On A Whim - Asian Games!!! - Shamian Island

Our hunger for sports being satisfied, we turned our attention to some sight-seeing and headed to Shamian Island, which from what we heard was one of the first places where foreigners were allowed to establish a settlement.

No surprise then, that what with all the European architecture, there were also quaint walkways and gardens which evoked a rustic kind of feel.






While the overhanging branches of large but well-pruned trees contributed no end to the atmosphere of the place...



I was happy to say that even in a place like this where there was a very colonial, European theme, some contrasts could be seen. From stately buildings revealing glimpses of the island's past...



To the large number of visitors showing that there is no avoiding the fact that this has turned from what was a European enclave into a tourist attraction.



Still, there are some people who call this place home, like this group of old ladies having their mahjong session in open, enjoying the pleasant late afternoon air, seemingly oblivious to the sweeping changes taking hold all over their little island, their city, and China on the whole.