The trip to Fuzhou
Just like most of the Northern cities, Fuzhou is a rainy city. While I was there
with my friend, it continually rained. Consequently all the musty streets were
surrounded by verdant trees and lusty flowers, and the confused mass of leaves were satiated with water with a promising lust in the neon light. Though I can’t
say it is a special city, but because of the industrious rain, verdure in my opinion becomes the colour of the city.
From Shanghai it takes you around one hour and a half to get to Fuzhou by air. Because it is further south, you can obviously tell its climate difference. So does the outline of the city. I guess maybe I have stayed in Shanghai too long that I had taken for granted that every city should be stuffed with high rises, foot bridges, and uncountable cars and buses. In Fuzhou high rises are actually marginal; there are some foot bridges but very use-friendly; and cars and buses only become catching on the main streets. Off the main roads, instead of vehicles,
people become the theme of the streets.
Because travelling was not our main purpose of the trip, we didn’t go to the main tourist attractions, but just the areas around our hotel. I don’t know what
other people think, for me tourist attractions actually can never interest me much. Among the cities I have visited in the past, I found that most touristy places could actually be located anywhere: the scenery itself didn’t really go with
the city itself. In other words, the city and people in the city are always negligible. Like the travellers in Narrajech,an essay written by George Orwell: In
a tropical lanscape one's eye takes in everything except the human beings...
Anyway, in the drizzling I went out to explore with my friend. What first attracted me first was the unique type of tree grown by the roads. There were hundreds
of beard-like roots hanging on the surface of every weather-beaten tree. Rain drops lingered at the end of those brown roots, reflecting the charm of the season. Another thing that I can remember was those small scenic spots. Because they
were so small that no serious tourists can be bothered to visit, the government
in return can’t be bothered to make them easily accessible. But walking among confusing lanes with the aim of finding the way out, we actually had a lot of fun
.
I guess because relatively Fuzhou is a small city, you can actually have more chance to see the life of people. Even at the marked temples and mountains on the
map, you can see how people got on with their life: the steaming cooker right beside the outdoor Buda, the dining old couple next to the newly-built church, and
the running kids and puppies on the steps of small hills. All these showed, in
my opinion, a respect and harmony of life. But I wonder how long these will last
.
The only thing I got cynical about the city was the time when we passed by the government place. Right beside blocks of drab and shabby living buildings there situated a grand and gaudy office building. The area was literally one kilometre
long and half kilometre wide. At each of the gates stood two job worth at least;
outside of each room of the building situated a shinny air conditioning; and the lofty wall that surrounds the area seemed to indicate the grandness and enterprise of the city government. But somewhat it only reminded me of the blatant Squealer and Napoleon in Animal Farm.
I doubt that I will ever go back to the city, for generally it is just like most
of the cities I have been to: on-going construction work, smelly air if not raining, cramming living areas with litter scattered everywhere. But I think no matter where I will go or be in future, I should always remember those tinkling greens in the rain and those benevolent people who had been nice to me while I was
there.
