Guangzhou Changlong Wildlife Zoo and International Circus

While my mum and aunties were busily shopping at Guangzhou city center, Tracy, Harshad, Mike and I made our way to the famous Changlong Wildlife Zoo and Changlong International Circus. Tracy got us a package deal. The HKD456 package includes a one-way 3-hour bus ride from Hong Kong to Changlong and tickets to both zoo and circus. Not bad for a short weekend getaway.

This is one zoo that allows visitors to be in close proximity with the animals. The name says “wildlife” but most of these so-called “wildlife animals” aren’t people or camera-shy. In fact, we suspected the animals are retired-circus performers.

My first impression was “this looks like our world’s best zoo” back in Singapore. A pretty decent copycat, I thought. It has both day and night zoo. Animals are sorted by their region origins (namely Africa, India, Australia etc). Big open enclosures, natural habitats, cleverly barricaded with natural obstacles (bushes, canals, valleys) to prevent the animals from escaping. The in-zoo breeding program seems successful. There are lots of tigers, pandas and koala bears here. We saw many tiger cubs at the nursery. What impressed me most was the close proximity between the visitors and the animals. Imagine we were just “5cm-glass-wall” away from the Siberian Tiger. Not sure if this is healthy for the animals.  The close proximity allows visitors to observe the animals closely but I am sure the prolonged noise and flashlights from the visitors will stress the animals badly.

On foot, the entire zoo-walk stretches about 3km. At the end of our walk, we hopped on a tram and it brought us into an open “Safari” where the savanna animals roam freely along the driveway. The zoo-keepers placed food by the driveway so the animals were drawn close to the tram. The more dangerous predators (lions, cheetahs, brown bears, hippopotamus, rhinoceros) were kept behind barriers.

Later in the evening, my mum and aunties joined us at the Changlong International Circus. It is mentioned on many travel websites that the Changlong International Circus outclassed Macau’s Cirque du Soleil’s ZAIA. Yes, the reviews are right! The 90-min show is a mixture of ZAIA, The House of Dancing Water and the typical animal circus. The acts took place on and off stage and over the audience. There were some elements of surprises. It was very entertaining, fun and spectacular. Certainly more lively and exciting than ZAIA.

Based on the package price (transport, zoo and circus), it is definitely worth a visit! I would love to stay over at the Changlong Hotel! It is amazing to see white tigers running freely by the hotel lounge. A brilliant hotel concept of blending wildlife and people!

Mum’s Birthday Trip – Eat, Play, Laugh!

It is an unusual weekend for me. 3 days, 3 cities with 3 hyper-active aunties ladies. It is quite an awesome short holiday. Thanks to my lucky Auntie Amy – she won a pair of  air tickets to Hong Kong and invited both my mum and her friend “Auntie Diana” (my 130th HK Visitor) over this weekend. Auntie Amy and mum have been to Hong Kong many times and they wanted to experience something different. So I suggested a quick-tour to Shenzhen and Guangzhou. It was also my mum’s 63rd Birthday. Mum got herself a giant “ice-kacang cake”. It has been over 5 years since I celebrated her birthday with her. Boy, I was so happy to be able to spend her actual birthday with her in China.

It was a short but very enjoyable (and tiring) trip. As usual, Auntie Amy greeted me with the same old irritating punchline “You are getting fat again!” Empress Mum commanded and bossed me around. I was her exclusive porter for 3 days. But it was all fun! These ladies can really walk, shop and eat! From 7am to 2am, they were super high on energy! Can’t believe I was the quietest one in this trip.

This is one trip when I discovered new things about my old folks. Auntie Amy and mum were exceptionally mischievous and full of pranks. No wonder I see the similarities in Elkan. Mischief is always in the blood. (And it skipped a generation – no lah, I didn’t get their genes). Mum was making comical moves and faces in all photo shoots. And Auntie Amy was full of surprises and actions! Out of the blue, she stood on a giant swing and swung standing! And not to mention those hilarious candid “R-rated” jokes they cracked throughout the trip! Simply incredible! Really these aren’t ordinary “aunties”. It is so cool to have such modern, adventurous and spontaneous folks.

Time flies quickly, the ladies flew back to Singapore 3 hours ago. Bet they enjoyed this trip a lot. Sigh, wish they can stay a day or two longer. They made such great travel companions and I am looking forward to travel with them soon! I start missing them already… (Thanks Harshad, Tracy and Cousin for joining us in China too! For sure, the more, the older, the merrier!)