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Took cab early in the morning to Changi Airport Terminal 1.
SG Hawker @ Changi T1
After immigration clearance, I then procced to level 3 to look for my breakfast in the SG Hawker food court (left photo below). Got myself a dry dumpling noodles from 'Encik Tan' stall at SGD 6.80 (right photo below).
Taste was good for this hearty breakfast.Scoot Airlines
Surprised that the flight TR-100 was a Pokémon-themed jet (left photo below). Besides the fancy paintings of various Pokémon characters on the plane, its interior had nothing much except for a single row of Pikachu stickers pasted on the overhead storage compartments (right photo below).
The flight took off on time at 0530 hours and landed in Baiyun airport at about 1000 hours.Hotel Check-in
Took metro from the 'Airport South (Terminal 1)' station to 'Yuexiu Park' station, then walked for about 5-mins to the hotel. The whole metro train journey cost CNY 7. After checked-in the hotel, had some washup in the room before getting out.
Simple Lunch
As it was close to lunch time, I then opted to have my lunch in the Guangzhou Liuhua Fair and Trade Center (广州流花展贸中心) first before exploring Guangzhou. This shopping mall is just located next to my hotel.
After a quick search, decided to dine in "Gan Zhang Men" (甘掌门) restaurant (left photo below). Ordered its signature beef offal noodles (招牌牛杂粉) at CNY 22 (right photo below).
Taste was good but its portion was rather small for me.| 🍔 Gan Zhang Men (甘掌门 • 化州驰名牛杂粉) | |
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| Address: | Ground Floor, No. 117, Liu Hua Road, Yuexiu District |
| Access: | Yuexiu Park station (越秀公园站) of Line 2, Exit B2. |
| Operating Hours: | 1100 hours to 2200 hours; daily |
Yuexiu Park (越秀公园)
Occupying an area of 860,000 square meters, Yuexiu Park has five major gates where its main gate is closest to the metro exit (left photo below). The park is the largest comprehensive park in Guangzhou composing of 3 artificial lakes and 7 hills (right photo below).
Guangzhou Museum (广州博物馆)
- Established in 1929, this is a museum for the collection and exhibition of the historical data and cultural relics of the Guangzhou city (left photo below). Do not be confused with Guangdong Museum (广东省博物馆) that is located in Zhujiang New Town which is at provincial level.
The historical exhibition of the museum is now housed in the Zhenhai Tower (镇海楼). Also known as the Five-Story Pagoda, it is a tower built in 1380 by the Yongjia Marquis Zhu Liangzu (朱亮祖) at the beginning of the Ming dynasty. The tower is 28-meters in height, 31-meters wide and 16-meters deep (right photo below).
At the front of the tower is a pair of two-meters high stone lions in red sandstone made during the Ming Dynasty (photos below).
On the first floor, a geographical model and a diagram of the ancient Guangzhou city are shown to illustrate the ancient city. At second floor, there are historical relics starting from 4000 B.C. and unearthed remains of the Neolithic Age (photos below).
In 1757, the Qing emperor issued a decree explicitly ordering that Guangzhou be made the only port opened to foreign commerce. Thus, Guangzhou became the center for export of silk, porcelain and tea to the world. The entire fourth floor mainly exhibits these plentiful historical relics (photos below).
Also on display are several armorial porcelain plates made solely for Chinese export (photos below).
Modern Chinese cultural relics since the Opium War (1840 - 1842) are displayed on the fifth floor. For example, the declaration issued by Sun Yat-sen to all citizens after he took the oath and received the seal as provisional president of the republic of China on 1st Jan 1912 (left photo below).
Besides the historical relics, the fifth floor also offered a panoramic view of Guangzhou city and southern view of Yuexiu Park (right photo below).
Admission at CNY 10 (photo below) and passport was required as proof of identity.
