Life Is Elsewhere ---- Tender Time In Amoy

1. Life Is Elsewhere ---- Tender Time In Amoy Designed by Guo Yixin 2009/11/08

2. Even though life is not elsewhere, travel must be elsewhere. I know, the “ELSEWHERE” is Amoy. Except for the landscape and saunter, there must be something has been neglected by us. Just bring your heart, your tender heart. Come with me, let’s enjoy the tender time in AMOY…

3. Chapter One “Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly” • We are getting used to traveling in a hurry. We miss the small details that make each place unique. • We spend more time filming than actually experiencing . At the end of all that rushing around, we return home more exhausted than when we left . • Luckily enough, everything will not happen here. • AMOY, an ACCIDENT of TIME…

4. Cat is so famous here, for their idleness and leisure. Leave away all your pressures that has bothered you for a long time. Then try to be a carefree cat in Amoy, you will find all the happiness in the world. Travel is not competing with time, but starting off with an elegant attitude.

5. A morning in Amoy… • The air was so elastic and crystalline that it had the same effect on the landscape that a glass has on a picture, to give it an ideal remoteness and perfection. • The world seemed decked for some holyday or prouder pageantry, with silken streamers flying, at the season when fruit trees are in blossom. • We fancied that the quiet morning was the evening of a celestial day.

6. Slow Travel is about savoring the journey. • Slow Travel is about taking the time to engage with local people and to learn about their culture. • Slow Travel is also about finding moments to slow down. • Slow Travel is not only better for the environment; it also delivers a richer, more memorable and more convivial journey. • Just as what Mae West once said, “Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly.”

7. Never demanding. Live cozily, comfortably, slowly … This is Amoy…

8. Chapter Two Love you more because of Café • Amoy is a magic city with cafes in every single corner of it. There they are in varieties kinds of carriages. They compose the soul of Amoy anyway. And, they are all magics. • My only wish is to spare no effort to show you all the wonders of café in Amoy. • So will you follow me ?

9. NAYA Café---- Happiness is either on the road or at the end of the road. • One of the most famous cafes in Amoy .It is also a family hotel. Located at 12th Lujiao Road Gulang Island. • Why not have a rest in the cafe? Beige wall, soft table clothes, blooming flowers, full house photos and messages… Everything here is cozy and comfort. As to food and drink, they are not the key stone already. A simple piece of cheese cake will make you intoxicated.

10. Central Café---hundreds and thousands of times, for her I searched in chaos • Outside is the meadow with white shed, just like a certain scene in the film. Inside, soft sofas, tables and chairs in country style, little furnishings, with special decorated lights, everything here is just tranquil and easy. • Hundreds and thousands of times, for her I searched in chaos, suddenly, I turned by chance, to where the lights were waning, and there she stood. • Located in Siming District 121th Xi’an Road.

11. Judy’s Café --- advocating simple and easy attitude towards life • A tasting café with romantic disposal… • Especially famous for its quite and comfortable environment. • It will be an unforgettable experience if you spend a whole afternoon here reading, listening to the music, or just sitting on the soft sofa without doing anything… • Located at 79th Yongchun Road Siming District.

12. The Airs’ Café ---- home away from home • Located at 36th Anhai Road • Perhaps the most attractive point here is its old house named “Fanpo Lou”, a famous foreign house. Sunshine, wooden barriers, flowers, newlyweds, piano, all of these seem come from a fairy tale. • A blackboard hang on the wall writes “Not attraction, decline with thanks to visitors”. • Time here is used to devour…

13. Babycat Café ---- Jeky, I’m coming … • Yes, it’s him. Jeky---the “babycat”, a cat combines bold with elegant. Look! She is sleeping soundly on the cockloft. • Almost everyone in Amoy know this little café, for its warm light, for its delicate bookshelves, for its delicious pie, for Jeky, for it is Babycat… • Located at 8th Longtou Road Gulang Island

