SUNDAY COFFEE WITH JEB



Filed under : Editors Choice

Seniors Visit A“Sister City”, Haikou, China

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These seniors, my wife and I, live not far from Scottsdale, Arizona that features eight sister cities all over the world. It was president Dwight D. Eisenhower who established, in 1950 the concept of building civic friendships to promote peace and understanding throughout the world through Sister Cities International. One of Scottsdale’s Sister City is Haikou, (Hǎikǒu) China, so grab your coffee, senior friends, that’s where we’re headed today.

This resort city has a population of just over 2 million. The hanzi characters comprising the city’s name, mean ocean/sea and mouth/port, respectively. Thus, the name “Haikou” is also a word for “seaport”. Haikou, is known as the ‘Coconut City’.

Haikou, the capital of China’s island province Hainan, is a port city on the island’s north coast, facing the mainland across the Qiongzhou Strait. Its old town quarter features a mix of Chinese and colonial European architecture.

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 Seniors Enjoy Holiday Resort

The Hainan Provincial Museum has exhibits on the region’s ethnic culture and history. Qilou Snack Street is an emporium where food stalls sell local specialties. Haikou is home to elegant seascape and historical sites as well as dozens of newly-developed tourist regions and attractions.

Haikou is proud of its clear streets, environment protection and unspoiled natural scenery. Senior visitors can enjoy blue sky, vast sea and brilliant sunshine behind inconspicuous barriers. It is a stunning holiday resort and the local sandy beaches are inviting.

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TripAdvisor likes  Quilou Old Street, the Hainan Tropical Wildlife Park and Botanical Garden and Wanly Park. Me, I would first head with my wife for a visit to  the Botanical Garden.

 Seniors Try Hainan Rice Noodles

Haixiu Avenue is the most prosperous business street in Haikou. I’d have to sample some Hainan Rice Noodles, one of the most characteristic snacks in Hainan. The Noodles have a long history, which can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty.

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Small outdoor restaurants and stalls fill the streets in the evening and many areas are at their busiest from 9.00 pm to 1.00 am. Local favorites are BBQ stalls which serve cheap local beer into the morning hours.

Senior visitors can’t help but notice the abundance of coconut trees within Haikou, thus “The Coconut City”. Most all streets are lined with coconut trees. Haikou is greener than most Chinese cities and has decent air quality. China Highlights notes that the Top Attractions in Haikou are Hairui Tomb, Five Officials Temple, and Qiujun Tomb.

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Rent a three-wheeled bike or motorcycle and cruise around town at your leisure. Senior travelers will notice that Haikou provides a warm sanctuary with clean sea water, fresh air, beautiful beaches and bright sunshine. Enjoy Haikou. -jeb

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