July 24, 2018
After Korea, it was time for Shenzhen. Shezhen is a bustling city on the South China sea. It used to be a small fishing village until it was designated one of the first Special Economic Zones by the Chinese government. Within a span of some 38 years it grew from a population of 30,000 to about 12 million. It has the usual high rises (so many of them) that are now obligatory of every city worth its name in China. Most major buildings have lots of LED lights on their facades. These lights come on every night at sundown, and they feel bright, cheerful and festive. Buildings are decorated, as if for Christmas, every night. I did not quite understand why all those buildings have to be so lit up in July – when there are no major national or local festivals. All that light pollution! I wonder where China gets her power from that it can afford to waste so freely? As a parent, I am used to telling my two boys (correction: now only one) to switch off lights in their rooms when they are done to save electricity.
The city is eminently livable (one of the best places for expats living in China) and only 45 minutes by ferry from Hong Kong. On the SeaWorld plaza there are many excellent restaurants with lots of cuisine choices. SeaWorld Shezhen gets its name from an old cruise ship that is docked here and is now used as a hotel. Again bright twinkling lights everywhere!
This time our cab did not take us by any cancer hospitals. But I did notice lots of children with their parents and grandparents, trying to soak up the energy of SeaWorld plaza on that workday evening. Every time I look at a kid, or see something nice or eat something mildly reaction provoking, I wonder if Zubin would have liked it. It is my way of keeping him with me all the time.
It was a rainy couple of days in Shenzhen, so we mall-walked a lot – I am sure Zubin would not have liked it! He wasn’t a shopper.
A couple of local friends recommended we visit Splendid China and Folk cultural village theme parks one afternoon. The parks are right next to each other and have been recently merged, so admission to one gets you access to both. China Folk Culture Village is a LegoWorld style theme park. It has miniature versions of major cultural and historic landmarks from all over China. It covers a large area (China has lots to see) and the replicas are very detailed and seem very similar to the real versions. It is an interesting place to hang out. One can see all of China’s major landmarks, monuments and palaces in one afternoon. Folk Cultural village has small shows to watch as well, such as local dances performed by Tibetan folk dancers and Ulgur tribal women. When we entered this section from the Splendid China side there was a Chinese opera singer belting out some piece in Mandarin (picture attached.) It was an interesting cultural experience. There is a lot of walking involved but you could opt for a tour in a little golf cart style buggy or rent one yourself without a guide and take your time exploring.
I didn’t get the impression that Shenzhen has preserved much from its past. At least no one recommended anything worth visiting on that topic. I am looking forward to Xian later in the trip for my history binge.
Thinking of Zubin 