An opera like two pebbles on the Pearl River shore. In famous architect Zaha Hadid’s vision, she put two shiny pebbles near the Guangzhou TV tower, shaped by the everflowing masses of water polishing the curved glass windows.

Pearl river is still a short walk away from the opera, and except for rare times of flood, the only waters hitting the building might be the rain and the cleaning team’s buckets and hoses. For New Year, Guangzhou wants to present itself in the best light possible. Teams of brightly colored gents and ladies get their water hoses ready and firing to put a bit more sheen on the impossible to build and impossible to maintain building. Futuristic in design it is, practical is probably isn’t, and dirty it is. Maybe a few days of scrubbing will help.

Guangzhou attempts building a female TV tower. Elegant curves and slim figure, unoffensive and not too pompous. At night, Guangzhou’s first lady shines brighter than diamonds and sparkles in all colors of the rainbow.

One of the best buildings in the city, the library offers many things for seekers of all sorts. It provides lots and lots of well-tempered space for reading, relaxing, studying or sleeping. Taking a nap seems to be a very popular pastime amongst the Chinese. An oasis of knowledge and safe harbor for the tired traveller in the heart of the city.

 

Province museums in China are usually worth the time, depending on the economic abilities of the province concerned. Heilongjiang Museum was…okay…because it was free. I probably would feel cheated if I had to pay to visit. But most show a collection of seemingly endless halls and shrines of treasures and trinkets. Guangdong museum doesn’t disappoint either.

 

 

January 15th – January 19th 2017