Days 4-7: Shenzhen

When we arrived in Shenzhen, we were thrown into a van and whisked off to a work lunch outside of what looked like a fancy hotel. The drive offered a kind of tour of the city, though I didn't know what I was really seeing. Green hills and spread out sky scrapers mostly. The foliage was pretty jungle-y. 

Josh didn't know what the itinerary would be. We ate lunch with his team, then hopped back into cars and drove to an office building nearby. The office had a conference room set up for an important-seeming meeting. I went to plop down in the lobby, but someone insisted I wait in an office, so I was escorted upstairs, around some cubicles, and into an empty office. He shut the door.

I read the only book I could squeeze into my backpack, *The Man with Compound Eyes,* and looked at some maps on the wall. There was a landscape design magazine in Chinese. I sat in the office for two hours.

We drove to another building where there was another meeting. This time, I had the pleasure of visiting then going to dinner with two of Josh's Chinese coworkers. They insisted I move to China. They kept saying, "You're so Chinese!" I don't know why.

Drove forever again. Shenzhen is huge. Finally arrived at our hotel around 10pm. The next morning, the whole group left for a conference and I approached the concierge. 

Can I have a map? 

Is there anything to do?

Where should I go?

Where are we?

Yes.

Not around here.

Over here and here.

Over an hour metro ride from anything. It's too hot.

I took the map up to my room and tried to compare the information with the guidebook. The scale was incomprehensible. I didn't know when Josh would be back. I also don't have any cell service here, nor can I communicate with anyone. 

Went to the fitness center, wandered about outside, didn't see anything too interesting, and came back dripping sweat. Thursday was the same.

Finally, the conference was over and we relocated to the OCT Loft area which was on the complete other side of the map. OCT is an art district similar to Beijing's 798, but smaller. 

We found a hostel, wandered about, saw a white American pianist play covers outside of a bar including "Cocoa Butter Kisses." It pretty much revived my Shenzhen experience.

Here are some OCT pics:

Then we hopped on a plane to Chengdu in Sichuan which promises spicy food, pandas, and hardcore Chinese bands.