New home in Huizhou

It's been two weeks since we moved to Huizhou. We moved two days before Chinese New Year... just in the nick of time. In China, for the new year holiday or Spring Festival as it is also called here, the whole country shuts down for at least two weeks. Kids have a month off from school, businesses close their doors and everyone heads for their home town for some restful family time. So we were very lucky to find a willing driver to take us, and all our stuff, to our new home. It cost us 800RMB, but he said it would've cost us 2,000 if it was a day later. Chinese New Year is serious business here!

Packed and ready.

Loading up the moving truck.

Driving out of Shenzhen.

Arriving in Huizhou, the city of rivers and bridges.

Our new home, building 304-4.

Unloaded into the lobby.

Our new home is gigantic. Compared to our 35 square metre apartment in Shenzhen it's a whopping 110 square metres, and two thirds of the price to boot. We are styling! There's  space to walk around, there's a living room with a tv and a couch that comfortably seats more than two, there's an actual kitchen with a gas stove and double sinks, a beautiful master bedroom with king-size bed and bay window with a view overlooking the river, a spare bedroom for guests, and an extra room for my office and studio space. Aaahhh... room to breathe!

My studio room.

Bay window in the master bedroom.

View outside our bedroom window.

The new place is spacious and lovely. The neighbourhood is peaceful, clean and friendly. So, what's next? Well, as I said, it was Chinese New Year when we arrived here. My plan was to take the holiday time to explore the city and see what's about, but with everything shut it almost seemed pointless. Chinese shops are not like western shops. They have a garage door front so when they're closed there's no chance of window shopping. So we couldn't scope out the neighbourhood as far as shops and businesses were concerned. We've been out exploring in other ways though, finding local food markets and looking for interesting parts of town. We live right across the street from the river and there's a pathway that runs for miles along the riverside.

The riverside, across the road from our building.

One of many bridges in Huizhou.

An old part of town.

One day I went out exploring on my own. I went for a bike ride along the river. It’s quite lovely. Along the way I discovered areas of what I like to call “old China.” There were vegetable patches along the riverside, tended by men and women carrying buckets suspended from poles balanced across their shoulders, filled with water to feed their gardens. And in the background of this idyllic river scene are apartment towers and more buildings under construction. The paradox is striking. I've always loved the contrast of old and new in society, but here in China it's much more extreme. From people dwelling in shacks and boats along the river to comparatively decadent apartment dwellers.

Down by the river I came across houseboats and live-aboards that made my heart skip a beat. I felt a pang of envy, and wished I could meet the people living and working on them.

Letting the light shine through.

Fishing on a sunny afternoon.