A beautiful piece of history: Shamian Island, Guangzhou

Another whirlwind business trip brought me to china once again- this time, the busy city of Guangzhou. Famed as one of the up and coming cities after Beijing & Shanghai, Guangzhou is loud, busy and bustling with life. I knew immediately that I wanted a bit of peace and quiet in the loud place  so I jumped at the chance to stay at the lovely Shamian Island.

quiet park area near dusk

Shamian Island, or Shamin Island, is a small sandbank island in the Liwan District of Guangzhou. The island’s name means ‘sandy surface’ and it was once divided into two areas as concessions given to the United Kingdom and France in the 19th Century, during the Qing dynasty. The beautiful tree-lined streets, and colonial European architecture are reminiscent of a bygone era. 

How to go: refer to this article here, scroll down for detailed directions on how to go to shamian island. 

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Alternative Beijing: 798 Art District

A picture post for a lazy, relaxing weekend. 

798 Art District or, simply '798', is located in the Chaoyang District of Beijing, a short 20 minute drive from the airport. It houses a thriving artistic community- most famously, 50-year old now-defunct military factory buildings of particular architectural style. Majority of the galleries are free to enter-making it an excellent place to browse for contemporary art and support local talent. 

How to go: Public transport to this area is scarce- taxis are your best bet. It would cost you roughly 160RMB from Beijing city center to 798. The drive is shorter from the airport as the area borers alleys number 2 and 4 on Jiǔxiānqiáo Lù (酒仙桥路), south of the Dàshānziqiáo flyover (大山子桥), which is linked to the airport flyover. For driving directions, refer to the map here. 

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Explore Beijing: Nanluogu Alley, BeiHai, Houhai

They often say, 不去长城非好汉 - if you haven't been to the Great Wall, you're not a good man. Well, having been there twice myself, I'd say Beijing isn't all about the Great Wall, or even the Forbidden Palace. If you're the sort who likes to go to those must see attractions, then you can stop reading here. However, if like me you like a bit of strange and quirky, or peace and quiet in your itinerary, I'd be more than happy to share them with you.

Last winter, work brought me once again to the capital of China. This time, instead of the standard stuffy business hotel, I choose to stay in a no frills bed and breakfast called Hutongren (review at the end of this post) as a base to explore the touristy-but-quirky Nanluogu Alley 南锣鼓巷, Yandai xie jie 烟袋斜街 and Shichahai, North lake 什刹海北海.

How to go: For direct access to the shichahai area, get off at metro Xisi station, or Beihai north station. It also makes for a nice walk from nanluogu alley (get off from nanluoguxiang station and walk over) or from Tian An men (get off at Tian An Men west or east- west is nearer to the shichahai area). Yandai xie street is also connected to the Beihai area. For a comprehensive map of the entire area, refer here or here. 

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Recap: Alternative shanghai - French Concession, JingAn Villa, Tianzifang

First impressions matter, but Shanghai isn't all just about the Bund and Nanjing East Road.
In this post I review couple of places I visited in Shanghai that tourists typically miss but should definitely keep in their itinerary - the French Concession, Jing An villa and Tianzifang.

French Concession 法租界

How to go: Metro Line 1 takes you near Huaihai and Hengshan Rd. South Shaanxi Road station takes you closest to the heart of the french concession. To enjoy the streets and architecture, it's best to take a stroll from the metro. Walking with some historical attractions and directions here

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