14. If I have a whole vacant afternoon I believe it’s just about one single word---Coffee. This is Amoy…

15. Chapter Three Facing the sea, with spring blossoms • From tomorrow on I will be a happy man Traveling all over the world Write to each of my dear ones Tell them of my happiness I will also wish you happy. May you have a brilliant future! May you lovers eventually become spouse! May you enjoy happiness in this earthly world! I only wish to face the sea, with spring blossoms…

16. Remarkable Sunset • After a cold day, the sun reached a clear stratum in the horizon, just as the softest, brightest morning sunlight fell on the water. The air was so warm and serene that nothing was wanting to make a paradise of the sea. • We saunter toward to it, till one day the sun shall shine more brightly than ever he has done, shall perchance shine into our minds, and light up our whole lives with a great awakening light.

17. The clouds, finely distinct and picturesque, • seemed a fit drapery to hang over fairy-land. • All of a sudden, a strange idea comes up to me . • What will happen if the oars can row the clouds ?

18. The dim light on the narrow footway planked over a cliff . • “ They throw their  shadows before them  who carry their  lantern on their back.” --- Tiger once said

19. Pulses of time composes the prosperous starry night, and the sea echoed the sound to the stars. • Just a stretch of mortal time, is this God's experiment I am given paradise ? But only for a day written in the stars. • Short as it is, there must be something can’t be taken by time, which is called, MEMORY…

20. Night or Daylight? • “ West Lake intended to turn over the West Lake, Harmonious clearing the total affordable.”

21. With her pure blue, she touched my heart. This is Amoy ...

22. Chapter Four Rambling in all the streets and lanes • Amoy, is not so far away from you. It is there, in all the streets and lanes. • Come with me… I will show you a friendly Amoy.

23. Commercial and cultural heart • Zhongshan Road, the commercial and cultural heart of Old Amoy, offers great scenery, nicely renovated colonial-area architecture，and a variety of shops, boutiques, restaurants, and fast food outlets. • Though delightful by day, Zhongshan Road really comes alive by night, when it is lit up brighter than Vega. The harbor to Siming district is a Pedestrian Walk, and closed to cars.

24. Memory of childhood • Baby bear, lovely cat, will these remind you ofa certain scene in your childhood many years ago? Amoy is a city can hold your memories and decorate it with new light. • Stay here, and be a happy child…

25. Streets and lanes, shops and malls, enjoy the peaceful life here. This is Amoy … S

26. Chapter Five Lucky to be a delicious city • Amoy has thousands of Chinese restaurants of all styles, but also hundreds of foreign restaurants. • Havana offers Latin cuisine. Javaroma serves great coffee and hamburgers. Japanese, Mongolian, Korean, Thai, Brazilian --- you want it, we’ve got it!

27. Hakka Cuisine • Authentic Hakka cooking is simple but heavenly. Hakka cuisine outside of Hakka land is not always the Real McCoy, but even the knockoffs are worth a try.

28. South Fujian Cuisine • How could you do not taste South Fujian Cuisine in Amoy？ • Try these: • High quality chicken stewed with Ginseng • Braised squid and straw mushrooms • Lucky and sweet dew prawn ball • Glutinous rice porridge with sea crab • Steamed crayfish • Chinese meatball…

29. Local Food --- The Miss Zhao’s • A little but interesting restaurant. Not only offering local food, but also books, ornaments and so on. • The owner of the store was once a overseas Chinese. • Located in Gulang Island .

30. Never lack of snacks… • Scallion cake, Taro cake, Fried onion dough, Zongzi, Noodles with prawn, Deviled noodles, Peanut soup, Deep fried jujube, Seasoned millet mush, Deep fried garlic Fried dough with egg and sesame seeds, Octopus… • You want it, we have it.

31. Italian Cuisine • Amoy has over 40 Italian restaurants, now I recommend the one named Portofino. • Portofino’s unique menu allows you to mix and match an extensive selection of entrees and sauces for limitless combinations made with the most authentic ingredients. You can imagine anything here.

32. Chapter Six Lively Amoy • Smile, lively, energetic, enthusiasm, human, friendly, kind… • They are another name card of Amoy.

