On Saturday, international vloggers invited by EyeShenzhen, the city's official multilingual portal, embarked on a journey to explore Shenzhen's unique blend of history and modernity. The tour of various tourist attractions provided them with a deeper understanding of the city's history and highlighted the seamless convenience of its advanced technology.
Despite the rainy day, the vloggers found the trip unforgettable, reminiscent of the ambiance created by the recently concluded rainy opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics along the Seine.
The first stop on their trip was the Nantou Ancient Town Museum in Nanshan District. There, the vloggers explored artifacts unearthed from Nantou Ancient Town. They also learned about Shenzhen's history in relation to the ancient town and the local customs and traditions of Nanshan.
Afterward, they took a short walk to the nearby Nantou Ancient Town for an on-site visit.
"It was great seeing a place that has been around for over 1,700 years, spanning various dynasties, including the Han Dynasty [206 B.C.-A.D. 220]. That left a really good impression on me. I would recommend this to anyone who likes to see ancient activities or learn about the historical information of China and Shenzhen," said Kennedy Mwita, a Tanzanian vlogger, after he visited the museum and the ancient town.
Additionally, since all cultural venues and centers in Shenzhen scrapped reservation requirements starting last week, their visit to the museum was smoother and more convenient.
"I think this policy change is really helpful, especially for a foreigner, because I would often want to visit some places but didn't know that I need to have a reservation in advance. So getting rid of the reservations is really helpful for someone like me. Now I can find out more about what Shenzhen has to offer and see a lot more new places," said Briana Francois, an American teacher working at Shenzhen Middle School.
After exploring ancient Shenzhen, the group moved to OH Bay in Bao'an District to enjoy a bike ride on a trail that is part of Shenzhen's Mountain and Sea Vistas, an initiative linking Shenzhen's mountains and the sea.
"I have been [to OH Bay] before. I've spent a lot of time here, but I had no idea that there is a weather-protected cycling path here, and I love to cycle. So that's great, and I'll definitely be back," shared Elle Rickelle Mason, an American designer and teacher.
Their next stop was the Shenzhen Talent Park in Nanshan District, where, besides enjoying the wonderful environment, the group was wowed by drone-based food delivery services.
"This was my first time using drone delivery. I was a little nervous that it would be difficult to use, but once I scanned the QR code, I realized it was really easy. It only took maybe three clicks of a button with the mobile payments, and the bubble milk tea was delivered in 15 minutes. I only had to enter the last four digits of my phone number [to get it from the cabinet], so it was much easier than I expected. Being able to use mobile payments like WeChat Pay made it that much more seamless. So I'm impressed with it," Mason told Shenzhen Daily after experiencing the whole process.
At the end of the trip, the group had dinner at One Avenue, a shopping mall in Futian District, where they also did some shopping after eating.
Oleksandra Filkina, a Ukrainian entrepreneur, told Shenzhen Daily that she had just arrived in Shenzhen a few days ago, and the event was a very good opportunity to discover the city.
"I knew that EyeShenzhen has launched a travel page recently. I think it will be very helpful to any newcomer like me or foreign tourists visiting this city," said Filkina. "And I've also learned that China's 72/144-hour visa-free transit policy has been expanded to 54 countries, so I will invite my friends to visit Shenzhen," she added.