Our recent trip to Guangzhou China to cover World Routes only gave us one spare day to explore the city so although we were exhausted from our long days working we still managed to see and capture some of the sights and sounds of the city. Here are some pics and the stories behind each pic from the trip.
This is the evening that we arrived just before the super typhoon came to greet us. We were exhausted after our 25 hour trip but we couldn’t waste an opportunity which really was a once off opportunity due to the incoming weather. We climbed onto the roof of the apartment block 20 floors up and then proceeded to climb up a ladder on the side of the elevator room to get the best possible view. My fear of heights had to take a back seat on this one. The howling wind didn’t help things either.
This was the day after we finished working at the conference and the day we were leaving. I fought off all my desires to sleep in and set the alarm for an early rise. I had no idea how to get where I wanted to go but I took my chances in the dark and headed off. I found this beautiful viewing sight and spent an hour or two snapping away. Quite a few locals tried talking to me but I had no idea of what they were saying but I enjoyed their friendly interaction.
Most of the workers have bicycles and hats and they travel to, from and around their work on them. The streets are swept every few hours it seemed and even during the hectic winds and rain from the super typhoon they were kept clean. Those yellow bicycles are everywhere from on the streets, the pavements to in the bushes. You just upload a credit on WeChat on your mobile device and then it unlocks and off you go until the credit runs out.
One of many busy side streets in the shopping area of the city.
This was actually at the conference but I enjoyed the city in the background and the cleaner in the shadows in the foreground.
This was coming back from my morning shoot with a young girl on her way to school and walking on her own quite safely.
This was what we came to see and our last view of the city before leaving. We did a fair bit of walking to find this view point and it didn’t come cheaply either. We had to grab a seat at a restaurant which obviously caters for tourists taking in the view of the Canton Tower and of course we had to order something. Matt and I ordered a beer which cost R156-00 each. This was no local South African shebeen but hey the view was good.
The view from our 10th storey apartment of the road below. Those little motorbikes got loaded to the max.
Early morning view of someone rushing off to work on their motorised bicycle.
I noticed this view outside our apartment and thought it quite interesting.
We tried venturing down a few little alleyways in the city and came across some interesting sights like this one.
One of the many big conference venues in Guangzhou. They are absolutely massive and strung along together on both sides of the street. It would have been great having a step counter for this event.
Another view of the city at sunset with all the lights coming on. Many of the buildings have outrageous lighting displays up and down the sides of them, its like watching Guy Fawkes but in a organised manner.
That red carpet lead down a busy shopping street. Lots of jewellery, clothes and food stores.
The view out of the conference venue across the river and onto the city.
My one and only sunrise shoot capturing one of the many local people on their way to work on their motorised bicycles.
Another interesting alleyway.
We all loved this street with its busyness and sides of the street lined with trees. I was amazed how beautiful the sides of the streets were with trees and flowers.
Looking up at an electrician’s nightmare.
To view some of the other cities that we have recently traveled to click here Roma; Barcelona; Salerno and Amalfi Coast; Sulmona; United Arab Emirates.
