A bit about Guangzhou:
Guangzhou (Chinese: 廣州 Guǎngzhōu), also known as Canton, is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in South China. Located on the Pearl River, about 120 km (75 mi) north-northwest of Hong Kong and 145 km (90 mi) north of Macau, Guangzhou serves as an important national transportation hub and trading port.
Guangzhou is the third largest Chinese city and the largest city in South Central China. In 2014 the city's administrative area was estimated to have a population of 13,080,500. Some estimates place the population of the entire Pearl River Delta Mega City built-up area as high as 44 million including Guangzhou's nine urban districts, and Shenzhen (10.36 million), Dongguan (8.22 million), Zhongshan (3.12 million), most parts of Foshan (7.20 million), Jiangmen (1.82 million), Zhuhai (0.89 million) and Huyang County of Huizhou (0.76 million) adjoining Dongguan and Shenzhen, with an area of about 17,573 square kilometres (6,785 sq mi). Guangzhou is part of one of the most populous metropolitan agglomerations on Earth. The total population of this agglomeration is over 54 million, including the population of adjacent city Hong Kong. Guangzhou is identified as a Beta+ world city.
This is probably my 8th trip to Guangzhou and it has been amazing to see the changes occurring since 2006 when I first visited. I see this place as fascinating, frustrating, a bit grimy but with some amazing architecture and sights to see. Mostly it is a global business hub for product sourcing for export. It is always overwhelming to realize just how much "stuff" of our everyday lives is or has been resourced through the vast numbers of "markets" and vendor resources available here.
The official front entrance to the Canton Fair
One perspective to try an show the huge size of the complex.
