The world in a port

By Mu Qian
0 CommentsPrint E-mail China Daily, November 25, 2010
Adjust font size:

 Colonial heritage is evident in the old European-styled buildings in Shamian, a green island in the heart of the vigorous city. [Source: China Daily/Guan Guangyuan]



But as the show went on, I found that many people didn't stop at 12 yuan. It was like a gala show, in which a dozen or so singers performed one by one to the accompaniment of a live band. Many spectators would go near the stage to tip their favorite singers during the performance, with sums ranging from 30 to 300 yuan.

The singers would accept the tips without a break in their singing, just nodding their heads slightly to express thanks. I observed that some singers made more than 1,000 yuan just for one aria.

Singers and their patrons seemed to enjoy an easy rapport; many mingled with the audience for a chat and some even said goodbye to me before they left.

We left Datong Restaurant, for an area near the Guangzhou Railway Station called Xiaobei, which isn't on the schedule of most tourists. The reason I wanted to go there was to indulge in some people-watching.

In recent years a substantial number of African traders have moved to the city to buy cheap made-in-China products and ship them to Africa for sale, and Xiaobei is where they congregate.

On a street officially named Baohan Zhijie and nicknamed African Street, we saw a concentrated population of Africans. Some of them worked in the nearby malls, some were newcomers putting up in hotels by the street, and many had probably lived in the rundown apartments of the area like the local Chinese for a long time.

At an Internet kiosk, a group of African guys were calling back home and speaking in various tongues, while outside another African man was bargaining with a fruit stall owner in Chinese.

A restaurant serving beef noodles from Northwest China was full of Africans, but we chose to have our dinner at the "African Bar" to try African food for the first time.

   Previous   1   2   3   4   Next  


Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comments

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter