Rosy Business

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Didn't do much this weekend. Somehow was feeling very tired. May be was due to the haze. Just stayed home and watched TVB drama "Rosy Business" 巾幗梟雄. Actually I have briefly watched the first 20 episodes prior to my Guangzhou trip. I only missed the last five. The good part was that : in order to promote its Astro-On-Demand Dragon pack, Astro is still broadcasting this whole drama series until 21st June.

This is no doubt the best TVB drama hitherto. I love this drama so much so that I have been and am still watching it all over again.

Starred Shereen Tang 鄧萃雯 as "四奶奶", Wayne Lai 黎耀祥 as "柴九", Elliot Ngok, Ron Ng, Pierre Ngo, Susan Tse, Kiki Sheung, Kara Hui, Nancy Wu.

All photos courtesy of other sites.

The synopsis: Cheung Kiu owns and runs Hing Fung Nin, the biggest rice company in Wuxi. He marries his fourth wife Hong Bo Kei and gives ownership to her after he dies. In her eyes Cheung Bit Man is not suitable heir, and guides second son Cheung Bit Ching to become the family heir. On the other hand, Chai Kau, a poor but wise urchin - through his wit and dedication, slowly works his way up in the company.

The story sounds pretty interesting though not the best but the cast is just amazing. Having all these veteran actors/actressess collaborating, I can't think of a reason why this series wouldn't turn out great. I have always been a supporting fan of Wayne Lai coz I think he can really act. My other favourite actor is the young Pierre Ngo, I hope he will get the best supporting actor this coming TVB award.

The highlights are the many great confrontation scenes, especially when the bad guys’ evil doings are revealed. My personal favourite would still have to be the one in episode 9-10 when Wayne stood up to defend Shereen!

My favourite line from this drama: 人生能有多少个十年? 最重要活得痛快! by 柴九.

Totally agreed.

Oh, How I Miss You!

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Ever since I came back from Guangzhou,
I have been constantly thinking about you,
dreaming about you,
longing for you...

I closed my eyes...
I could visualize your presence,
I could smell your existence.

Just can't stop reminisce about those moments,
feeling your heat, your smell,
your warm and steamy embrace...




Oh, how I miss you, 过桥米线.




Allow me to present to you my new love.

In search for a lighter fare around city of Guangzhou, I stumbled upon this little gem that serves Yunnan cuisine. I was in a mood for a good noodle soup, and hence ordered the "Cross-bridge Rice Vermicelli".

OMG, easily the tastiest noodle soup I have had in a while. The broth was sooooo fantastic and was so out of this world. Absolutely divine!!!

Oops, I still drool whenever i think about it...

Shamian Island - An Oasis in Guangzhou

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Having spent two whole days shopping in the hustle and bustle of commercial Guangzhou, my feet were killing me, I was desperately needing a break. Therefore, I hopped off at Huangsha Station and spent my afternoon at Shamian Island.

Shamian Island 沙面岛 is a sandbank (well, not a true island) in the Liwan District of Guangzhou. In Chinese, it literally means "sandy surface". The island is merely a kilometre long and a third of a kilometre wide. It’s separated from the rest of the mainland by the Pearl River on the southern side (the Bund) and a canal on the other. It is connected to the city by a series of bridges.

One of the bridges that leads to the island

The canal

Shamian Island serves as a transquil reminder of Guangzhou’s colonial history. It became a British and French concession after they won in the Opium Wars during the 19th century, umm... Qing Dynasty that was.

The island is now a gazetted historical area, with quiet pedestrian avenues flanked by trees and lined by historical buildings in various states of upkeep. Traffic is restricted and the main thoroughfare is pedestrianized, which made Shamian a great place to explore on foot. The island houses several hotels, a youth hostel, restaurants and souvenir shops.

Strolling along the boulevards, you will be confronted with an abundance of bronze statues scattering on the pavement, commenmorating Shamian's colonial past as well as its cosmopolitan present.

Some give particular insight into China's changing social world.

Gosh, note the British "Royal Mail". Nostalgic; reminded me of my olden days in London. During those days, the term "internet" has yet to be invented, tele-communications would cost a bomb, so the most economical way to maintain relationship/contact was to send a letter, all thanks to Royal Mail.

Picturesque boulevards comfortable to walk along.

Lush yet tidy parks. You will find locals playing badminton, meditating, reading...

An architectural testament to bygone days

Most of the old buildings have been converted to shops and restaurants with pleasant terraces.


Unfortunately, some empty buildings seem abandoned, with their walls starting to crack and peel and their pillars being eaten by termites.

The mood here is romantic; perhaps because it’s so quiet and green, or because of the very relaxed atmosphere, or maybe all of this. Many couples choose this area as the setting for their pre-wedding photos.

Tourists need coffee as well as air-conditioning. Here is the place. While most of Guangzhou is battling along at breakneck pace, Shamian is merely ambling.

I wandered around looking at lovely buildings, snapping away, admiring the bronze statues, then sat down for a cup of coffee.

Verdict : absolutely enchanting.

Luxurious Living In Panyu, Guangzhou

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The purpose of my Guangzhou trip was to bring mom to visit my brother in Panyu, of which happens to be my mom's birth place. Umm, managed to kill two birds with one stone, not bad eh. Some info: Panyu is presently a district in Guangzhou though previously it enjoyed the status of a city before it was included in the administration of Guangzhou. Panyu enjoys an excellent strategic position at the heart Pearl River Delta. It is acknowledged as one of the oldest cities in China.

