Guangzhou, China Day 4

24 Nov 2015 (Tues):

We were whole-saling shopping the whole morning and afternoon. Daddy brought the kids to the toy outlets but we did not get anything.

Our flight was departing Guangzhou for Singapore at 0220hrs. We were out the whole day and even visited 步行街 - where no vehicles were allowed in for certain time of the day.

That sums up our short vacation in November, 2nd one though. The next vacation? CNY 2016 "wink"

Guangzhou, China Day 3

23 Nov 2015 (Mon):

Note: This will be a long post as I intended to jot down the happenings of the day.

Approx. 130am, in the wee hrs, my uncle knocked on our door, asking if we were up and about. Yes, we were.

A 10 mins drive up the mountains and we were just in time for some hot porridge. The ceremony started at 3am... the wind was strong; it was cold. While waiting, Rachel was so tired she actually fell asleep sitting up. Another relative sat beside her and told us she will watch over the little one.

With the loud gongs and bangs, trumpet sounds and ceremonial chanting, it was a wonder Rachel slept through. There were fire works and fire crackers too. I wondered if the villagers around the temple got a rude shock or not?! LOL.

When we learnt about the date of this ceremonial event, we were like uh-oh... how would we be in time for our flight to Guangzhou? You see, before we flew to Quanzhou 2 days ago, my mil told us that the event was on the 22 Nov morning.. that is midnight of 21 Nov... we thought this event would start on the evening we arrived into Quanzhou, hence we booked our tickets to Guangzhou for the 23 Nov, scheduled to depart at 1040hrs.

Bearing in mind we still have to travel back to Quanzhou.. counting backwards... a 1040hrs flight would mean checking in at 0840hrs. A drive back to Quanzhou is approx 1.5-2hrs ride. So a simple calculation would mean we had to start our journey around 0630hrs.

So if this ceremonial event started on the 23 Nov instead and would last for the whole morning and afternoon, how on earth would be able to take part?

After some discussions with the elders, it seems okay if we missed the am and pm events. My uncle even asked the guide's son to send us to Quanzhou airport. You remembered the guide I mentioned about when we 1st arrived into Anxi? His son offered to send us down.

So at around 5am, we went back to our hotel, checked out and hopped into his car, bound for Quanzhou airport.

Finally, our  jackets were put to use. It was freezing when the wind blew.

The ceremonial chanting with loud gongs and bangs.

Fireworks

Inside the temple.

And fast forward to Guangzhou...

Hubs went to Guangzhou a few months back and he brought us to this particular district ( Guangzhou have many districts - I don't even know if you call it district). Anyway, the last time he went, he was at the wholesale market and bought many stuff from one of this particular store.

This time round, he wanted to visit their showroom but upon arrival, we found out it was the office instead. Blur sotong! At this time, Lionel needed the toilet urgently and so Rachel n myself sat by the roadside, on the curb.

Picture this: A mother n daughter, with 1 big luggage and 1 small hand carry, sitting down by the roadside, looking lost and staring into blank space...

Many passer-by stared at us... I felt so awkward... i should have put a bowl in front of us ...

Daddy flagged down another cab and this time, we went to the district where Daddy stayed the last time. There were many nice and cheap boutique hotels there and we wasted no time in enquiring with one and checking in.

We had lunch and Daddy did his "shopping". We ( myself and the kids) knew this was not meant to be our shopping haven but we did not complain. Daddy promised the kids to visit the toys wholesale market if they behaved. 

Yay! We went up the Guangzhou Tower and enjoyed the night scene.

There were many colourful lightings all around the buildings.

And we took a slow walk down Zhujiang River. The weather was hot...

Quanzhou, China Day 2

22 Nov 2015 (Sun):

The evening before, uncle told us to get ready and down for breakfast by 730am and we would be heading out to Meizhou. He told us to bring jackets as the weather would be cold.

We arrived at the jetty and it was crowded. The locals... were pushing and jumping queues and were yelling and shouting at the staff who were not handling the sale of tickets fast enough for them to get a place onboard the ferry.

One local aunty behind me was nagging at us to be quick and that the ferry was going to leave the jetty soon. I was fed up and told her if she cannot wait, then please go join other queues. That shut her mouth up.

SWK - this fellow asked RMB20 from us when R was done taking pics with him. He wanted to continue but i told him it was enough.

Ma Zhu Temple @ Meizhou.

We went to this village not far from our hotel. This village was the very hometown of hubby's grandfather where he stayed when he was young, followed by hubby's father.

Some houses that you have seen in the pic seems to be more well off than the rest. This is because the villagers worked outside of their province/city and when they earn their salary, they remit the money back to the hometown so that the family members can have a better life. The hard earned money was saved in order to built a better roof over their heads.

Lionel n Rachel standing right in front of the very house that their great grandpa and grandpa once lived.

The house was in ruins and unsafe to walked further in, other than the stove area and the mini courtyard.

Daddy trying to walked in between the houses and to see if the place was accessible through the backdoors. Negative!

Many of the neighbours saw us and wandered out to say hello and even offered us to have a sit in their houses and join them for dinner. We rejected politely as we have a dinner to attend to.

For those who do not understand,  will hanyu pinyin helped?

