The flight to Shantou was not full hence I have the chance to occupy 3 seats to myself and took a nap during the flight. After 4hrs, we landed at Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport. The airport was open on 2011 and all civilian flights were transferred from the military Waisha airport.
Aerial view of Shantou
Should you take your belongings or leave it behind?
I have google that there are currently 3 international destinations served from this airport hence it is not surprised to find only 1 baggage carousel at the International Arrival Hall.
Conveyor belt
My FIL has contacted his relatives before the trip and they came to the airport to fetch us. We visited a relative shop and had dinner at a restaurant nearby.
Live seafood
I'm skeptical on the hygience of this restaurant upon seeing the food being left uncovered
Wedding banquet deco
Culteries are wrapped with plastic for hygience purpose
I did not had good experience with China's food as it was too salty when I went to Shenzhen a couple of years ago but the food here suits our palate and moreover the food here is very fresh.
A variety of dishes
We stayed at my FIL 姑姑 (whom we call 老姑) house in a village in Chaozhou prefecture city. The people here like to drink tea while chit chatting and the men here smoke like nobody business.
Houses in the village
Provision shop
Meat stall
Wet market
Fruit stall
Provision shop
Advertisement pasted everywhere on the wall
Can you spot the well?
Simple breakfast
We went to my FIL hometown which is 15min drive from 老姑 house. The houses here are very old as they are passed down from one generation to another.
My FIL hometown
In the evening, 老姑 great grand daughter bring me to the supermarket in the village to see see look look. The supermarket here only sells dried products unlike the supermarket in Singapore.
Supermarket
On the 3rd day, 老姑 son and daughter took us to Chaozhou city. We took bus and the journey is around an hour.
Local bus
We went to some of the attractions in Chaozhou. I'm not awe by these sights even though 老姑 great grand daughter told me these sights are very famous.
Guangji Bridge 广济桥
Guangji Gate Tower 广济楼
Stalls selling souvenirs
Paifang street 牌坊街
Massage on the street
Kaiyuan Temple 开元寺
Variety of tea
We then went to 老姑 eldest and 2nd daughter for a visit before rounding up the day with a dinner treated by our cousins.
First time seeing selling dog meat sold in China
The last day was spend on visiting cousin shoe factory which manufacture sandals and are exported to Africa.
Shoe factory
To my horror, I discovered that the flight was changed from Mon to Wed when we reached the airport and I even accepted the flight confirmation without realising it. I realised that I have only pay attention to the change of departure flight timing and missed out the return flight change of date. Luckily we are staying at our relatives house hence we do not have to worry about the accommodation.
On the way back from the airport to 老姑 house, we dropped by the high speed rail station which is newly open a few months back.
Chaoshan high speed rail station
We went out for supper with 老姑 great grand daughter and son to a cafe which serves dessert.
Dessert shop
Interesting shop name
Does this resemble Bonsai?
Mango shave ice
The next night, we had BBQ at a roadside stall. I love the BBQ oyster which is sprinkled with pickled radish.
Roadside BBQ stall
Choice of BBQ food
Food which we ordered
Finally it's the day to return back to Singapore and it was raining before we depart to the airport. The lane to the main road was flooded with water and we have to cross barefooted. It was disgusting to crossing the pool of sewage water barefooted.
Flooding during the raining days
Jieyang Chaoshan International Airport
We spent almost half an hour to queue up for checking in as the flight was full with passengers.
Long queues checking in
Departure terminal
Teabreak before boarding the plane
Departure gate
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