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Guangzhou, China
FLASHBACK!!!
Macau, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, China
I was supposed to go to United States to join TwoMonkeyme as she needed to rush back home for some family emergency (she lived in Japan at that time and I lived in Malaysia). I went to the US Embassy in Manila to apply for a visa, as Kuala Lumpur denied my visa application and directed me to the Manila Embassy instead as they said, I am holding a Filipino passport. The Embassy in Manila also denied my application at that time as well. Their reason, KL denied it so they must have some compelling reason to do so ( sort of passing the buck and twisting the facts). I have taken a month holiday and told my staff I'm off to the US therefore to save face, I decided to flew to Hong Kong.
One of seven or so visa denial courtesy of the US Embassy
In Hongkong, I noticed a travel company that specialize in China tour for a very cheap price so I thought I have time to waste and also try it if I can get a visa anyway. The woman I talk to at the travel agency said no problem - I will be in a visa group tour. The trip will go by boat to Macau for a day then bus to Shenzhen then Guangzhou - we will come back the same way but by bus all the way from Macau to Hong Kong.
In Macau, we visited the ruins of St. Paul Church, went sightseeing, Mt. Fortress, Border Gate, etc. then continue by bus to Shenzhen to visit the special economic zone, exhibition of Terracotta Warriors & Horses, etc. We were accommodated at a 5-star Hotel. In Guangzhou, we visited Dr. Sun Yet -Sen home (it's ironic that I also had visited his home in Penang), a village at the Pearl River, and as usual- souvenir shops. During this time, I noticed that China is poorer than the Philippines. I have never seen a million bicycles plying the street and not a single car. The village we visited where people are washing their clothes in the river have dead animals beside them but they seems oblivious to it .
The ten yuan that was left on this trip
The trip is awesome, the people are friendly, the food is great and our accommodations are superb. My only problem is that, we have to go with immigration to get back to Hong Kong. When my turn came, the Chinese immigration asked, where's your visa? I told him it was with the tour agency as I was with a group tour visa and behind me is my tour group. He said they are all white and I am a Filipino so how come I can be in a white tour group? I am holding a long line now so some people in my line are getting restless. The woman I bought the trip was on the way to the immigration counter to checked on me and was glad to meet me on my way out. She can tell why I'm late.
Entry and Exit stamped from that trip
Unbelievable, Incredible! One side of our planet, bragged and championed freedom and democracy, and yet won't allow me to visit my monkeys. The other side, suppressed freedom and massacre their own people at Tiananmen Square, won't allow me to leave . Different ideology, the same mentality. Strange!!!
I understand how we need to protect our borders but profiling people based on their looks and nationalities are just plainly wrong. I enjoyed the trip so much but when it comes to immigration - monkeys always have some problems.
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