Anxi " Wu Feng Yan"

Chong Jian Luo Cheng Qing Dian Huan Ying Wan Yan

Hou An Xie Shi Jia Miao Lian Yi Hui

We were invited to attend the dinner at a 5 star hotel in Anxi.

The 12 course dinner, though not all were to my liking. :)

Its almost 11pm and we were off to bed. In another 3 hours, we would be driven up the mountains for the ceremony.

Quanzhou, China Day 1

21 Nov 2015 (Sat):

The family ancestral temple in Anxi, Fujian Province, China was rebuilt and it was ready for the deities to settle in their new home.

As it was a Seah family ( 谢氏 ) kinda event, we were invited to attend the ceremony.

And so on the 21 Nov morning, we set off on board Tiger Airways  to Quanzhou, where upon arrival, we would head to Anxi, approx 1.5-2hrs journey away from Quanzhou.

Star Wars action figurines at T2.

We arrived Quanzhou and immediately hire a cabbie who took us to Anxi for RMB250.00. This cabbie was very nice and helped us to locate our hotel.

Actually we did not booked any hotel. The older folks who flew ahead of us told us to alight at the previous hotel they stayed in the last time they came and they would come and pick us up.

In fact, we were very lost when we arrived at Anxi. The location of the hotel was next to some night club and the staff / guests who walked past us gave us a weird stare. Hubby called a number given to us before we left for Quanzhou and some random uncle picked up the call.

This uncle was in fact the guide who brought us around Anxi for the next 2 days. The old folks and some relatives came in a van and met surprisingly, well at least to me when i saw familiar faces.

There was this couple who would very frequently popped over to my in laws'  shop and chit chat, gossip and coffee. I have always seen them but not knowing they were related to us. So apparently when they saw my surprised look, all of them laughed.

We went up the van and checked into another hotel.The folks have checked into this hotel prior and reserved 1 more room for us. This hotel overlooks the lake and the scenery was beautiful in the night.  Thank goodness it was not the other hotel located next to the nightclub. My uncle said it was very noisy at night and there were cases of drunkards fighting. 

We went for dinner altogether and thereafter, the older folks retired for the night and the 4 of us went shopping. The weather in Anxi was warm and i could not understand the need for thick winter jackets most of the local folks were wearing.

Talked about shopping, the underground departmental stalls were stuffy and small. There was no air-conditioning at all. Everywhere were selling thick winter clothings and boots and there was nothing practical to buy.

We passed by a store selling winter clothings and this lady stopped us and said: " 明天的天气会比今天还要冷， 你们还穿得这样薄， 不怕生病吗？"

I felt like telling her: " 你倒不如说明天的天气会比今天还要热？"

Prize Giving Ceremony 2015 - P2

20 Nov 2015 (Fri):

I specifically took the last of my last annual leave for year 2015 just to attend this important event.

Rachel has been been awarded the Outstanding Pupil Award for 2015. This is her 2nd time she has been awarded this award. The 1st was in 2014 when she was in P1.

Knowing Daddy will be late since he had to work, I do not want to risk not attending this event. Though I need only apply for a half day leave but I would prefer to go back home after this ceremony to pack our luggages for another trip.

Coming back from Taiwan and leaving for another vacation within a week... This is madness! Haha...But I am loving it!

YPS - Prize Giving Day.

Guest of Honour: Mr Or Teck Seng.

The principal - Mrs Yee addressing the school before the ceremony.

Trophies to be given away.

Caught sight of my son who took part in the Chinese Language Competitions

Another pic of Lionel who took part in this year's Sea Games.

She caught sight of me taking pics of her...hehe..

Preparing to walk across the stage to receive her award.

Receiving the award from our Guest of Honour.

All the P2s who got their award. Pic taken with the P2s HODS and FTs.

Rachel with her award.

Pic taken with her classmates who got the awards as well and her FT, Mdm Jega.

Outstanding Pupil Award.

Results + Achievements 2015

17 Nov 2015 (Tues):

Both kids came back and showed me their results and the certificates they got.

Certificate of Contribution as a prefect in 2015 for Rachel.

Certificate of Contribution as an ERP Reading Ambassador in 2015 for Lionel.

Lionel's results slip for year 2015. Overall, his results dropped, therefore he was not offered to take up Higher Chinese for P5 but the standard 4 - English, Chinese, Maths and Chinese. He was promoted to 5 Nation Loving.

Rachel's results for year 2015 was excellent! She was promoted to 3 Integrity.

Taiwan Vacation Day 10 - 13 Nov 2015

13 Nov 2015 (Fri):

Back to reality, back to Singapore.  Bus #1819 brings you back to Taoyuan International Airport.

Taiwan! I shall be back. This will not be my last. I am hoping to come back real soon. I know right. I always said that!

Taiwan Vacation Day 9 - 12 Nov 2015

12 Nov 2015 (Thurs):

We went to Yong He Dou Jiang Da Wang(永和豆浆大王) at Tai Power station. Actually nothing much to rave about. What is the action that I missed out here?

A stop at CKS Memorial Hall and it was closed for annual maintenance. 

One of many favourites along Yong Kang Street.

Up Taipei 101.

And last stop, Wu Fen Pu (五分埔) and Raohe Night Market( 饶河夜市). Henry and Val joined us and we went back to Ximen together for some merry drinks and chat till 2am.