Shenzhen: My Love Affair with the City of Innovation & a Stay at Mercury Garden Hotel! 🏙️💖

#summervacay Here's another one from my drafts! Shenzhen truly is an extraordinary city; every visit reaffirms my fondness for it. Landing at the airport, those massive billboards proclaiming "Once you're here, you're a Shenzhener" always strike me. It makes you wonder, if you leave, do you take a piece of its essence with you, or do even the clouds stay behind? The subway ads here are next-level in their "卷" (involution/fierce competition) – "The harder you work, the more special you become." Sounds exactly like a boss's favorite slogan, doesn't it? Despite the intense drive, I still genuinely love it here. I had an amazing 7.5km run at Shenzhen Bay Park, which was incredibly refreshing. Then, a trip to Huaqiangbei revealed a "replica" Apple Watch Ultra for just 200 RMB that boasted even more features than the original! You've got to hand it to domestic manufacturing for innovating so fiercely. I even ended up getting fully swayed and bought a Vivo phone right there in Huaqiangbei! My Stay at Mercury Garden Hotel: The Pros Let's talk about the Mercury Garden Hotel: Excellent Location: It's conveniently located not far from Nanshan Science Park. And best of all, there are tons of food options right outside the door! I initially thought it would be hard to find affordable food in the city center, especially after paying a hefty price for noodles at the airport. But upon checking in, I discovered a place directly opposite the hotel selling delicious cheung fun (rice noodle rolls) for just 9 RMB a plate – I bought one immediately! Brand New Hotel: The hotel only opened in October last year, so everything is very new and well-maintained. There were no strange odors, which is always a huge plus. #shenzhen #shenzhentravel #huaqiangbei #shenzhenbaypark #mercurygardenhotel #nanshansciencepark #travelchina #techcity #shenzhenlife #hotelreview 🇨🇳