Left this museum after spending about an hour learning on the relics.
| 🎫 Guangzhou Museum (广州博物馆) | |
|---|---|
| Website: | https://www.guangzhoumuseum.cn/ |
| Access: | Yuexiu Park station (越秀公园站) of Line 2, Exit B1. |
| Opening Hours: | 0900 to 1730 hours. Closed on Mondays. |
| Admission: | CNY 10 (Adult). |
Five-Goat Sculpture (五羊雕像)
The sculpture, consisting of 130 pieces of granite, features four goats of different shapes clustered around a tall billy goat holding a "six-petaled" rice ear in its mouth. The ram raises its head and looks far into the distance, suggesting the Guangzhou people's striving for prosperous life. Other 4 goats around this big goat are separately eating grass, taking milk from its mother, feeding its baby and playing lively. The Five-Goat sculpture represents the city's mythical origins and its connection to prosperity. It is now a popular tourist attraction and a key landmark in Guangzhou. Though the sculpture is of medium-sized, it is worth visiting as the climb is not too high. |
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💡Travel Trivia: According to legend, Guangzhou suffered from drought for many years in ancient times, and the harvest of grains was poor, making life difficult for people. One day, suddenly, the sound of immortal music came, and five colorful clouds floated in the sky of the South China Sea. Five immortals wearing colorful clothes, riding immortal goats of different fur colors, holding a stalk of six-petaled rice ears, flew down on clouds and mist. The immortals gave the rice ears to the people there; they also left the five-immortal goats, and then flew away on clouds. People scattered the rice ears on the ground, and Guangzhou has had good weather and abundant harvests since then. These five immortal goats turned into stone sheep and stayed on the hillside. |
Sun Yat-sen Monument (中山纪念碑)
- Built in 1929, this monument was in memorize of the great democratic revolutionist - Sun Yat-sen who spared no efforts to save China through all his life (left photo below). He has profound impacts on Chinese society and admired by many Chinese people. At a height of 37-meters tall, the monument has a square shape with a pointed tip. In front of the Monument is a marble of 7-meters high and 4-meters wide, engraving Sun Yat-sen's testament. These words show Sun's devotion to the future of China.
Ming Dynasty City Wall (明代古城墙)
- The Ming Dynasty Wall, with a total length of 1,137-meters long, is the only one existing ancient wall in Guangzhou city (right photo below). It was built in the early Ming Dynasty and is one of the three cultural relics at that time.
As it has more than 600 years' history, most parts of the wall are damaged. However, the wall near the Zhenhai Tower is the most well-maintained. The most amazing thing you will find is several old trees growing out from the wall. The roots of these trees wrap the wall which cannot be seen on ancient wall of other places.
| 🎫 Yuexiu Park (越秀公园) | |
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| Website: | https://www.yuexiu.gov.cn/zjyx/yxgk/sjyx/content/post_9573923.html |
| Access: | Yuexiu Park station (越秀公园站) of Line 2, Exit B1. |
| Opening Hours: | 0600 to 2200 hours; daily. |
| Admission: | Free Admission to the park, but separate admission required for its museum. |
Yide Road Wholesale Markets (一德路批发市场)
This was where I began my shopping spree. Yide Road Wholesale Markets is a major commercial hub offering a wide range of wholesale and retail items such as toys, gifts, stationery, clothing, and food (left photo below). Towards the end of the year in Nov and Dec, colorful festive decorations for both Christmas and Chinese New Year could be seen for sale side by side (right photo below). This is surely a unique sight along the road and among Asian countries.
Another special feature of Yide Road is its row of shops selling dried seafood (left photo below). Large sacks full of dried shrimp, squid, scallops, and medicinal herbs could be seen within these shops (right photo below). Even if not getting any, the smell of the dried seafood, without doubt, will be part of the special experience.
At the end of the road, there is a building with four storeys dedicated to retailing children's toys (left photo below). For titbit-hunters, large pack of various snacks definitely will make good souvenirs (right photo below).
Being wholesale markets, prices are typically set for bulk purchases but smaller quantities are also available. Shops usually open around 9.30 am and close around 5.30 pm. Do visit during weekdays for a calmer shopping experience.Sacred Heart Cathedral (石室圣心大教堂)
Located at Yide Road near the Haizhu Square, this 130-year-old Roman Catholic cathedral is a holy and peaceful site in the bustling urban area (left photo below). Also known as the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, it is one of the architectural highlights in Guangzhou and it is one of the four full-stone Gothic cathedrals in the world, regarded as the "Notre-Dame of East Asia".
With a height of 58.5-meters tall and a gross area of 2,754-square meters, this cathedral is the biggest in Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guangzhou and one of the grandest double steeples Gothic architectures in China (right photo below).
