This would be a quick report on my recent trip to Guangzhou for a short getaway, covering the flights and of course lots of great Cantonese cuisine. Flight up was via Scoot, and after the recent flights on SQ Business and Suites, it was a humbling experience to be back on a LCC-dense A320.
Self-Checked-in and boarding pass issued.
Visit to the SATS Premier Lounge in T2. It was rather busy, with travellers mainly from the European airlines heading to Europe. There was even a section cordoned off for one of the airlines. However most of the guests headed off for their flights soon.
F&B offerings were fairly average.
The aircraft operating tonight's flight had arrived from Taipei and being turned around.
Just a short walk to the boarding gate. It was nearing departure time but boarding had not started due to the short turnaround time allocated.
Aircraft still being prepped.
17 January 2019
Scoot
TR 106
Singapore (SIN) - Guangzhou (CAN)
A320
9V-TRI
Economy Class
Flight Time: 3H34M
Boarding commenced and judging by the queue in the airbridge, it was gonna be a very full flight.
Seated at Row 5, and yes the cabin was nearly full. SQ had cancelled it evening departure, and Scoot had downgraded some of the flights to the A320, and hence I believe everyone on the evening flight was packed on this tiny A320.
Scoot reading materials long with the expected tight legroom.
View out the window.
Boarding was completed only slightly after STD, by then I believed we missed our departure slot, and waited for more than half hour till pushback.
Finally departed from Rwy02C almost an hour behind schedule.
IT was an uneventful flight, skipped the BOB, and was stuck at the window seat on this full and cramped 3.5hrs flight. After a very long 3.5hr, we descended into Guangzhou.
Landing 30min behind schedule, and it was followed by an eternity of taxiing to the terminal.
Parked at Terminal 1.
View of my seat during disembarkation.
Disembarking. Seated towards the front of the aircraft, we managed to rush ahead of the rest of the passengers (and ahead of the AirAsia flight which arrived just behind us at the adjacent gate) to immigration, and managed to clear immigration without a wait.
After a good rest, woke up to a view of the airport terminal.
Had brunch at an eatery within the airport terminal. Prices seemed slightly higher than in the city but food quality was still reasonably good.
Took the metro to the city, where we checked into Langham Place.
The hotel is considered one of the most luxurious in Guangzhou, and with prices being rather reasonable, we booked into a Junior Suite. The Junior Suite had a living room and a separate bedroom, and was well-sized.
Huge and luxurious bathroom. There is another smaller and more basic toilet at the living room.
A pillow menu. Though I did not try any of the special pillows.
View from the room.
Proceeded to Shangxiajiu pedestrian street after check-in.
Had the famous shuangpinai (double-skinned milk), which is basically a milk curd, at Ren Xin old store. It was superb! Much better than the version I had at a different dessert shop on an earlier trip.
For those into crystals, stones and silver, there is an entire building of shops selling them at wholesale prices in Liwan Center.
Ending the day with a nice dinner at Guangzhou Restaurant.
The room rate included a daily buffet breakfast. A huge spread was on offer and it was satisfying.
Visited the Chinese Herbs, Medicinal and Dried food market. All sorts of dried stuff on offer, ranging from gigantic lingzhis, cordyceps, to dried insects….
Live turtles…
Live baby scorpions….
The more 'normal' dried food and herbs.
More backstreets selling other stuff, such as gourds and pets.
Had a dimsum lunch at Lian Xiang Lou restaurant, a popular old-brand restaurant and teahouse.
Crowded shopping street.
Chanced upon a back alley specializing in jade.
More alleyway shops selling craft wares.
Interesting exhibit at a shopping mall.
China is pretty open nowadays.
Dinner at one of the highest rated and luxurious restaurants in Guangzhou, Bing Sheng restaurant. Even though the restaurant is pretty high-end, the prices are surprisingly quite reasonable for the setting and quality.
Some of its recommended dishes included the roast goose and soups. The soups are excellent and authentically Cantonese. Roast goose was very good too.
3-flavoured tofu, which simply dissolves in the mouth.
Goose innards, a delicacy which is chewy and tasty, and fried dumplings.
Headed to the Canton tower after dinner. The famous landmark was lit up every night.
On the last day, had a simple breakfast before heading to the airport.
