BUILDER'S JOURNAL: BUSINESS TRAVEL TO CHINA 2018 DAY 1

Thursday, November 28, 2019

BUSINESS TRAVEL TO CHINA 2018 DAY 1 - PART 1

October 28, 2018
MABUHAY!

This is a photo journal of my business travel to China featuring part 1 of our first day itinerary.
China in the past was named as the "Sleeping Giant". But with its unprecedented economic growth in the 20th century, this giant country is now officially a Super Power"

GETTING THERE

The estimated plane ride time from NAIA Terminal 1 in Manila to Guangzhou's Baiyun International Airport is around 3 hours.

ABOARD PHILIPPINE AIRLINES

The author with our AVP for Construction, Sir Rey.

Our flight meal of rice & chicken.

ARRIVAL AT BAIYUN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
We landed safely in Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, China. This airport is huge and modern with spacious hallways and cozy waiting area situated on every departure gate. The facade is covered with glass that has curve roofs, steel pipes structural framing & tensile fabric canopy.

Restrooms are super clean.

CLICK the LINK to READ the related article: Travel to SINGAPORE: From Day 2 to Departure

Security is very tight. Foreign visitors must pass through the Finger print collection area and customs. But the nice thing about this airport is that signboards has English translations.

A souvenir photo of our team at the airport.

CLICK the LINK to READ the related article: Business Travel To China: Day 1 Arrival at Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou

CHECK-IN AT JIAGAO BUSINESS HOTEL

The travel time from the airport in Guangzhou to Jiagao Business Hotel in Foshan City is around 2 hours. Traffic is not a problem here. The Chinese are highly dependent on their smartphone for driving guide due to enormous roadways in this giant country. It is my second time to stay in this hotel.

CLICK the LINK to READ the related article: Business Travel to China: Day 1- Ocular Inspection on Aluminum Composite Panel (ACP) Factory

An automatic shoe cleaner

When we went out of our room, the hotel staff place this plate of fruits of Chinese orange we call in the Philippines "Kiat Kiat", star fruit locally known as "balimbing" and apple. This is I believe is a token of goodwill from the hotel.

CLICK the LINK to READ the related article: Business Travel to China: Day 2- Ocular Inspection in a Glass Factory at Foshan City

BREAKFAST TIME
Of course, the great way to start your day in China is to savor the delicious Chinese food. Most of these food are familiar in the Philippines due to our very close ties with the Chinese.

CLICK the LINK to READ the related article: Business Travel to China Day 2: Ocular Inspection in Aluminum Extrusion Factory

CLICK the LINK to READ the related article: Business Travel to China Day 2: Ocular Inspection in Window Fabrication & Assembly Factory

ROAMING AROUND FOSHAN CITY

Foshan City in Guangdong Province is part of Pearl River Industrial Zone which includes Guangzhou. Situated here are huge industrial parks catering to almost all aspects of industries. It is also famous for the ancestral house of Bruce Lee, the Chinese actor that became hit in the '70s in Hollywood and international movies because of his expertise in Kung Fu martial arts. The Cantonese language is widely used by the city native.

CLICK the LINK to READ the related article: Business Travel to China Day 3: From Foshan City to Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou China

LUNCHTIME
We went to a restaurant with an atmosphere of traditional Chinese houses from rural villages serving home-cook style delicacies.

A Paifang, also known as a pailou, is a traditional style of Chinese architectural arch or gateway structure. Evolved from Indian-subcontinent's Torana through the introduction of Buddhism to China, it has developed many styles and has been introduced to other East Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

The maneki-neko also called the "Chinese lucky cat" is a lucky charm, talisman which is believed to bring good luck to the owner. This cat beckoning with an upright paw and is usually displayed often at the entrance of shops, restaurants, and other businesses. The maneki-neko is sometimes also called the welcoming cat, lucky cat, money cat, happy cat, beckoning cat, or fortune cat in English.