I could not get over how new/clean it was, Shenzhen.Row upon row of new buildings, sky scraping condos. Green ones, pink ones, white ones. The streets were immaculate, the hedges are trimmed, and the population is busy and looking very happy and enthusiastic about the future. Volkswagens and Buicks (all made in China, of course) were in the streets. This is a young city. As recently as 1980 there was not that much here, 20,000 people. Now, there is something between 2 million and 6 million depending on where you count. And not, according to my guide, a result of central planning but more of old fashioned progress and hard work. The ride from Hong Kong was a simple 1 hour ferry. The more I saw of the town and spoke to some of the people, the more I saw self-motivated energy that was looking foward. Theis is the wave of the future for sure. Along one of the highways was a barbed wire fence that sepeartes Hong Kong territory with China. And although there were uniformed "guards" in many shops and institutions, this did not appear to be big brother to the people working in and around the city. Despite the fact that China is focused on family and friends, this town is filled with people who's families live elsewhere. But they are working, and excited about the future.

What a wonderful opportunity to visit and see new things and people...and the food! don't ever think that the fried won ton you order take out is real Chinese food for it is not. This was delicate sea food, lobster with wasabi, spicy tofu, and all starting with some delicious tea. they served up a great local beer too. OK, I was there for more telecom related business, but I was treated like a king and eating as well as any king ever did. Traffic was not too bad for a saturday. And today they were celebrating an event. The story I was told was of a depressed leader who tried to kill himself (in the US they give depressed leaders golden parachutes) by jumping in the water, and the villiage tries to save him by speeding towards him in boats and throwing a special cake in the water. That was 2700 years ago and today they celebrate by eating some special food of the region, cakes and the like.

More late, but got to sleep before flying to Korea tomorrow morning...it's 1:20 am here...