The focus of the facade is a huge rose window with a diameter of 6-meters above the middle entrance (left photo below). Higher on the third floor, there are two eight-square pointed bell towers symmetrically on the east and west (right photo below). Three sides of the west tower are inlaid with big clocks; while the east tower keeps the Virgin Mary Bell Group containing four heavy bronze bells brought from France.
The spacious interior with a rib vault surely will impresses all visitors (photos below). Two lines of pillars divide the hall into a central part and two side corridors.
As there was mass during my visit, I could only explore the exterior of the cathedral.
| 🎫 Sacred Heart Cathedral (石室圣心大教堂) | |
|---|---|
| Website: | https://www.yuexiu.gov.cn/zjyx/yxjd/zjwh/content/post_8665100.html |
| Access: | Haizhu Square station (海珠广场站) of Line 2 or 6, Exit B2. |
| Opening Hours: | 0800 to 1730 hours, daily Mass Time: 6:30 A.M., 7:00 A.M. on Monday to Saturday, 7:00 P.M. on Saturday (in Mandarin) or 6:30 A.M., 8:30 A.M., 10:30 P.M., on Sunday (in English) |
| Admission: | Free Admission. |
One Link Plaza (万菱广场)
The One Link Plaza is a large wholesale market for a variety of items such as toys, teddy bears, home decorations, paintings, hairpins, fashion jewelry, bags, clocks, and ceramics. It has over 1,000 shops and stalls occupying about 40,000 square meters.
Pappa Roti (帕帕羅蒂) Café
- Pappa Roti is a well-known coffee shop franchise that have 400 outlets worldwide and its recipe is originated from Malaysia. As usual had my tea break in this café located on the fourth floor of the plaza (left photo below). Ordered a set with baked roti bun and cup of latte at CNY 32 (right photo below). Taste remained good from my last visit.
- After exploring several floors of the plaza, decided to get an "AK47 automatic rifle" for my nephew as Christmas gift (left photo below). Its retail price was CNY 179 and was the same in most bookstores. This wooden rifle was so popular that I managed to get the last set from the shop in One Link plaza.
After assembled, the rifle is able to fire a single shot or series of continuous shots in the mode between "automatic" and "semi-automatic" as illustrated from the manufacturer's website (right GIF below).
After which took metro back to 'Yuexiu Park' station.
Guangzhou Liuhua Fair and Trade Center (广州流花展贸中心)
Guangzhou Liuhua Fair and Trade Center is located at No. 117 Liuhua Road, Yuexiu District and was formerly the Guangzhou International Garment Exhibition and Trade Center and Canton Fair Liuhua Complex (photo below).
- Decided to have my dinner at this eatery located in the Linhua Fair and Trade Center (left photo below). Got myself a bowl of beef noodles and bean curd at a total cost of CNY 24 (right photo below).
Broth tasted rather salty but generous amount of beef was served.| 🍔 Xuan Yuan Eatery (轩辕小馆) | |
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| Address: | Ground Floor, No. 117, Liu Hua Road, Yuexiu District |
| Access: | Yuexiu Park station (越秀公园站) of Line 2, Exit B2. |
| Operating Hours: | 1100 hours to 2200 hours; daily |
Seven Fresh (七鲜)
- Established in 2017, Seven Fresh is the self-operated supermarket of Jingdong "京东" (left photo below). Although its entrance seems narrow, this supermarket is relatively large and organized in several different sections. Was attracted by instant noodles section where many local brands were available (right photo below).
After much consideration, I finally bought a pack of casserole potato noodle (砂锅土豆粉) at CNY 11.90 (left photo below) and a box of crab roe noodles (蟹黄拌面) at CNY 29.90 (right photo below). Despite their bulky packaging size, these noodles were for one serving. Simply liked the crab roe noodles where actual crab roes could be tasted.
Decathlon outlet
- No description is needed for this sporting goods retailer. Used to occupy two-storey of the center during my visit in 2019, it is now reduced to just a single level on ground floor (left photo below). Nevertheless, it was still well stocked with a variety of running apparel with some discounts (right photo below).
I managed to spend about CNY 100 on the sport items.Supper from Convenience Store
While walking towards the hotel, I saw this convenience store located near to the subway station exit (left photo below). As such, bought a chicken skewer and red bean yogurt at a total CNY 11.30 (right photo below).
Had a good rest after some appetizing supper.