There is an interesting legend about the origin of Canton city, from Chinese people mostly known as Guangzhou. It tells about a group of four goats, lead by a ram of divine origins, which reached this pleasant place by the delta of the Pearl River and brought here rice seeds in their mouths. Thanks to this, they ensured the sustenance of the population in this area and blessed its future growth.
Guangzhou people are really much interested in good food, and possibly strange one. Guangdong region is one of the few places in China where you can still find dog meat, together with other weird specialties. But don’t be afraid to try the local food: there is a huge variety of typical dishes, which are really worth tasting. You will notice that people in Guangzhou actually spend long time sitting down at the table, just to enjoy food, tea and the pleasure of chatting.
The city is really welcoming both for elderly people and for young students. If you take a stroll along the Pearl riverside you pass by gardens and residential houses with seniors practicing Taichi, but also catch a sight of the magnificent gate of the Sun Yat-sen university. The campus and its park are pretty much enjoyable for taking a walk as well.
The river is the very center of the town life. A river bus service is available to pass from one side to the other or reach other city spots. One can also take a river cruise in order to see the most of the buildings on the riversides from a privileged perspective: such a view at night is quite breath-taking.
Guangzhou is also home to one of the greatest Chinese festivals of flowers, the Spring Festival Flower Fair. Traditional habit in Guangzhou is to give fresh flowers and potted plants as gift for Chinese New Year. So on the days preceding it, the city alleys get completely full with flowers markets and decorations. The city itself really changes its look to host this special event. A must-buy for this celebration is the kumquat plant: its fruits resemble small tangerines, its orange color is really appreciate and the name “kum” means gold in Cantonese. This really much reflects the saying “No flower fairs, no Spring Festival”.
