2003-12-13,14:   Guangzhou revisited (overnight stay, the first for nearly 3 years)

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The Hui Fu Hotel
Y130 per person
same company as
HK Guest House

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Top marks for town planning...
a park the size of
5 football fields

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AITECE
lunch meeting for JW - - many more  teachers needed for China

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At the historic
Sun Yat Sen
Memoral Hall
(seats 4,000) for
Handel's "Messiah"
Text 1
Text 2

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1st performance in Guangzhou for 50 years, and 1st ever performance in 
Guangzhou in Chinese 

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3,000 quiet &
reverent thruout;
standing for
Alleluia Chorus

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18 years ago on 1st visit to hall, and often thereafter I have hoped/prayed

"someday something for the Lord will be put on in this beautiful place".  DG!

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Pearl River
riverbank now so clean...great walkway

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Sacred Heart Cathedral, soon a park in front...

...as it used to be
(instead of a blocking building the past few years)  

Attended moving Sunday 8.30am Chinese Advent Mass; 500 people...

..same liturgy as HK & everywhere.. special prayers for  John Paul II

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10.30 English Mass also full each week ...with  c.300 African businessmen

Also happy to have seen dear old Fr Tam

And made acquaintance of young Fr Jin

Guangzou is a symbol of China's rapid modernization, at least in the coastal economic zones. Modern buses (same type as HK, Sydney, Gold Coast), new buildings everywhere, complex road systems/overpasses, people on the move...
...yet also hundreds of street sleepers (including one group of women and children)

Q:  Why are Hong Kong post boxes green with a touch of purple
A:  To resemble China's post boxes which are totally green

Q: Why are China's post boxes green?
A: (historically true?) Because China's postal service was started by Sir Robert Hart  who worked in China  for about 50 years  in the 19th century ......and he was....IRISH!!!! 
(green is favorite color of Irish people)
Try "hart"+"robert"+"china" in www.google.com ....("Portadown's greatest son")