A stroll downtown revealed a bustling and modern city sporting a
large and modern department store on practically every corner. Line-
shops were selling all the latest gadgets and brand names; there sure
was no trace of the extreme poverty of three decades ago. The town
was busy but well-organised and clean as a new pin. Not a tiny piece
of paper could be seen anywhere.
Although a coffee culture took root in China, the country remained a
tea-drinking nation. Tea shops and tea houses abounded, and shops
were stocked with beautiful tea sets, mostly quite costly. It further
appeared that the Chinese favour tiny teapots, barely large enough to
hold half a cup of tea.
BaiJaiCun Hostel was pleasant, offering comfortable rooms, dorms,
and a cosy lounge area. It was located opposite Zhongshan Park, an
old and well-established park where old men played card games
under large overhanging trees. One-child families strolled or took
peddle-boats on the canal—all in all, a delightful place to hang out.
The next day was spent exploring the city and it was a relief to find,
amidst the concrete jungle, a real China where people carried their
wares in baskets dangling from the ends of bamboo poles.
Shopkeepers sat on pavements outside shops, sipping tea from
delicate china.
Wandering about, one could find the strangest things: one being a
market selling what looked like bits and pieces from almost every
endangered species worldwide. Gosh, there were even things
resembling rhino horn - maybe it was.