Share me:

I’ve always been a firm believer in the motto above so when an opportunity appeared right in front of me to get my hands into something completely different, I couldn’t say no, could I?

Share me:

Well, clearly yes, I am though it would be a fairly valid question bearing in mind I have been absent from my blog for absolute ages and you would be excused for thinking that I have somehow disappeared into the depths of some bottomless pit.

Long time no seen..

So I have disappeared for a really really long time. I know and I’m sorry. I can’t even promise it won’t happen again in the near future as my life is so busy right now! It’s mainly down to the course I’m doing whilst working full time but also due to wanting to enjoy life a bit more and being out more often than before.

I’ve always been a fan of the concept of rental bikes but am now a complete convert thanks to the dirt cheap scheme running in Guangzhou. There are quite a few competing companies offering VERY cheap rental, and apparently there are even plans to makes the bikes free in the future! I love it as it is great for me personally because it feels much more pleasant than exercising in the gym and is easier to do, plus I get to explore areas of the city I would have never been able to get to on foot or by any other transport. It is also fantastic for the city, less pollution, less crowds on the metro and public buses, less cars on the roads, brilliant!I just wish so many people wouldn’t abuse this scheme and keep stealing the bikes or, worse, destroying them or plainly throwing them away e.g. into a river just for kicks.

My OH and I have managed a few cycling trips so far but with our busy schedules it is proving harder to plan than we initially thought. Nonetheless, we have discovered some very interesting sight around the city, true hidden gems of buzzing communities or quaint parks. Here are some photos to display our discoveries:

Stumbled upon this misleadingly empty house very near to the modern centre of GZ

Right outside the university campus

Lovely cycling route by the Zhujiang River

Public hospital in China, Part 1

Queues at Chinese hospitals. Photo: China Daily

Occasionally, my stay at the local hospital did feel like a joke but not so much like a ‘haha I can’t control my laughter’ one, more like a frustrating, bemusing and perplexing kind of a joke.

Privacy? What’s that?!

Instead of spending my Saturday morning in a productive way – reading materials for my assignment and making notes – I decided to indulge and treat myself to some utterly delicious waffles in my favourite cafe in Gaungzhou, Maan Coffee. Bad decision…

Work, work, work…

Hello! Long time no seen! I haven’t updated this blog for absolute ages, I know, but I haven’t forgotten about it or given up on it. In fact, just the opposite, I have kept collecting stories and photos for future posts.

 

Gulangyu

In my last post (here) I described the amazing birthday surprise my husband planned for me. It was a totally unexpected trip to the city of Xiamen and the nearby island of Gulangyu.

Stalking,gawping,finger pointing…

Guangzhou metro

For the past two years, I have been a victim of these unpleasant situations on a weekly basis. Literally not a week goes by that somebody doesn’t try to take a photo of me, film me or follow me. Yes, follow!

Exploring Guangzhou-Dongshan Park

 

This charming park, located in Yuexiu district of Guangzhou, was a real surprise. My husband and I found it completely by accident whilst wandering around the tranquil Ersha Island.

Exploring Guanzghou-Huangpu village

I might not be a huge fan of living in China. I’m not even trying to hide it. That is not to say that I don’t appreciate what China has to offer. I am not blind and one would have to be either that or extremely negative and/or depressed not to see the beauty of the country. We don’t manage it every weekend but every few weeks my OH and I will make an effort to visit an area we haven’t been to before. We do this out of pure curiosity and to avoid boredom but also because we’ve found that there are still plenty of hidden jems that can bring extra joy to our lives in this chaotic place.