Guangzhou----by Robert Westbrook
"Look, a pet store!" I said to my wife, as we were walking through a narrow Guangzhou street. There were cages on the sidewalk with turtles, snakes, cats, dogs, chickens, rabbits; even a very sweet looking bushy tailed fox.
"It's not a pet store," said Gail solemnly.
I looked more carefully, and I saw she was right: It was a restaurant. I am of the generation that will always think of Guangzhou by its former name, Canton. In America, many of the early Chinese immigrants came from this region, and Cantonese cooking is what most of us Yanks grew up thinking of as "Chinese food." Probably it's a good thing we never saw the real thing. The cuisine of Guangzhou is famous throughout China, and I am sure it is delicious and extremely fresh -- though perhaps a bit too fresh for Western tastes. During the five days we were in town, Gail and I stuck to less exotic fare, though I'm glad we had a chance to sample the Dim Sum, the fascinating little snacks that are a specialty of this area.
(Left: the drugstore)
From the moment we got off the bus, I was astonished, and sometimes dismayed, by this intensely crowded city. Compared to Beijing, Guangzhou seemed to have more of everything: more money, more poverty, more noise, more bustles, more pollution, and more humanity thrown together in intense urban proximity. It is an overwhelming place, with the confluence of several rivers giving it the
feel of a great commercial port. Guangzhou is both a more Western city than Beijing, full of chic stores selling all the latest through any side styles, and more inscrutably Chinese as well. A brief stroll street, and you will see things you may never have encountered before, and may not wish to see again: barbecued dogs hanging in windows; apothecary shops with glass counters full of antlers and strange parts of unrecognizable beasts; markets swarming with an almost psychedelic assortment of fruits, vegetables, and creatures -- living and dead. if you are a member of your local animal humane society back home, you might consider giving Guangzhou a wide berth.
Personally I was glad for the visit, particularly since we found a hotel in the single quiet area of the city: Shamian island, which is situated on the Pearl River. Whenever the rest of the city became too overwhelming, we simply retreated to this gentle oasis. Shamian island is where the foreigners lived in the 18th and 19th centuries, and the old European buildings still stand, an interesting mix of English and French Colonial styles. After six months in China, I found the sight of European architecture somehow reassuring, deeply familiar, and it was much of the reason the island seemed so restful. The old buildings have been restored and gentrified, rather than torn down to make way for skyscrapers and shopping plazas, and in China this is a rarity. With the single exception of the White Swan Hotel, the entire island is quaint and picturesque. There's an old Catholic church, huge shade trees lining the streets, and several attractive parks. Best of all there is hardly any traffic.
