves food from another city (cant quite remember) but the porridge filled with peanuts, seaweed and other bits n pieces plus that dumpling soup was excellent.

Nothing beats a chok (rice congee) and cheong fun (rice roll) breakfast. The congee was rich and thick, evidence of many hours over a charcoal stove. The orange one came with cordycep but tasted much like the rest (well at least theres some health benefits?). The cheong fun had too much fun, too little ingredients. Still tasty.

Some  street food at Shangxaijiu pedestrain street. clams and oysters which were way too garlicky it killed off pretty much any seafood taste urgh. I did get some pretty tasty grilled octopus at the stall next door though

GuangZhou Nov 2014 - Travel Diary Pt 1

Some amusing sights from my trip to Guang Zhou in Nov last year.

Victoria Secret's knock-off?

Suggestive trashbin at the zoo

Say what?

Spotted at our apartment (which was pretty awesome, think gold interiors and chandeliers)

That said, Guangzhou is basically Hong Kong just less crowded