Zhongshan Day Two

Up early for breakfast at the hotel. Small problem, I have no Chinese Yuan Rinnimibi(?). Actually none of us do. Here they use a Chinese apple pay like app system you download which can be tapped and go like we do, but you have to have a Chinese bank account!

We did manage to pay using credit cards for small amounts and then we payed the person charged, with HK dollars. So glad it is family with whom we are travelling!

Breakfast had fabulous fruit and a huge variety of western and Chinese cuisine. A good reprieve for Eliza, Angela’s daughter who is a vegetarian. Lunches have been focused on fowl and fish and pork!!

We left for the commerce museum. Zhongshan was described as the beginning of the maritime Silk Road. A centre of commerce with the world due to the huge rivers and waterways of the Pearl delta.

The museum was very interesting. Could have stayed longer to take it all in. Sophie, our family history writer explained how the grandfathers were inspired by the famous merchants that came from this area who founded large department stores and import export businesses. The Leong Lim’s were not at the same level but amongst those surrounding the influential business men.

We left for the Leong Village soon after. It was a bit of a surprise to find the village has become an historic tourist place. Much more prosperous and larger than the Lim village. It is closer to Zhongshan so that has contributed to its prosperity. Many places were marked with brass plaques and had boards describing their purpose and significance. The village mayor came to meet us and was very impressed with our family book.

We found the grandfather’s house and had a look inside. It was quite large and still has the remnants of decorations.

An elderly neighbour invited us in to look at her home. It gave an idea of what it might have looked like.

Everybody was so thrilled we were coming back to the family village and couldn’t do enough to help us. It was fun; especially when Gary borrowed the distant cousin’s bike to ride back to the tour bus.

And then it was over. A lunch which we had to rush that was really delicious- pigeon and other specialties.