As i told few posts ago Kuala Lumpur is definitely an easy crossroads for any trip around asia. So why don't take the opportunity to visit few friends in Guangzhou ? Easier said than done.
Four hours flight with Airasia and there we are. Not much changes over there i thought, same culture, same food, similar weather, almond eyes everywhere and so on.
Guess i was wrong about it.
Culturally speaking China is still far away from any other south east asian country.
China has a unique identity, especially in the remote areas, made of its own customs and habits, where the communism still lingers in the air.
During morning time, around parks and gardens, it's quite easy to see elderly practicing tai chi, in a relaxed and quiet atmosphere; nothing to compare with the primary school children who tidily stand in front of their teacher in the school courtyard at 7.30 in the morning, obeying orders given by the speakers; a self prevention against obesity that in my opionion should be adopted everywhere. Diligence, respect and self-sacrifice they learn at school is something that i regret we lost many years ago in europe.
Anyway, although youngster generations bring relevant improvements, english is not yet a common spoken language, hygienic conditions standard are much lower than everywhere else, they hock up everything in their throat spitting it anywhere and everywhere and they burp after every sip.
As far as you move out of the main cities, they look at you like a star, a gwai lo as they say, as happened to me in Zhaoqing, Guangdong province and Ganzhou in Jianxi province.
By the way the food is delicious and still authentic compare to the standard average one that you can find in the malaysian chains. Warmth and friendliness embrace you as soon as a chinese mate introduces you to someone else, hospitality is still considered the best business card in china and it's quite common to sit on a sofa around a sumptuously decked table during a business meeting.
China might still need to walk through a tough path in order to be considered a "user friendly" country but for sure they are on the right way and the new generations seems to have understood that, although they are leading the world, they need relevant improvements.
Four hours flight with Airasia and there we are. Not much changes over there i thought, same culture, same food, similar weather, almond eyes everywhere and so on.
Guess i was wrong about it.
Culturally speaking China is still far away from any other south east asian country.
China has a unique identity, especially in the remote areas, made of its own customs and habits, where the communism still lingers in the air.
During morning time, around parks and gardens, it's quite easy to see elderly practicing tai chi, in a relaxed and quiet atmosphere; nothing to compare with the primary school children who tidily stand in front of their teacher in the school courtyard at 7.30 in the morning, obeying orders given by the speakers; a self prevention against obesity that in my opionion should be adopted everywhere. Diligence, respect and self-sacrifice they learn at school is something that i regret we lost many years ago in europe.
Anyway, although youngster generations bring relevant improvements, english is not yet a common spoken language, hygienic conditions standard are much lower than everywhere else, they hock up everything in their throat spitting it anywhere and everywhere and they burp after every sip.
As far as you move out of the main cities, they look at you like a star, a gwai lo as they say, as happened to me in Zhaoqing, Guangdong province and Ganzhou in Jianxi province.
By the way the food is delicious and still authentic compare to the standard average one that you can find in the malaysian chains. Warmth and friendliness embrace you as soon as a chinese mate introduces you to someone else, hospitality is still considered the best business card in china and it's quite common to sit on a sofa around a sumptuously decked table during a business meeting.
China might still need to walk through a tough path in order to be considered a "user friendly" country but for sure they are on the right way and the new generations seems to have understood that, although they are leading the world, they need relevant improvements.
Zhù hao yùn.
