Health & Fitness
Sunday afternoon musings (from Guangzhou, China)
One thing about China, and perhaps this is true of large cities around the world, is that people are in mass and very comfortable with sharing outdoor space.
The area we live in Guangzhou, China is the Baiyun District, near the Baiyun Airport and near the lovely green Baiyun Mountains. Our apartment complex is called Baiyun Sheng Sheng and I am told it was the first of the “garden apartments” in this area. We have a third floor apartment that faces the mountains and the gardens below us are tropical and lush. Each area of 6 high rises has a garden area that features ponds, a swimming pool, outdoor exercise equipment and even a place to worship Buddha. The evenings are full of the elderly and the young children out getting fresh air and enjoying conversations.
One thing about China, and perhaps this is true of large cities around the world, is that people are in mass and very comfortable with sharing outdoor space. It is normal to have someone walk by you as they are loudly singing an opera song, while another person is pounding on their arms and legs with their fists to aid circulation. (I have started to do this, too!) Women form dance groups each evening, and compete with loud boom boxes. Men (and some women) do Tai Chi and other martial arts. In the mornings, gentle Chinese music plays as a group of women perform the fan dance on the stage area.
We take the city bus to work each morning. It is 5 stops to our school, which is next to the entrance to the hiking trails of the Baiyun Mountains. Almost every morning we see retired people heading of to the mountain for their morning hike. There are four people who I see almost every day – I smile and say “Lay Ho” – Cantonese for Hello. This culture of enjoying the outdoors reminds me of living in Minnesota. Daniel and I have discovered a lovely lake area, Luhu Lake, where we have done some hiking. The weather is starting to cool down for us to enjoy this even more.
We don’t have a car here. It is very difficult to get a Chinese driver’s license. And, quite frankly, we don’t want the hassle. Roads are always congested; walking, biking or public transportation is easier and cheaper. We have a bus terminal near our apartment and an entry to the subway. I have spent my whole life in a car culture, and I find it quite empowering to learn to get around without a car. It is a hassle sometimes when buying big items, but it forces me to think before I buy.
When we lived in Beijing, public transportation always announced stops in English and Mandarin. We learned that “dolla” in Mandarin means “arrived”. When we moved to Guangzhou, we heard three languages and it took us a while to make sense of it. Cantonese is the language of this area, however, most Cantonese understand Mandarin, too. On the buses, they announce everything in Cantonese, then Mandarin and then English. In Cantonese “Dolla” becomes “Dole – Ahhh” ☺
People in Guangzhou seem more quick to smile and more curious about us than our experience in Beijing. However, I think that Beijing is a much more foreigner friendly city because of the tourism in the city. My feeling is that Guangzhou is much more of a business city. We are still discovering all that this area has to offer.
One of Daniel and Anna’s favorite places is the Chimelong Safari Park. It is the coolest zoo we have ever visited because of the educational offerings. In almost each animal area, there is an animal care center. We got to see a snake surgery last time we were there. The park is spacious and the animals have plenty of room. They also offer shows that are both entertaining and conservation-oriented.
We also enjoy the Canton Tower area of the city along the Pearl River. The river has a lovely tree lined walking path. There is a ferry that is run by the city transportation system that takes you on a 45-minute ride from the Canton tower to an area called Shaiman Island. For 2 rmb (about 35 cents) you can take this ride. The last ride of the evening is at 6:30 and this ride allows one to see the Canton tower light up along with the street lamps along the river.
As I sit on my balcony typing, I am feeling grateful for this opportunity to live and teach overseas.