Spent a month last week in Fuzhou. Ok place but pretty BORING. Did get to eat a lot of dumplings.

But, it was total language immersion. No English for a week. In fact to brag a little, I was just with the Concierge, who does not speak English, arranging a pilgrimage for tomorrow and actually for the first time in my life wrote to someone in Chinese. But before you are really impressed, it was only chu (go) and hui lai (return).

Came back by fast train.

Had to return to Xiamen because getting from China to Taiwan is very difficult. I have to fly from here 2 and a half hours south, stay overnight in Manila and then fly two and a half hours north to Taipei.

Anyway, back to my apology.

This is a key learning for me for this kind of travel. Last time I was here I opted for a too cheap hotel, and it was bad, in a bad area surrounded by people living very hard. That with a little bad weather and I trashed the entire city on this blog.

Sorry.

Now I have move up market into a very good hotel.

 

In a beautiful area. I am on the river.

And have a great mountain park just next door for walking.

That with sunny weather in the 70’s and Palm trees, the city looks entirely different to me. The people are still pretty stiff. I passed two westerners walking this morning and both times got the big smile and a “good morning”. A few hellos from the locals, but not much.

BUT, look at all these places for dinners and perhaps a glass with the locals. These are in two blocks directly on my doorstep.  These pictures were taken at 9AM when they are almost all closed, but I have high expectations for them come dinnertime.

OF course it is still China with the milky air, but so it goes.