A little New Orleans in China

Guanzhou, China

China lost to France and England during the second opium war, and so the French and British took over some major ports in China. They took this tiny island (its .5 miles long, my dad and i walked around it in an hour or so, but we dawldled and took pictures like tourists) called Shamian Island and took it as their home away from home. The architecture is prominatly french, i felt like i was in New Orleans. Its a very delightful, small island. I didnt even feel like i was in China, and scrolling through the pictures it doesnt look like China does it?

C'est francais! yep, a french cafe.

They are restoring a lot of the buildings and are making the strech down the middle of the island very walker friendly and beautiful, plants and flowers on either side, lined with trees and benches. its very pleasant.

The White Swan Hotel was just lovely, it overlooks water, or the tiny island. Its very nice and i highely reccomend it if you plan to stay on Shamian Island or in Guanzhou at all, you really dont feel like you're on an island its so small.

These women are supposed to represent the changes in dress in Chinese women. You can see it starts out very traditional, and moves to more modern day, western clothing.