People Mountain People Sea:

Popped up to Guangzhou yesterday. Was overwhelmingly crowded (roughly 3x the flow in Mongkok or Causeway Bay) as it was the National Day long weekend. Being pushed by and shuffled along the flow of a slow moving 10-million-strong human trampede can be overbearing after 5 mins - but now I know why EVERYONE wants to break into that Chinese market.

Irony spotted - A sign at the HK-China border on the Shenzhen side reads: "Let's make Shenzhen a civilised model city for modern socialism." Hmmm... where are the signs of socialism in this skyscraper-cladded, HK-wannabe city?

The jade and antiques market


"Old Comrade" brand tea brick (note: comrade = gays and lesbians in Cantonese); circular tea bricks




The old Guangzhou town center