Prior to me landing in Panyu, I had all this while thought that Panyu is an "ulu" town. Damn, wasn't I ignorant! Well, not entirely so. Even with good infra-structures, many parts of Panyu are still very "village-like". However, highrise luxury residential properties are mushrooming around Panyu, in particularly along the embankment.

Managed to stick my nose into one of these luxurious development while I was there.

The King Manor Palace at Huanan New City

Six star luxurious suites with a poshy name





Developed by Hopson Development Holdings Limited





The main gate from Huanan New City.

Major selling point of the development : Advantageous location. Located at the the junction of the City New Central axis and Pearl River, the last piece of land on the City New Central axis. Feng Shui wise, it is backed by seven mountains and fronting the rivers.

Tree-lined path leading to the tower blocks and individual units.

Row of high-end terraced house fronting the condominium.

European classical design with huge balconies.

A grand lobby.

Packed with every conceivable luxury facilities.

Beautifully landscaped linear garden along the embankment.

Putting green and swimming pool at the far end.

The Golf driving range.

These units are not for the average wage-earning Joe. Coz easy access and absolute privacy is assured with private lift lobby that leads directly into the suites/units. Wow!

Good new is that, the price has dropped drastically due to the global economic downturn. A standard 2600 sq. ft. suite will now cost RMB 4 million (equivalent to RM2 million), compared to RMB5.5 million, when it was first being launched one and a half years ago. What a bargain! But, with all these uncertainties, who dares to take the risk?

The Myth of Guangzhou

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Guangzhou is the capital of the province of Guangdong, is a metropolitan city full of history. It is located in the Pearl River Delta. The name Guangzhou comes from a very old legend. The word "Guangzhou" means the city of Rams or the City of Goats, others will customarily call it the flower city. As far as China economy and progression are concerned, it should always be remembered as the origin of contact between the West and the East.

On my second day in Guangzhou, met up with mom's cousins and went for lunch in downtown Panyu. After that, I spent the rest of the afternoon in Yue Xiu Park 越秀公园 , one of Guangzhou's scenic parks that has three artificial lakes, a historical building, lots of jogging paths, and a statue that has a beautiful story behind it.

Took the subway line 2, got off at Yue Xiu Gong Yuan Station, the park entrance is 2 minutes from the station exit. Just like any park in Guangzhou, there's an entrance fee of RMB5. Spread over 200+ acres, Yue Xiu Park is one of the largest municipal parks in China, smacked right in the city centre.







As you walk a few metres into the park, the noise and hustle and bustle of the city gradually fades away and is replaced by a cool and calm atmosphere. Tall leafy trees shelter the paths that wind through the park and the lakes are full of lotuses. Chirping birds accompany you as you roam the hills.

The Sun Yat Sen Monument, located at one of the hills. It is a 37 metre tall monument made of chips of granite stones, was erected to commemorate Dr. SunYat Sen's work and displaying his will and testament.

The highlight of the park no doubt is the Five Rams Statue, the city symbol to commemorates the myth that Guangzhou was founded by Five Celestials riding five rams, who planted sheaves of corn to ensure that famine would never strike. It was pretty long walk towards the statue. We climbed more than 50 steps to finally come face to face with this mythical statue.

After the celestials given their blessings, the rams turned into stones.

I was struggling to take a good shot of the statue but every angle I aimed, there were buttocks pointing at all directions, what an unpleasant view!

Stone carving showcasing the legend. Couldn't captured the whole piece of carving coz was blocked by some obasan playing badminton!

On the south-east side of the park is the Zhenhai Tower. It is a few hundred years old and houses a museum that showcases Guangzhou's long history.

After kilometres of walking, I was sweating and panting. I decided to abandon the rest of the park and headed for my dinner instead.

Touched Down At Guangzhou

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When my second brother came for Ching Ming in April this year, he invited mom to go and stay in his new residence in Panyu. And hence this trip: on 25th of last month, the week before kids' school holiday, I accompanied mom to Guangzhou.


The flight took 4 hours and we landed in Baiyun International Airport at 9.45am. The Guangzhou Health Authority was very cautious towards the 'A' flu, they sent their medical personnel on board the plane to check every passenger's body temperature before letting passengers off the plane. Everyone was to remain seated until all passengers have been checked. We were the last to leave the plane coz we have to wait for mom's wheelchair to be hauled from the cargo.

The airport was quite wheelchair friendly. I said 'quite' is because at one point, there was no lift leading to the upper floor. I struggled to lead mom up the only and narrow escalator. Luckily there was fast lane for people with privileges, and we went through the immigration in a breeze.


My 2nd brother and his son came to fetch us. Nephew MH drives a 4-wheel SUV.




Note his GPS thingy.

It took nearly one hour to reach Panyu from the airport.

This is Panyu Bridge. Only just learnt that the SEA Games will be held in Guangzhou in 2010.






This is the view from where I was staying. Mind you, it was not foggy but hazy. I find that air quality is generally very poor in cities of China.


Well, this is my first impression of Guangzhou.

Cool Definition

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Do you know that in IT language, the word "chips" refer to computer hardware whereas "salsa" refers to software?

Ahem, I am not showing off here, just want to share this info.

So next time, when you encounter problems with your computer, do not think the computer tech person is pulling your leg if he says to you, "Well first, we have to figure out if the problem is in your chips or in your salsa."