Chimelong Paradise Waterpark and the Pearl River

The theme of our third day in Guangzhou was Water. I'd spent the first two days in the city dripping from the humidity so why not splash around in a pool for a while. Danching and Bryan and Max had all gone off to visit with Danching's family. (Max got to eat a Chinese delicacy which came in four different courses, each of the four different stomachs of a cow. And a bit of what was probably spinal cord. I really missed out.) The waterpark was very Westernized, it played all American music and was actually the only place to do so in China. It worked exactly the same as any waterpark in the U.S., so I rented a locker and stowed away my shoes and clothes and glasses and walked around like a blind person all day. By the time I was actually waiting in line for a ride it had started raining, which was fine since I was in my bathing suit and planning on getting wet anyway.

At the center of a wave pool there was a big dais and a stage where an emcee excitedly announced contestants for what appears to be another Americanization, a beauty pageant or at least a swimsuit competition. I didn't watch that for long, since I'm always boggled enough by those, let alone when they're in Cantonese. After soaking all day and smelling suspiciously unlike chlorine (they purify with O3, instead, according to Brennan) I slogged back to the hostel and got ready for our second water float of the day.

Brennan and I grabbed a river cruise down the Pearl River. The dock was conveniently right in front of our hostel and I wanted a bunch of pictures of the city neon, so I very cleverly forgot my camera. So the following pictures come from Brennan's very splendid camera.



This was the street our hostel was on, you can see the big alluring sign to lure in the drinkers for Bai Etan Bar Street.





Some buildings completely changed color as I watched them.





Bridges were lit with many colors.







And buildings that during the day were covered with a thin covering of coal dust and grime became brilliant.








While the skyscrapers lining the river were brilliant, they didn't hold a candle to the gaudiness of some of the other ships cruising along the Pearl River.

On the way back from the river cruise I passed the Guangzhou Brain Hospital. Even their hospital sign was covered in brilliant neon.