33. Man is a born child, his  power is the power of growth. • Such near aspects had we of our life’s scenery. • Amoy, a city of energetic…

34. The journey of the tiny bear… • “Where are you going, my tiny bear?” • “Stepping on every corner of Amoy on my own…”

35. The solicitude, love and attention from the city… • Being used to seeing the notice board all in the same pattern，this one full of human caring can surely touch your deep heart. • Amoy is a city with solicitude, love and attention. Walking in this city, you may feel fresh and grateful. • Finally we know, we are dear to each other…

36. I see your smile, sun, wave, coconut, and joy. This is Amoy…

37. Chapter Seven Back to classical attractions • Almost forget the basic attractions in Amoy, they are classical anyway. • Egret Park • Island Ring Road • The 10,000 Rock Botanical Garden • Nanputuo Temple • Trinity Church • Underwater World Amoy • …

38. Egret Zhou Park --- the legend of Egret goddess • This park on Yuandang Lake is comprised of Western Park and Central park, which has Amoy’s landmark, the Egret goddess. The goddess is often accompanied by many of the 400 doves imported from Holland. The doves are fed twice daily but are happy to take handouts from you as well. • Egret Zhou Park also has one of Amoy’s best antique markets, as well as a great supplier of cats, dogs and other creatures on one of the roofs.

39. Island Ring Road --- Amoy’s 31km Park • Flowing Sea Dragon Dubbed the Flowing Sea Dragon, it starts at the harbor as an elegant elevated expanse arching over the sea for several kilos. It offers a stunning view of Gulang Island and the sea by day, and by night the bright itself is a beauty to behold, aglow with subtle indirect lighting.

40. The Botanical Garden --- Famous for its10,000 Rocks • The garden has beautifully landscaped trails winding amongst 20+ nurseries with over 5,300 kinds of tropical and subtropical plants, many found nowhere else on earth. • Koxinga stationed troops in this area, and often came here to read. So did other luminaries, evidently. The granite boulders throughout the garden are graced with calligraphic inscriptions.

41. Nanputuo Temple • It is right outside XMU’s old gate, sprawling across the Five Old Man Mountains like a Chinese miniature landscape on steroids. It started out in 686 as the humble cave dwelling of one monk. • The original cave is still extant, but decorated beyond recognition, and augmented by over 20 buildings, including the four axial halls: Heavenly Emperor Hall, Heroic Treasure Hall. Great Benevolence Hall, and Buddhist Scripture Repository.

42. Trinity Church • China’s first Protestant church was Xinjie, but most foreigners lived on Gulang Island,and the bay crossing was dangerous during inclement weather. In 1927, the foreigners bought a potato field and built Trinity, which is Fujian’s most beautiful Protestant Church.

43. Amoy Underwater World • Built in 1998 at a cost of over 10 million USD, it is one of China’s best aquariums, which includes over 10000 creatures of 350 species. See sharks up close as you walk through the tunnel. And the seal and dolphin shows give one a real sense of porpoise.

44. Egret Park, Island Ring, Nanputuo Temple, Trinity Church... This is Amoy…

45. Chapter Eight How to say goodbye to you, my dear… • Every time I look back, I see your beautiful soul. • Listen, my heart, to the  whispers of the world with which it brings my love to you. • Amoy, a city of magic… • How could I say goodbye to you, my dear?

46. Spring tiptoes in. It pauses, overcome by shyness, like a little girl at the door, peeping in,ducking out of sight, giggling in the hallway. And spring slips into our arms. • All the sleeping things wake up. The earth warms – you can smell it, feel it, crumble April in your hands.

47. Between the red and green, I see the clean blue sky…. • There little thoughts are the rustle of leaves. • They have their  whispers of joy in my mind. • Never shall I regret, for I have sauntered on this fascinating avenue…

48. “We, the rustling leaves, have a voice that answers the storms,  but why you so silent?“ “I am a mere flower.“ ----- Tiger • In Amoy, being a quiet flower is already enough …

49. Some scene, some one, some thing, deserves to remember for a whole life; Some scene, some one, some thing, needs a whole life to forget… This is Amoy…