I had some Frequent Flyer points that needed using before September this year, so I headed off last Monday for Xiamen, up the coast a bit, in Fujian province. It's about an hour's flight from Hong Kong.
When I got to the airport, they had me in an economy seat. "What's going on here", says I, "I booked Business". "Sorry, Sir, but the plane has changed and is now all economy". After a bit of a chat, the manager came over, handed me $400 in cash, a ticket to a leg-room seat, an invitation to the First Class lounge and said that all my points would be re-credited back to my account. Ironic, huh? Here was I trying to use my points!... Anyway, some piccies below, all with my iPhone:
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Morning view from my room, Marco Polo hotel. Looking at the centre
of Xiamen city. Stayed here for two nights, then moved to Lujiang Hotel. |
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| Tourist are all young Chinese, mostly young women, in funny hats. |
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The Xiamen "Twin Towers", behind the twin towers of Hulishan Fort
A Sheraton Hotel to be on the top floors, then apartments and offices.
They're just nearing completion. |
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| Waiting for the noon-showtime: Qing soldiers firing cannons... |
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Bible study on the beach. Chinese are converting to Christianity in
big numbers, to the somewhat discomfort of the government.
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One of Xiamen's beaches, looking towards islands owned by Taiwan.
They used to shoot cannons at each other, now and then. No more. There
are direct flights and ferries. Rainy day, but next day turned sunny. |
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| Still life with shells, and... |
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... still life with phone.
Middle class lady with middle class Honda, smart watch and smart phone. |
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My driver Mr Wang and the cool Buick. Also has his own iPhone.
(As does pretty much everyone I saw in Xiamen). |
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The character "Fo", for Buddha, and the donations
box thoughtfully protected by a brolly.
Nan Putuo Temple, near Xiamen town centre.
Here I bought my handmade clay teapot, with inscribed poem. |
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A camphor tree with inscription: "Comrade Deng Xiaoping planted this
tree with his own hand, on 10th February 1984".
Xiamen Botanic Gardens, which are very lovely. Very few tourists! |
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| Cafe-cum-art space, Yundang Lu, trendy street. |
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My elegant room in the Lujiang hotel on the waterfront, that I moved
to from the Marco Polo when I realised I'd first stayed here in 1983. Over
100 years old. In 1983 I'd come on business looking for Joint Venture partner
for Macquarie Worsteds. We ended up doing the JV in Zhangzhou, Australia's
first manufacturing JV in China, officially opened by then PM Bob Hawke. |
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And the view from the balcony of my Lujiang Hotel room. Looking at
Gulangyu Island, which is car-free. When I first went in '83 it was a
quiet tree-lined place of individual villas. It's pretty much the same except zillions
of tourists now: all Chinese. I was the only foreigner. Gulangyu pop: 16,000,
same as our Discovery Bay, also car-free... |
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The ferries to Gulangyu go every few minutes. China is very good at
handling big crowds: easy and seamless service. Return ticket: 8 Yuan,
about $A1.40. There are also speed-boat taxis, cost 160 Yuan, about $A 27, not
cheap, but they're all full. The Chinese middle class: it's everywhere: well-off,
well-fed (increasingly too much so), well clothed (often a bit bizarrely).
I didn't see a single beggar in four days. |
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Getting round Gulangyu in electric carts. Round the island ticket is
50 Yuan (about $A 9). Not cheap, but the middle-class
young tourists fill them up pretty quickly. |
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Mums and kids in the buggy, tourists from Beijing. They asked about
the names of the tropical trees on the way around. The young lady driver didn't
know. But your's truly, smart-arse that he is, did know and so I told them
the various tree names on the way around. They said to the driver:
"how come this foreigner knows all the tree names and you don't??".... |
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Half way round Gulangyu. The main beach. Was a bit dark and rainy,
but next day was fine and beach looked a lot better under the sun. |
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Gulangyu smart shop. Lovely hand-made clay teapots to which I'm
rather partial. Clay pots make the best tea! |
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Gulangyu junk shop. Actually some stuff here that you'd like
to buy; I resist as I'm already full baggage.. |
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"Miss Zhao's Tea and Cake", all around Xiamen: I guess it's a franchise.
This one in Gulangyu and is cute and comfy inside.
Young ladies: the typical tourist demographic in Xiamen. |
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| Gulangyu "Four precious" calligraphy shop: ink, stone, brush and paper. |
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Aussie meat at Supermarket. Twice the price of local, but sells
quickly. Ditto Aussie milk, nearly three times the price
it's here in HK, but a quick seller. The sign says:
"Oz beef: healthy, fresh, high quality". This supermarket
has everything, including 42 varieties of bottled beer! |
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| Gulangyu wedding couples' photos: there are about seven in this piccie. |
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| Gulangyu wedding photos. |
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Gulangyu wedding, Spanish style. Mr Cool,
hands in pockets... |
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| Gulangyu wedding photo babe, checks the shots as she gets a re-makover. |
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Gulangyu selfies. Again: the Chinese tourist demographic...
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| Trying out the "Slow shutter" App from my balcony. |
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Zhongshan road, pedestrian strip, next to my hotel: some fabulous
food on this street, especially if you like Sichuanese and Taiwanese.
Great Dan Dan Noodles, Spicy Fish Soup, "Empty heart" vege... |
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| Hats... |
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| ... and more hats |
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| The typical demographic of tourists in Xiamen: young, middle class Chinese. |
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| Still life with fruit, and.... |
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... moving life, with fruit:
Ms Zhao the Passionfruit Purveyor.
She's looking out for the cops. Just after I took this, she
grabbed her box of fruit and scarpered, escaping the law...
A bit later I caught up with her to buy some more as we
can't get them in HK. Chinese cut a hole and
drink the pulp with a straw; I said I didn't want them
cut, as I wanted to put it on ice-cream. She
was surprised. "On ice cream! Imagine!", she said. |
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The ladies wear all manner of bizarre summery
stuff: note the platform soles peeping out. |
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| More of the typical demographic: young middle class women... |
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| No cars on Gulangyu, so this is how goods get moved about.... |
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| Evening from my balcony. And so, it's "good night and good luck"... |
