Barbora Sloupova is a vibrant soul from Prague, Czech Republic. Her travels have led her to over 30 countries across North America, Asia, and Europe. Now, after amassing a wealth of intercultural experiences, she is one of the early adventurers to join our “Just Shenzhen” City-wide Discovery Route.
来自捷克布拉格的芭芭拉至今已游历超过30个国家，足迹遍布北美洲、欧洲和亚洲。有着丰富跨文化交流经验的她，虽然已经在深居住4年，却仍然因为“正深圳”全域体验线路发现了一个不一样的深圳，并在此过程中与她第一次来华的好朋友度过了充满惊喜与成就感的一天。
The route took Barbora on a journey across the city, where she had the chance to visit eight iconic sites that define and characterize Shenzhen. Through her adventure, she recorded her experience and is sharing with future “stamp hunters” her tips for the perfect sequence for playing through this innovative experience!
暴走全城8个站点，从罗湖国贸到南山蛇口，通过行走寻找、信息检索和线上游戏等方式完成了所有谜题挑战。芭芭拉兴奋地跟我们分享了她的沿途经历，并且非常用心的总结出了“个人推荐玩法”与独家小贴士，帮助之后的参与者（尤其是初到深圳的外籍人士）更好的借由这样的交互体验线路解锁一个真实有趣的城市。
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跟随芭芭拉，一起看下去吧~
One-day Discovery
A friend of mine was visiting Shenzhen for the first time and he only had one and a half days to enjoy this vivid city! I started panicking and could not decide on what to show him. Even though Shenzhen’s public transport is almost flawless, it still takes ages to get from one side of the city to the other.
Luckily, a few days before my friend arrived, I came across an article by CityPlus, mentioned in ShenzhenParty (Click “Read More” at the very end of this post to check it out!). The article made my friend’s visit unforgettable and let us spend a wonderful time together, doing what I call the “Stamp Hunt”!
Where did we start?
As I looked at the map for the first time, the perfect route had immediately popped into my mind. After living in Shenzhen for 4 years, I was very familiar with all the options we had. Allow me share with you my personal perfect route:
Starting from Luohu, GuoMao (国贸) station, Exit A you will be able to find the first U Station.
In case you cannot communicate in Chinese, show the volunteers at the U Station the picture of the map below and they will give you all you need – a map, a postcard and the first stamp (do not forget to ask for it).
From where you are standing, you will be able to see the oldest skyscraper in Shenzhen, the International Trade Center building, opened on December 29th, 1985 after only 37 months of construction!
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After enjoying the view (and maybe grabbing a delicious local breakfast/snack in one of the surrounding food stands), I recommend taking the subway line 1 to Huaqiang Road (华强路), Exit A, going straight, and taking the first left turn onto the main square plaza. Take the next left turn to find another U Station. Two stamps received!
Don’t forget to take a close look at this major electronics manufacturing hub, nicknamed “China's Silicon Valley" or the "Silicon Valley of Hardware."
Take the subway from HuaQiang North (华强北) to Children Palace (少年宫). I recommend taking the exit E, going straight ahead, and crossing the towards the LianHuaShan Park (莲花山公园). The U Station is right by the entrance!
✅ THREE STAMPS PLACE ️
At this station you will be able to receive stamps for three sites:
• Shenzhen Concert Hall 深圳音乐厅
• LianHuaShan Park 莲花山公园
• Ping An International Financial Center 平安金融中心
Do not forget to tell the volunteers, they might forget or not think about giving you all three stamps. (We learned that the hard way, yet the volunteers were more than helpful and incredibly friendly!)
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After obtaining all the stamps, head into the park!
The park is full of interesting places to see: marriage markets, a lake with paddle boats, oceans of flowers and most importantly, on the top of the hill, you will find the statue of Deng XiaoPing, the leader who initiated the era of economic reforms in 1979, when Shenzhen was designated a special economic zone. Go up to the hill, not only to see the statue, but to enjoy the breathtaking view over Shenzhen.
Head down the hill (take a look around) and get a nice walk to the tallest building in Shenzhen, the second tallest building in China and the fourth tallest building in the world, the Ping An International Financial Center (平安金融中心). The best way to get there is to walk through the Futian metro/railway station (takes around 15-20 minutes of walking). Take the exit 7 or 8 and you will be almost under the building.
Going up the building is a bit too expensive (¥200) and in my opinion not worth it. Instead, I recommend grabbing a good lunch in that area (Shopping Park) to catch your breath, you will need it.
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The next stop is OCT Loft, another one of my favorite spots in Shenzhen. Not only is it a great artistic place, always filled with something new to see, but it is it also home of one of the best cafes in town.
Need a cup of coffee? Get on the metro Line 1 and head to QiaoCheng East (侨城东), Exit A. Follow the map below and you’ll get all the way to Penny Black Jazz Cafe. Get another stamp. Stroll around, enjoy this vibrant place, and get on the road if you want finish all up in just one day.
I suggest taking the metro from QiaoCheng North (侨城北), it will take you all the way to Houhai (后海) Station.
At Houhai station you have more choices. I recommend taking the exit E, because you can find many bicycles around, and even if you decide to walk, I think that makes it the closest distance to the U Station located on the beginning of the Shenzhen Talent Park. The park is pretty and if you are on the bike, why not to bike all the way down to the destination — Shekou.
If you are too tired or do not feel like biking there, head back to the metro for a few more stations to Sea World (海上世界)，Exit A. The final U Station is right behind the exit. YOU MADE IT!!
Do you feel tired? Enjoy your little gifts and the countless restaurant, bars clubs, and whatever else you can find! Sea World is the perfect last stop on this wild ride.
Note
Please take this route as an inspiration, there are many options and the more time you have the better. Also, be patient at some of the stations; the staff might not know what exactly you want from them in the first place, but they will always be happy to help!!
Final words
I would love to express my gratitude to the organizers and to all the people behind this great idea! I hope that this “stamp hunt” will become highly known and become part of Shenzhen. So, in the future, anyone who visits this city has the option to visit all these sites and find out more about the amazing life here in Shenzhen!!
Author: Barbora Sloupova
Editor: Luis Campos, Mia Zhang
Photo credit: Barbora Sloupova
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