Day 5 highlights: After my incredibly satisfying breakfast buffet at the hotel (it is going to be really hard to go back to cafeteria food!), I took the metro to Sun Yat-sen memorial hall. In case you don't remember, Sun Yat-sen was a revolutionary and founding father of Republic of China. I sat on the steps outside the memorial and read my Kindle for a few hours - the sun shining down on me (66 degrees, California weather) and surrounded by flowers - can't get any more zen than that! Great way to start the day. Behind the memorial is Guangzhou's famous Yuexiu Park, so I made that my next stop. It's the largest park in downtown Guangzhou, consisting of roughly 212 acres. It was beautiful and especially peaceful. Lots of stairs to climb! Good preparation for the Great Wall Marathon. I walked along the ancient city wall and eventually made my way to the "5 ram statue" - one of the most famous structures in Guangzhou. Below I copied and pasted a little history about the statue to add to your collection of knowledge. After the park, I needed a rest break, so I found my way to "Zoo Coffee" and ordered a purple sweet potato latte (Taro latte) and sat with a stuffed panda. It looks artificial and gross, but it was awesome! The purple color is entirely natural - that's the color of Taro. I wish Starbucks had Taro lattes. My last stop of the day was The Tavern (a pub in the Zhujiang New Town). I have been buying one real meal a day (breakfast is included at the hotel and lunch is usually something cheap from 7 Eleven), so dinner is my time to indulge a bit. Today's lunch was certainly not the most satisfying - a "tea egg" (see picture below) purchased at a stand in Yuexiu Park, so I was ravenously hungry by 7pm. Tea eggs are eggs that are cracked and then soaked in a combination of vinegar and tea...and some other unknown ingredients?...A Chinese favorite. The Tavern was far more satisfying. I ordered a shrimp fajita and will enjoy my leftovers for lunch tomorrow, yay! The Tavern has one other branch (in Shenzhen), so I had been there before and knew I would be pleased. Post hiking and dinner, I had my ultimate relaxation time - a face mask in my bubble bath and watched the chick flick Love Actually. That's all for now folks! Tomorrow is Chinese New Year eve, so make sure to eat some dumplings to celebrate! XO
P.S. Please excuse any typos in my "daily highlights". I am typing my updates from my cell phone...
Story of the 5 ram statue taken from
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/guangdong/guangzhou/yuexiu.htm
The Five-Ram Sculpture is one of the most famous structures in Guangzhou. It has become the emblem of the city. Legend has it that more than 2,000 years ago, the city was a barren land with people who despite hard work were suffering from famine. One day five immortals in five-color garments came riding on five rams, playing their legendary music. The rams held sheaves of rice in their mouths. The immortals left the sheaves of rice for the local people, gave blessings to the city and left. The rams turned into stone and the city became a rich and populous place. Guangzhou got the name of the City of Rams and the City of Ears.
P.S. Please excuse any typos in my "daily highlights". I am typing my updates from my cell phone...
Story of the 5 ram statue taken from
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/guangdong/guangzhou/yuexiu.htm
The Five-Ram Sculpture is one of the most famous structures in Guangzhou. It has become the emblem of the city. Legend has it that more than 2,000 years ago, the city was a barren land with people who despite hard work were suffering from famine. One day five immortals in five-color garments came riding on five rams, playing their legendary music. The rams held sheaves of rice in their mouths. The immortals left the sheaves of rice for the local people, gave blessings to the city and left. The rams turned into stone and the city became a rich and populous place. Guangzhou got the name of the City of Rams and the City of Ears.
Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
Yuexiu Park
Zoo Coffee
The Tavern
Back to the Hotel for Relaxation
