We arrived in Guangzhou, China on Thursday afternoon after a 2 hours delayed in Jakarta. The views from above were amazing with rows after rows of apartments buildings and more high rises buildings.

I was pretty tired after we got back to the apartment not merely from the flight but from all the running around and lack of sleep since a few days before our trip here. Mr. X asked us to go to a mall nearby where there’s also a supermarket to get some stuffs early in the evening.

“Don’t worry the mall close late here.” he assured me.

So off we walked down to the mall and although it is not too far its also not that close either. He then explained to me that he had learn to walk slow here. Walk slow? Yeah,  one could literately sweat so much with a paced walk from the high humidity. He also pointed out to the others who really does walks a bit slower and looks as if they’re just strolling for some fresh air.

At the supermarket I was surprised to see how we must handed our purse (even diaper bag!) to this lady at a small counter before you enter the place. The girl will put your purse inside what looks like a large red shopping bag which then will be sealed by the zipper. It looks like those security tag you see hanging from clothes on a large department store that will buzz an alarm if you try take it out of the store.

“To prevent thieves” Mr. X explained. So I just took one sippy cup out and had the lady bagged my bag.

The supermarket is crowded and big, similar to ones in Jakarta. But, with my dark skin, a white husband, and a toddler, we really does stands out like a sore thumb.

People stare at us. It is nothing new for me because people in Indonesia does this too, the only difference here is people obviously will stare at you. At least Indonesians will ‘pretend’ that they’re not staring. These people will drive by and still stare at you (well, on this case pushing their shopping carts) and stare at you until they’re too far to look.

One thing that I learn from the supermarket expedition is the Chinese people will bumped you or even hit you with their carts without a care, just like one lady did to me while I was walking while carrying Lil’ A. Her shopping cart successfully hit the back of my feet pretty hard and as I turned around to see her, she act as if nothing’s wrong without one trace of ‘I’m sorry’ on her face.

It took Mr. X to explained to his one pissed off wife that the Chinese doesn’t flag out their apology like the western does because they are afraid to ‘loose face’.  Another shocker was people will obviously stare and scan the contents of your shopping cart. I personally think that is kinda rude but then again, this is China!

Another TCM (This is China Moment) happened when I keep spotting guys (both young and elderly Chinese) walking around inside the mall and supermarket with their bellies hanging – shirts up high to their chest. I know it was really hot (plus the aircon inside the mall is not very accommodating). Let’s just say that I need to get used to this un-pretty sights from now on.

Haven’t seen any one spitting like I’ve been ‘warned’.

In general, the people are so friendly and smile at you a lot. Although, I feel like a total alien here only equipped with two Chinese words of “Ni hao” and “Xie xie” while the people down to the security guards at our apartments seems to love to chat and will chatter in Cantonese (that’s the language most people in Guangzhou mostl uses) in a lightening speed. I had tried to find a Cantonese dictionary in Jakarta to no avail and only got a picture dictionary of Mandarin. Luckily, Mr. X already picks a few words after being here for two months now.

The apartment complex is actually a nice one. Plenty of tress, nice landscapes, clean, equipped with lots of security guards and it’s a gated community. But there’s just one thing that I have to get used to…seeing my neighbors laundry hanging at their balconies. A dryer is often times beyond reach to these people who’s like Indonesians are more accustomed to sun dry their laundry. Thanks God, I had successfully persuaded Mr. X to get us a dryer.

Its been a rainy season here and one cannot predict the weather as it might rain suddenly, thus the high humidity level. After a brief worrisome period about pollutions in Guangzhou, I’m relieved to know that we’re not living in downtown area where pollution is on its highest. We lives in Huadu district, approximately 20-30 minutes away from the city. Here, although still very hot, I can still see some blue skies especially after it rains. Maybe the rain does good by clearing up the air from any unseen existing pollution.

The food here are A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!

On my first night here after a trip to the supermarket, Mr. X offered to buy dinner while I rest. An offer I’d be glad to take since I was too tired to even think of fixin’ dinner. He then came back with this yummylicious noodles (forgot what they’re called in Chinese but Indonesians will spotted them as ‘kwetiaw‘ and some dumplings. That was the best ‘kwetiaw’ I ever had (and I normally doesn’t really like them) and the dumplings were so out of this world!

For our second night here Mr. X took us to a restaurant across the street.

The place looks nice and clean with pictures on their menu with some English translations. Didn’t know what to order, I let Mr. X picked one for me as he’s been there quite regularly. He ordered fried rice for himself and some chicken for me also fried noodles for Lil’ A.

The portions of meals served here are HUGE!

My meal came and it looks delicious and my stomach roar from the mere smell of it. It was rice with chicken on a hot ceramic bowl served a sunny side up egg on top, stir fried baby bok choy on the side and another veggy I’m not familiar with. It was really good…

But you have to be careful with the chicken bones! What I thought to be boneless chicken turned out still have bones and marrows on them. Ouchy! You suppose to nibble them in your mouth then spit the bones or any leftover marrows back to the bowl but it’s not an easy practice, I should say. I do know how to use chopsticks before but my skills needs to be improved.

Ok, that’s my long story of our first 48 hours in China.