It took just one hour morning drive from Zhuhai to Guzhen via freeway. By the time we got to Guzhen, we went to Guzhen International Hotel for a Cantonese style
morning tea as Sally had suggested the day before. The restaurant was packed. So we had to sit in a VIP room instead. We had to order from menu and lost the whole fun of ordering from wheeled food cart. In my opinion, that is a kind of what you see, what you get sort of ordering and I personally like that very much. Sometimes, I even ask the waitress who wheels the cart how these Cantonese snacks
are made. Sally has been in Canton long enough to tell which is which about Cantonese snacks most of which are steamed ones and put in a tiny plate or a bamboo
container. I am sure Tim enjoyed those snacks very much.
Then they got to our factory. First of all, I showed them to our showroom where
I think they were impressed by so many varieties of western style chandeliers and portable lamps. Most of our lighting fixtures are of hand-hammered forged iron
in rustic finishes. They are created to meet the demand of “back to nature “life style in North America and Europe. Tim was a bit excited asking a lot of professional questions to which I hope I managed to give equally professional answers. He took quite a few photos there and hopefully he would show the photos to James. I showed the team of Tim, Sally and her husband around our factory. They were all interested in each manufacturing process. Tim took photos of each manufacturing step and even joked with me by saying he would open up a similar factory
in Mexico to compete with me. I am not at all concerned because we have our competitive edge of original designs, efficient and abundant supply chains, low labor cost, broad and up-to-date market info source and great many lighting factories concentrated in one area enabling our customers to have one stop buy for everything… You may find one or two advantages somewhere else, but hardly can find
them all in one location like Guzhen in the world. In our warehouse, Sally’s husband took picture of me in the background of stacked boxes. I soon regretted having that picture taken because that bunch of boxes were cancelled items. I just
stood by the sign which says” cancelled and waiting for disposal “ in Chinese
. I strongly asked Sally to get rid of that photo because as far as my life is concerned, I am just half way done, certainly not cancelled and to say nothing of
waiting for disposal.:-((((
After the factory visit, we drove along the main street of the town on both sides of which lies thousands of lighting showrooms showing lighting products of every description. This street extends as long as 10 kilometers. Tim, you just saw
small section of it, which already made you head spin. It would have definitely
looked nicer if you had come in the evening with all lights lit. Boy, you were as if walking down Vegas Strip!
I think Tim must have also be impressed by the town center-Lighting Square. If Sally posts some pictures she took, you will see it is a very modern plaza with government building, hotels, residential buildings, lighting convention center and stadium around it. In this center lies a model oil lantern and a music fountain. By the year of 2008, the town will put up a gigantic tower in the form of a classic oil lantern which is about 248 meters tall and which will be the biggest
lantern in the World. It is only fitting and proper that this lighting capital has this symbolic structure.
How time flied! Soon it was time for lunch. We had hot pot lunch at famous “ Little Fat Sheep “ restaurant. I could clearly see Tim liked lamb. Again, we talked a lot while eating. Sally kept serving food to Tim. Even though, this was my
very first time I have met with Sally. But what she behaves is certainly not unfamiliar to me. She has a fine character of a well learned and traditional Chinese lady. My wife is sort of like her. So, I feel very comfortable with her company. She was extremely hospitable and caring to Tim. Her kindness and hospitality
flows so naturally from her heart that anyone who receives her treat must feel very comfortable and gratitude indeed. Dear Sally, I hope we will have another dinner together soon. I hope you will treat me same way as you did to Tim assuming
that I were not good at chopsticks and dipping food in a hot pot. Then, I would
for sure change name with my partner, “King “.
Around 2:00pm, Tim, Sally and her husband were ready to go. Sally would take Tim
back to Zhuhai to her home for another treat. Until then we all began to think
of poor James stuck in the hotel with empty stomach. So, they would pick up James first and then headed to Sally’s home for a nice party before they depart Zhuhai to Hangzhou next morning. Before Tim hopped in the car, I wished him good luck and having fun. Thus ended my wonderful meeting with a wonderful American cowboy! Tim, I look forward to seeing you again in the States soon and tasting the
great hamburger you recommended with much anticipation and a watering mouth!
( the end)
