Sunday, April 9, 2006

Slow start to Monday morning.

Monday, April 10, 2006, 10:44 a.m.
Four days until Pam, Camryn and I return home.

By Terry R. Cassreino

GUANGZHOU, China - It's off to the city for us after a late breakfast.
Plans today call for walking around White Swan Hotel, visiting the shops that dot Shaiman Island where the hotel is and then returning to the hotel before Camryn's required doctor's appointment. Our group of families with Holt International Children's Services also is planning agroup dinner.
I'll have a little more substance to report later in the day - along with some new photos.
Until then, a few things of note:
  • The White Swan is magnificent, with a waterfall in the lobby, another in the pool, a spectacular view of the Pearl River and air conditioning that works. But the bed. It's like sleeping on a piece of concrete. I've never had a firmer bed. I had to complain Sunday. So the staff replaced the solid rock with a piece of light foam on top of the solid rock.
  • The hotel has tons of shops - but all of them are overpriced. The stores that dot the island also are overpriced, so you have to bargain. If you don't like their price, start to walk away and eventually they'll come around. They will fuss and complain, but most times they'll come around. And if they don't, there's another shop next door.
  • Down the block from the hotel is Lucy's, an American restaurant with American food. So if you are in the country for an extended period of time and long for pasta or pizza or a hamburger, this is the place. A few people in our group couldn't wait to eat here because they detest Chinese food.

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