City by the Coast 

Xiamen. Beautiful Xiamen..

I am only here a couple days because the opportunity to return to China also means I want to spend some time with my China friends and family. Besides it will give Mel and Rebecca some quality Mother-Daughter time.

My niece lives in Xiamen. She is teaching English here for a couple years. After teaching in Hong Kong for two summers ( we visited her there in 2011, her first time to China) she fell in love with China too, and accepted a position with an EF School in Xiamen.

Xiamen, Island of Music and Art of Living. Xiamen, where flowers bloom all year round ( unlike Northern Shenyang) Just a walk 20 minutes in any direction and there is a park. Xiamen city was part of the Maritime Silk Road and the heart of Chinese sea trade. Xiamen is very close to Taiwan and shares similar foods, dialect and customs. Two of the ‘must see’ things in Xiamen are “the island” ( Gulangyu Island) and Xiamen University. Unfortunately time didn’t permit me to see a lot of this but my SIL will get chance to enjoy these key places and more as she enjoys quality time with her daughter.

Gulangyu Island is just a 10 minute ferry ride across the channel. It is almost a magical place, strolling through narrow streets being serenaded by music drifting through open windows. Cruises around the island have live musicians. Gulangyu Island is also called ‘piano island’ and many famous Chinese musicians are from Xiamen. A perfect place for Rebecca who is a piano teacher.

Xiamen University is considered China’s most beautiful university. I would think it must be hard for students to concentrate on studies with a beach and gorgeous scenery right there. Located at the foot of the green mountains, facing the blue ocean and surrounded by Xiamen bay. The main campus is picturesque with beautiful scenery and parks, and is one of the main tourist attractions in the heavily-touristed Xiamen. We spent a few hours wandering around the campus. It’s so beautiful and makes me want to go back to school.

While I didn’t get to see as many of the highlights I enjoyed seeing Xiamen, and where my niece lives, her school, the university, the beach, and tasted the “famous for that area” peanut soup, as well as see a new China city. Maybe someday I will have the opportunity to return to this beautiful city, Chinese vacation destination by the coast.