In the hours following the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region-Mainland China border crossing, I realized that China it isn't at all a smooth place, and it appeared rather dark, dank and generally somber. My expectations had been of a much higher tech scenario, more modern architecture and land use planning. A saving grace I noticed when it comes to planning is that all arrival and departure areas in long distance transportinon hubs in Guangzhou (The largest metropolis I have visited in China, though I am sure the same is true for the other major Chinese metropolises), as well as the border crossings I went through, are invariably covered, with huge gables or entire mega-structures, when not in the bowels of huge buildings that function as shelter, so that one isn’t subject to weather until final destination: even taxi pick up spots are under enormous shelters.