As I mentioned earlier, our plans for this trip were quite flexible. Initially, we thought we might just return home after Macau, but we ultimately chose not to do that. Our second plan involved continuing on to Zhuhai (and possibly beyond if we progressed to plans three, four, or five). Unfortunately, the weather posed a major challenge. After enduring two very hot days in Macau, we set off for Zhuhai in heavy rain and thunderstorms. We took the same small boat as before, and honestly, I think they remembered us. I had thought I completed all the necessary paperwork ahead of time to expedite our process, but it turned out I had filled out the wrong forms. Once again, the immigration officer was exceptionally patient, continually trying to guide me on how to get it right next time. Let's hope I can recall his instructions! Our Didi driver arrived promptly but was reluctant to assist us with the wheelchair, seemingly determined to stay dry. We managed on our own. We stayed at The Pullman again, and they also recognized us, likely because of the wheelchair. We ended up in the same room as before, showing that it’s not just Macau that has this tendency. 😂 Our room.
We were eager to swim in the pool here, despite it not being particularly noteworthy, but naturally, it was closed due to the weather. I had initially planned to go out for a stroll, but the rain was relentless and the lightning was severe, so I couldn’t venture out. I unpacked and then we went to the lounge. It was quite similar to our previous visit, with one exception: this time, an English man who resided in Turkey and worked for a German company was present. He often had to travel for work and had previously lived in Zhuhai. He joined us, and since we both had lived in Istanbul, we had plenty to discuss, which made the time pass quickly, and we realized we were chatting for about an hour after the lounge closed.
The other advantage of conversing with this man, whose name I believe was Steve, was that he provided us with recommendations for places to explore in Zhuhai, including Beishan, which we might definitely consider for a future trip. We had a restful night’s sleep. The room was very quiet, and the bed was comfortable. In the morning, we went down for breakfast.
The weather seemed alright that morning, although it was expected to worsen later. We decided to take a Didi to see the Fisher Girl statue by the waterfront. There's a waterfront promenade in Zhuhai that extends over twenty-eight kilometers, nicknamed The Lovers' Road, with the city often regarded as the most romantic in China. Many people rent bicycles to ride along this path.
I hoped the walkway would be smooth enough for pushing Peter in the wheelchair, and it turned out to be fairly manageable, with a flat side and slightly bumpier sections. The area near the Fisher Girl statue was very crowded, as it's one of Zhuhai’s most famous attractions. I guided Peter toward it, and a kind Chinese woman offered to take our picture together with the statue.
I left Peter at the side and ventured out onto the promontory where the statue is located. A security guard hurried out, blowing his whistle and shouting at everyone. I wasn’t sure what was happening at first but eventually understood that he was trying to clear the area because they were about to close it off due to the worsening weather.
With the statue now restricted, I pushed Peter toward the beach. Though it was an artificial beach, it was quite beautiful. I could see a hill in the distance with a cable car, a popular viewpoint. I must visit there someday. However, when we arrived, security guards were also getting people to leave due to the incoming bad weather. Heavy rain started to fall, accompanied by loud thunder and brilliant flashes of lightning ⚡⚡. We found shelter under a bridge and watched as the rain poured down.
I had planned to take Peter all the way to Zhuhai's remarkable opera house, but the lightning made it far too dangerous. When the rain seemed to lessen, I thought we could cross a bridge to a park. The park appeared lovely, and I was eager to explore it, but just as we began to do so, the rain intensified and the thunder and lightning resumed.
We managed to see an "I Love China" sign, a few statues, and a pond with pedal boats before realizing it was unsafe to continue and that we would need to seek refuge again.
We relocated under a different part of the bridge and gazed at the beach that had just moments ago been visible but was now obscured by clouds.
Ultimately, we decided the best course of action would be to take a Didi back to the hotel. There's so much to explore here, but it will have to wait for another visit. Back
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As I mentioned earlier, our plans for this trip were quite flexible. Initially, according to plan one, we were considering heading home after Macau, but we chose not to follow through with that. According to plan two, we intended to proceed to Zhuhai (and possibly beyond if we reached plans three, four, or five). Unfortunately, the weather worked against us. After experiencing two very hot days in Macau, we departed for Zhuhai amidst heavy rain and thunderstorms.