We had a drink there. We then repaired up the street to eat. The menu was western but our main aim was to find a restaurant with off street dining as the smog here is at a very high level, though today it was regarded as moderate.
I think the air pollution is the only concern J has but it appears it is far worse in Bejing!!
We taxied back to the hotel.
I slept quite well but with a 2 hour break and I awoke refreshed at 1100hours.
We set off by Metro to Guandzhou South Station to collect our tickets for the train to Shanghai on the 2nd and Xian on the 5th. The Metro is priced depending on the Kms you travel We purchased a 24 hour ticket for 20 ¥ ( c. 7¥ =€1) or 50¥ for 72 hours. It simpler to purchase one of the passes.
We arrived at Guandzhou South. What a station !! I think it might be larger than Osaka, Japan, if not, it would definitely rival it! There were exits numbered A- L and each exit had numbered doors!
We decided to search out our tickets at Departures. It was the correct location and having waited in line for c.20 minutes, both sets of tickets were issued. There was a small fee of ¥5 per ticket for the Xian tickets as we were not collecting them at the departure station. I would advise to get tickets issued previously, the day before, if possible, and check location of the 'waiting area' as one wouldn't want to be arriving too close to departure time without having 'sussed the joint'. We asked where the departing platform was? The operator didn't understand and called another with better English. Initially, she did not understand. I was going to leave it and check at the hotel but she was anxious that I understood and finally I did. One goes to a 'waiting area'and then to the platform which number is written on the ticket and when the glass doors open, one boards the train. I have to say that the Chinese make every effort to answer any query one might have.
We pre booked our tickets in Ireland through Iris Wang Travel Advisor- email iris@chinahighlights.me. On payment, she issued a confirmation, excellent instructions and the collection was faultless. One has to give one's passport number to book and bring one's passport to collect. Tabs are kept on your whereabouts!!
We retraced our steps by metro but when we arrived back at Tiy Xiu such was the crowd that we were not allowed to exit Exit E. We exited D but could we find E on the street- not a hope.? We could not re-enter the station either, there were so many people in the system that entrances were not to re-open again until 21.00 hrs - it was now 1830! A walk of 10 minutes became an hour as we tried to locate the hotel - and of course not a taxi to be found!
We were advised not to go to Canton Tower as it will be very crowded but worse still - it would be impossible to get a taxi between 20.00 and 04.00hours so we're going to the Terrace Bar here in the hotel to ring in the New Year and hopefully see the fireworks display? Though staff speak some English, it is quite basic.
We went out to get some Chinese food. We found a Chinese / Mongolian restaurant and had an excellent meal. We returned to the hotel to ring in the New Year.
Today, I could taste the coal as I breathed!! So much for the Paris summit!!!
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