WHAT LOP PONCIANO EXPERIENCED IN GUANGZHOU, CHINA

Lop Ponciano on Guangzhou, China
Lead Vocalist, The No Name Band
Owner/Therapist, Ponciano Clinic (with complimentary Chinese Medicine treatments and non-invasive liposuction) located at Rm. 915 Medical Plaza Bldg., San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas

Travel Dates : October 14 - November 28, 2011

1. What brought you there
I studied acupuncture and moxibustion at Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine

2. Must try meal
Spicy frog - most restaurants (semi-fine dining setup) have this.
Hawthorne Berry candy on a stick - they have in Shangxia jiu.
CY5 dumpling - at the back of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine is the single-floor cafeteria. The place where good food at great prices are found!! You can go inside via the hospital : ).
     - They only accept prepaid food card that can be bought
       near the entrance of the cafeteria. Your CY100 will go
       a looong way!!

3. You should not miss visiting or going to
Shangxia Jiu
Place for shopping, where to buy souvenir snacks for friends and family back home and good food. There are a lot of things to see and buy here really, there's too many to mention : ).
      - In some restaurants, don't be alarmed when people 
        share tables with you while eating...it's all about
        business. It's not the best place for privacy.
(Take Line 2 to Gongyuanqien, transfer to Line 1 to Changshou, Lu)

Yuexiu park
It is one of the eight certified scenic parks in Guangzhou. It's a park with water swan boats, pond and traditional Korean architecture (surprisingly!). It's more than words can describe really. The place is breathtaking!

Cathedral of The Sacred Heart of Jesus
According to Wikipedia, it is the largest Roman Catholic church in the Guangzhou archdiocese and the largest cathedral in Gothic style in China and Southeast Asia. I've gone to mass many times here and the choir is awesome! Ushers are very helpful and it's where you see people of different nationalities come together. They have masses in Korean, English and Mandarin/Cantonese.

A lot of non-Catholic people come here to take pictures because it is a sight to behold and it stands out from its neighboring buildings.
(Yi de Xi lu, Guangzhou)
      - There are a lot of shops that sell at whole sale prices
         in the area.
      - You can take a city tour by taking a Pearl River cruise.
         It is also near the church.

Canton Fair
It's where all the suppliers convene to showcase their goods. If you're looking to canvas for something you like to import for your business, it's the best place to go to. It's better to have a Chinese-speaking friend along or a translator.

Guang Dong Provincial Hospital
Chinese medicine is more than acupuncture and ventosa/cupping. Experience the authentic traditional Chinese treatment for your health and relaxation needs. Choose from the wide array of interesting treatments like moxibustion, herbal fumigation, guasha and more.

You can go to the Traditional Medicine Department in the Main building in the 3rd floor, they speak more English there.

       - You have to register on the first floor and they will assign you to a doctor. Tell them you want Zhenjiu (pronounced as jan-jow, using Filipino accent when you say, "JAN lang" and "JOWa").

(No. 111 Da de lu, Guangzhou, China: about one to two blocks away from Sacred Heart Cathedral)

4. What I saw
Guangzhou is a fusion of traditional and modern China. It has the best of both worlds and it's one of the best places usually for business with lower cost of living compared to Shanghai and Beijing.

5. Most awesome things I saw
Eating while playing - there are restaurants that while eating and drinking, you can play a game of dice like bluff. If you lose, you drink! : )

Kung Fu Panda - everyone's a busy bee. Day and night, the parks would be full of people practicing either kung fu or qi gong (tai chi) complete with music. Others would be playing hacky sack/ "sipa" but instead they use this thing made of feathers held together by rubber and it's heavy because of flattened soda caps. Also, when you want to join them, all you  have to do is ask : ).
How to ask - Ke yi ma? meaning Can I?

Traditional violin players - while shopping I heard this soothing music which I can't help but follow using my ears. It led me and my friend to an old man in the street on a wheelchair playing a traditional violin. Most common song they play is the Chinese version of Romeo and Juliet, according to my friend. You can't imagine how heartwarming the music is. You can also spot them at Shangxia jiu.

School service - it's a wonder to see moms bringing their kids to school in bikes. The kids would be seated on a smaller chair at the back of the bike holding tightly to the mom's waist.

Goods for delivery - several boxes (think balikbayan boxes) held together by a rope for delivery, strategically piled up on a bike withoutia sidecar. It's amazing how the guy is able to maintain balance amidst all the cargo.

6. Thrilling budget find
China is where your negotiation skills or lack thereof will be tested. It is a budget find if you haggled your best because your buying price can be different from the next person who buys the same thing at the same place. In my experience, flattery makes the price lower, hehe : ).

7. Notable tips from locals - if no one eats there, it's not good. 

8. What I expected
China is not well known for hospitality but surprisingly, people are very helpful even if they can't communicate with you. They try their best and, the ones I've encountered have gone out of their way to look for someone who can translate. It helps to pray when you're scared, too! Help is always on the way!

9. Must avoid traveler's trap
Money exchange problems
Some hotels claim that they accept US dollars but don't bet on that. Better to have Chinese Yuan on hand before going there or exchange in the airport to have enough for taxi and food. If you should change your money, do it in the morning after you arrive. US dollars are rarely accepted here. Don't wait until lunch time to do your exchange though, banks and most establishments will be closed until 2 pm because of siesta (yes, they have that, too).

More tips from Lop:
- Learn to speak the language, at least the basic ones, or have a language translation book before going there!! Translators charge about CY100 per hour and it's not easy to spot one.
- Have the calling card/direction to your hotel at all times. Take a picture of it so you have a soft copy if it gets lost and that way people can easily help you find your way home.
- Learn the bus and train routes. It's close to impossible to get a taxi during rush hour.
- Locals spit everywhere even inside bars based on my experience. Watch out for that.
- Expect to squat in the toilet.

Bottom line: Be cautious but, don't be quick to judge. Have fun and be open to surprises! In the end, it's not the destination but the journey : ).

Guangzhou, China Photo Collection by Lop Ponciano