Guangzhou: Love At First Sight

Photo by ME

In October 2010 I started studying Chinese in Germany. Soon after my first class I knew that I wanted to live there after my studies. Since it was clear that I was going to be there during the winter months (October until March), I absolutely did not want to go to Beijing or Shanghai because it would have been just too cold for me. Another reason why I did not choose one of those two cities to live in was that I wanted to go somewhere different. A lot of people who decide to go to China go to Beijing or Shanghai and I thought it has just become boring. Further, I always thought the Southern part of China was more interesting to me. One year before I graduated I started looking for internships and decided to go to Guangzhou. In June 2012 I finally got accepted at a German company in Guangzhou and I immediately booked my flight.

I lived in Guangzhou for around 7 months in total. I lived in Tianhe District right next to the Hui Jing Xin Cheng neighborhood. Almost every day after work and on the weekend I  went out and about. Guangzhou is such a great city and offers a lot of sights and interesting neighborhoods. After only a couple of weeks, Guangzhou became my new home and I really fell in love with the city.

What I like most about Guangzhou

Photo by ME

The reason why I love Guangzhou is basically that it is not as Americanized as other big cities like Shanghai, for example. There are not that many foreigners and everything is still pretty Chinese. You can also find a lot of cultural sights in Guangzhou. My favorite temple, for instance, is the one near Beijing Lu. They always have festivities going on there during holidays. The atmosphere is awesome. However, Guangzhou is also very modern. There are a lot of high rise buildings and new constructions like the Guangdong Museum or the Canton Tower and there is always something going on. If you want to check out  upcoming events you should visit Cityweekend Guangzhou. This site lists everything the city has to offer.

Also one plus for Guangzhou, due to its convenient location near Hong Kong, you can easily get your passports renewed and you can take day trips to Hong Kong or Macau by train or cheap flights or even ferries to Hainan.

My favorite places in Guangzhou

• Tiyu Xilu

Basically, everything in and around the Tiyu Xilu Metro Station. It is a huge shopping and eating hub with hundreds of shops, restaurants and small sellers. When you’re bored – that’s the place to go.

• Gongyuanqian Metro Station

That’s a paradise for everyone who is looking for great bargains. It’s a huge underground shopping paradise and close to attractions like Beijing Lu or the Temple of the 6 Banyan Trees.

My absolute favorite: Greek Pizza

• Pizza 2 Pizza

This is the place where you can get the best Western pizza for a good price. They have three locations in Guangzhou: Zhongshan 8 Branch (中山八路总店）, Tianhe Bei Branch （天河北分店）　and Huanshi Zhong Branch　（环市中路分店.

• Catwalk Nightclub

This club is definitely my favorite. The music is great, DJs are awesome and the location is very unique. If you want to see something else than the Party Pier, you should definitely check out the Catwalk club. They have foreign artists performing every night.

Address:

天河北路163号广州体院南门西侧喜聚Ptv 3楼catwalk

Photo by ME

• Canton Tower

Guangzhou’s number one landmark is one of my favorite buildings. Even though it is no ancient cultural artifact, every time I drive past it, it makes me smile. The Canton Tower is also popular among Chinese tourists. It does not only feature an observation deck but also  “crystal” passenger cars which form the world’s highest ferris wheel. You can even get married on the Canton Tower. On July 18, a new bar on top of the Canton Tower will open! It is called Cloud Star Bar and is located on the 112th floor of the tower. It claims to be the highest bar in China!

• Xiaozhou VillageAbout

40-50 minutes from the city center located, Xiaozhou Village is a cute little area of old Guangzhou. You can find traditional gift shops and traditional Chinese architecture there. Definitely worth a visit.

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  Photo by ME

  Gangding Food Street

Just outside the Gangding metro station there is a great food streets with a variety of food stands offering doufu, coconut milk drinks, fried meats and everything you can think of. If you are outside Gangding metro station you see a traditional Chinese gate. Just go through the gate and you are in paradise.

There are a lot more places that are worth seeing or cool hanging out at. No matter how long you are going to stay in Guangzhou, you will always see new things every day! It’s always something going on in GZ!

Unfortunately,

I had to leave this wonderful city to go to finish my Bachelor’s degree in the U.S. However, I am going back early next year. For good.