My lovely Mom in Guangzhou

Previously on Ariq Travel Log ~ ~ ~ Lol. I was imagining my blog being made into a movie or TV series. It would be awesome, yet horrible at the same time.

Anyways, if any of you have read my previous article, I actually shared some of my latest trip to Guangzhou. I did realize it was boring. So, to get a little bit of personal, let me present you this lovely photo on top. My dear mom, who was so thrilled for her first trip to China.

Travel with your love one, they say. To be honest, Guangzhou city is not a place for you to bring you parents to. I'm not saying that it's terrible or anything, it just that, there are plenty of other good places that you could go with the same kind of budget. Well, it's a shame that I got to know a bit later.

Fortunately, my mom's presence somehow had adjusted the entire mode. It was supposed to be a full-time tour guide job for me. Well, since she was around, I got to have some good time there.

One's success will never be meaningful if you can't share it. It felt great every time my mom asked me about this country, and I could answer it straight away. It's not really a big deal, but it feels wonderful to be able to share. Especially with the one you care most.

One thing I could tell after spending a week with this group of seniors - they were lovely. You know, sort of like the mix of adorable and heart-warming.

If you still don't get it, let just put it this way - when a young teenager decides to spend money on his trip, he only thinks of how much does the souvenir worth or will it look cool of he brings it home. This group, on the other hand, spent most of their money purchasing stuff for their kids, or even grandchildren.

"Will my granddaughter fit to wear this?" Or, "Do you think my son would love this?" I was with them the whole day, from morning till midnight. So, I knew what were they searching for most of the time. It was unlike any other young people. These were a group of great parents.

The last two days of our trip, our group separated into two. Three of them decided to take the train and headed to Hong Kong. A-day trip. It sounded short, but that was all the time they had. As for the rest of us, including my mom, we stayed. I planned to utilized these two days to discover more of Guangzhou city.

A plain city, that filled with tons of unknown sides, that was how I saw it. There was one particular spot that I'd been craving to take my mom to. the Huaisheng Masjid.

Well, coming from the South-east region, most of the masjids here all designed with some Islamic architecture. A huge kubah, with a distinctive crescent moon on top of it. But after getting here, it gave my mom a different idea on how the Muslims in China designed their masjid.

The main prayer room that resembled a Buddhist temple, wall of manuscripts that carved with Chinese characters, and the entrance that would never make anyone assume it was a masjid. I just loved it.

Anyways, this is a post that specially made for my dear mom. SO there you go, some of the photos of her alone. She has always been awkward in front of camera, as if she forced herself to be in front of it, knowing the fact that she could not escape from being a model, and she tried so hard acting brave in every photo. Well, that sounds pretty much like me.

Every time I had her to get ready for photos, a smile drawn to her cheeks instantly. Most of the time, I would draw up my camera slowly and I did not intend to take the shot at the first sight. I let her be still for a couple of seconds. I let her be in the state where she could be deluded with joy. That temporary happiness, that angelic smile, it was what I found amazing while taking all these photos.

Time flies, and I accepted it with an open heart. You do not wish the time to freeze, you move one and seek for the next memorable moment. That's how I deal with life.

After a week of exhaustion, well, we should better get going. Just like any other trip before, I tended to have mixed feeling while waiting for the flight. I wanted to stay longer, at the same time, I missed home. It was brief, but not being able to have banana cake or coconut rice as breakfast, it just hurt.

I'm not going to lie, this was not my best trip ever. But like I said before, her presence changed it all. It wasn't the trip that made it memorable, it was her.

I truly appreciate for you guys to read this post. It took me quite sometimes to come out with the best words. It just has to be special.

Feel free to look for me, or contact me, or whatsapp me. I would love to share my information regarding this city.

"Never go on trips with anyone you do not love - Ernest Hemingway" Grab the hand of you love ones, and start creating your own everlasting memory.