Schenzen is one of the country's special economic zones, which means it is allowed more free market-oriented economic policies and flexible governmental measures compared to the more planned economy of most of China. Consequently its tax and business incentives make it attractive to both foreign and domestic investors and this has made it a very successful city. Westerners can apply for a 5 day visa at the border although this does not entitle them to visit any other part of China.
What can I say about Schenzen other than wow! It's growing economy, mainly in the technological industry, has led to it being dubbed China's Silicon Valley, and it really is the most amazing place. With an estimated population of over 20 million, mainly young, inhabitants, it is vibrant and forward looking. It is also spotlessly clean despite its many fast food outlets. The streets, beautifully manicured parks, and huge, modern shopping malls are all pristine, as is the Schenzen metro, which is vast and growing but so easy to use thanks to its technologically friendly maps. More important than any of this though, is the friendliness of its people. On crowded trains, as older visitors, we were greeted with smiles and instantly offered seats. We were also entitled to travel everywhere for free as are all its own older citizens. All we had to do was show our passport or driver's licence to be nodded through the barrier, again with a smile.
And there were so many things to do. In one shopping mall, for instance, was a Virtual Reality (VR) station where anyone could try their hand at activities as far apart as Formula One driving or skiing down vertiginous mountain passes, or, if they wanted something more calming, they could take a trip to the stars, visiting planets and staring back at the earth through a virtual reality window. There were so many VR options it would have taken days to experience them all. Then there were the slightly larger than usual child-sized electric cars that tiny drivers (or more usually their parents with children as passengers) could drive around the malls, waving and smiling as fond family members looked on. I was even persuaded to take my little granddaughter on one of these 5 minute trips and quickly learned to weave in and out of the strolling shoppers despite nervously anticipating a traffic snarl up that never happened. Then there was the lake with its huge stationary ship that doubled as a bar and restaurant where we watched fireworks from beneath the warmth of outdoor heaters because it was cold by then.
Everywhere we went people were enjoying themselves. Family groups, young people holding hands, parents, grandparents, the whole place seemed to be full of laughter and enjoyment.There was the ball pool for small children that was bigger than any I have ever seen before, big enough for the parents who wanted to revert to their childhood too. And a wonderful Sea World. And skating. And jogging. And themed exhibitions, both cultural and modern. And interactive museums. We didn't have anywhere near enough time to visit everything, nor was the weather conducive as it was (to us a very mild) winter, so we missed the wonderful beaches and the botanical gardens that integrate serious research with tourism, and we gave the technological area a miss too, and the theme parks in Happy Valley, because by then our brains and senses were full.
And there were so many things to do. In one shopping mall, for instance, was a Virtual Reality (VR) station where anyone could try their hand at activities as far apart as Formula One driving or skiing down vertiginous mountain passes, or, if they wanted something more calming, they could take a trip to the stars, visiting planets and staring back at the earth through a virtual reality window. There were so many VR options it would have taken days to experience them all. Then there were the slightly larger than usual child-sized electric cars that tiny drivers (or more usually their parents with children as passengers) could drive around the malls, waving and smiling as fond family members looked on. I was even persuaded to take my little granddaughter on one of these 5 minute trips and quickly learned to weave in and out of the strolling shoppers despite nervously anticipating a traffic snarl up that never happened. Then there was the lake with its huge stationary ship that doubled as a bar and restaurant where we watched fireworks from beneath the warmth of outdoor heaters because it was cold by then.
Everywhere we went people were enjoying themselves. Family groups, young people holding hands, parents, grandparents, the whole place seemed to be full of laughter and enjoyment.There was the ball pool for small children that was bigger than any I have ever seen before, big enough for the parents who wanted to revert to their childhood too. And a wonderful Sea World. And skating. And jogging. And themed exhibitions, both cultural and modern. And interactive museums. We didn't have anywhere near enough time to visit everything, nor was the weather conducive as it was (to us a very mild) winter, so we missed the wonderful beaches and the botanical gardens that integrate serious research with tourism, and we gave the technological area a miss too, and the theme parks in Happy Valley, because by then our brains and senses were full.
While we were there Chinese friends also invited us to join them for two memorable meals, allowing us to see behind the scenes sufficiently to experience how the locals live. Because we have a Chinese daughter-in-law we have become reasonably adept with chopsticks, something that is really an essential for anyone wishing to enjoy Chinese food at its best. Reaching forward to take a carefully prepared portion from the myriad dishes that keep on coming is the only way to truly understand the Chinese love of food and their even greater enjoyment when they see a guest eating well.
This wasn't our first visit to China. In the past we have visited several other major cities as well as heritage sites ,and have also climbed a portion of the Great Wall, but when we did this, enjoyable as it all was, we knew we were in another culture. In Schenzen, with its oh so young population, it didn't feel like that at all. It is a place that has taken the best of the West and the East and merged them into a city of the future where, certainly to all outward appearances, everything works smoothly and efficiently. It both amazed and fascinated us in equal measure. It also made us realise, all over again, as does every trip we take to another country, that people are the same the world over even if they do things a little differently sometimes.
I haven't written a story based in China yet, although the day might come, but in a number of my books the characters have to learn to live in another culture. Reluctant Date is just one of them but in this case, Clare, the English heroine, has to learn to live in a small town in Florida. That might not seem such a steep learning curve as moving to China, but learning to live anywhere different needs adjustment until the day, without realising quite how it happened, it becomes home.
