Shenzhen - a week

With my mum in Shenzhen for a week last month, what did we do?

Well during the so-called typhoon (it really wasn't) we went to an indoor trampoline park (last year there was only one in the whole of Shenzhen, now there is even one cloe to where we live so there must be at least 20 in the city so it is clearly the new thing) which is just one of the many many indoor actvities that children can do (though adults can also do the trampolining). We didn't go to any of the other children's playgrounds but there is one in every mall and we have membership cards for a couple of the larger chains.

We had dinner at the legendary Hai Di Lau hot pot restaurant which for those who do not know of it, do not know what good service is. When we went 5 years ago and Andrea was pregnant she was given a special pack of health products and a special back rest to put on the chair. When we went a few months ago the kid got their own booster pillow to ue and keep. This time we made full use of the facilities: the kid's playground which you can monitor on the screen of the tablet on each table and the free manicure for the girls. We ordered the hand-made noodles, and the chef comes to the table to twirl the dough into noodles for you to cook (a hot pot restaurant at its core is where you cook your own food in a boilinig pot of water on your table).

But what makes Hai Di Lau stand out is the small things: the children's cutlery of couse, but small gifts for the chldren and balloons; the aprons for both adults and kids to protect your clothes; the little sign they put on the table saying the table was taken and not to take the food away whilst we were all away from the table for a minute (at manicure/playground/washroom). And of course the actual service and the food are very good. In China it is a well-known chain, and it is popular. It is premium priced and you get premium service. I believe they even pay for the staff's children to get into kindergarten, they go to such extremes. Mum loved it!

We of coure had to take her to Dafen, the art village with hundeds of artists doing originals and replicas right in front of you, as well as some sculptures and other forms of art. Fascinating as always at how good some of them are: especally the likeness of the paintings of real people to the actual photos.

Mum did a day at the Window of the World (a park with replicas from around the world, plu a few rides) which the kids enjoy. She did a day doing arts and crafts, since she is exploring how to do something similar in the UK, she spent time with the kids of course, but that was about it for Shenzhen as well as some drives around town to see bits and pieces. Unfortunately there was not time to check out the multiple parks or some of the nice walking and cycling paths, or some of the other touristy theme parks or even some of the beaches.

Shenzhen is not really a place for tourists to stop by, but there is enough to do for a few days, and then it's just a convenient place to enjoy China--Chinese food, Chinese shops, Chinese skyscrapers and the like. All of which are available in Shenzhen. But as a place for living it really is one of the best places, not just in China, but in the World. Everything is convenient (from transport to shopping) and cheap (renting is cheap, buying is not) especially if one can speak Chinese; everything is digital; everything is fairly new; everything is well organized and fast and professional. The climate is good, the air quality decent, and the quality of life for families is fantastic, as with many other major cities in China with zoos, playgrounds, theme parks, beaches, swimming pools in modern complexe, playgrounds in all complexes. It's been even better than it was set-up me by my Chinese friends when I first arrived 2 years ago.