A Visit to the Jewel of the Pearl River Delta

What a great and busy day! After accomplishing a hat trick of Getting Dressed, Eating Breakfast and Reinstating My Mysteriously-Cancelled Flight Reservation (for, um TOMORROW!)—simultaneously, I would add—we got off to a bit of a dicey start as we got to the ferry terminal here in Hong Kong and discovered there were more people in our party than passports, but a mad dash back to the hotel was executed and all was well. Our excellent motoclient Bethany, the fabulous, local motowizardress (is this a word?) Daisy, and I departed for the 90 minute ferry out of Hong Kong, across the bay (Zhujiang Kou), past Macau, and up the Pearl River into mainland China----destination Zhongshan, in Guangdong Province. We passed all manner of vessel—from big container ships to crafts that looked as though they were homemade back in the 1920’s and had been renovated dozens of times with only found objects. The scenery shifted from mountainous big and little islands on the Hong Kong side to flat delta marsh like areas on the mainland side. Up the Pearl River we went, through immigration and customs, and into the waiting arms of Leo, the Motorola customer relations specialist for the local China Mobile Group Guangdong Co., Zhongshan branch. The main reason for our visit was to speak with Mr. Zhang Zhi Ping, a most wonderful and helpful interviewee/host, but—as we were to learn later—an even better lunch host and Zhongshan ambassador! As expected, everyone at Mr. Zhang’s office was extremely nice and helpful as we brought the natural turbulence that is on-location video production to their environs, but with their help we got through it all quickly and with ease. Then we were spirited off to a fabulous lunch, hosted by Mr. Zhang, which began with warm corn juice and Roast Pigeon, then went on to include fish balls (at this point I ask my mother to hold her tongue), octopus, delicious baked/glazed tofu, prawns, and various other meats, fishes, and vegetables—and pineapple buns, which have no pineapple in them but which are amazing in their deliciosity! Our drive back to the offices took us by way of the beautiful park and memorial in Zhongshan dedicated to its most famous son, the great Dr. Sunyat-Sen. And to commemorate our visit, Mr. Zhang gave us each the most wonderful gift—a beautiful book about Dr. Sen, and the City of Zhongshan. Talk about a lesson in hospitality! After a few remaining b-roll pick-up shots back at the China Mobile offices it was a mad dash back to the harbour and our 3pm ferry back to Hong Kong…which we made with, literally, a minute to spare.

A nice nap was had by all on the trip back—nothing like hard work then a comfy seat that gently rolls with the sea to knock you right out. But there’s no rest for the weary, and we were in a cab and off to the local Motorola office to talk to some more people and shoot some more b-roll…because we can, and we like it! The very nice and patient Tom Tse gave us quite a good interview, then we wrapped for the day….13 hours after we started. Now I’m back in my room, ingesting footage and ingesting a club sandwich and some diet cokes as I get the gear (and myself) ready for tomorrow’s odyssey—the flight to Jakarta.

Fun fact: Zhongshan is the birthplace of Dr. Sunyat-Sen, but it’s ALSO the birthplace of our friend Stacey’s new daughter Macey, (an absolute cutey as you can see) whom she picks up in a few short weeks!! Yay Stacey and Macey!

Small World Moment: On the flight to Hong Kong from LA yesterday I sat next to a woman who 1) is interviewing for a job at Moto Corporate—interviewing for a good friend of ours’ job (who’s retiring), 2) works at a place where Bobbi used to work (Bobbi recognized her name), and 3) is very good friends with a very good, former Motorola friend/mentor of Bobbi’s, in Austin (where the woman and her family now live…for the moment).