Our last day included Old Shanghai and Yuyuan Garden. The Garden was interesting, as we recognized motifs and themes we saw in other gardens: pavilions situated for viewing, ponds, lots of stone, walkways through arches, dragons, etc. Kiyomi and I really enjoyed this garden, too.
As we exited the garden, we could see the Shanghai skyline in the distance. The bus took us to the Bund, where we looked across the river to the rebuilt area. One of the skyscrapers had an opening so any dragons flying by could go through without hitting the building. The World Expo is over there.
After the Bund we went to the Shanghai Museum where we enjoyed seeing galleries of Jade, Paintings, and Calligraphy. We would have liked to spend several more hours there, and some time in the Museum Store.
In the evening we had our Farewell dinner Chinese Banquet, and then were treated to a performance of a Shanghai acrobat show. We were amazed at the grace, strength, agility, coordination and skill of the acrobats. Each segment seemed to top the previous one, and all were amazing. We watched in open-mouthed disbelief at some of the acts, which just seemed impossible. I mean, I could almost handle one hula hoop; one of the performers started with five, and increased the number from there. Finally she looked like she was encased in a giant Slinky. I wished they allowed photography, I would have loved to see it again. I guess I'll have to sign up for another cruise...
The next morning we were up a 5 am to get to the airport for our flight home - uneventful on ANA, with a transfer in Tokyo and direct flight from there. But what a trip! We certainly enjoyed it (though it was nice to be back home under clear blue skies, cool temperatures and low humidity!)
Saturday, July 10, 2010
2010-06-29 China - Nanjing, Suzhou and Shanghai
Today we left the Viking Century Sun in Nanjing and boarded our bus for the trip to Shanghai. Our first stop was the famous Garden of the Master of Nets in Suzhou. It is a lovely garden, quite different from the gardens of Europe, but with its own charm and beauty. Kiyomi was especially impressed by the design that involved all five senses (touch, sight, sound, smell, taste). Even the walkways were interesting. It reminded us of the Huntington Garden near Pasadena, CA that we recently visited. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to this beautiful garden.
The restaurant where we had a Chinese Banquet lunch was above a silk embroidery shop. The colors and artistry of the art was amazing. Vibrant colors, detailed designs and interesting subject matter characterized the works. Many were classic Chinese scenes and landscapes; many were animals (real and imagined); some were copies of other paintings. They ranged in size from perhaps 4" by 6" up to folding screens that were 5' by 7'. Some were the same on both sides, but a mirror image. Prices were pretty high; even the small ones were hundreds or thousands of dollars US.
After lunch, we had a tour of a silk spinning factory. Here we saw the process of getting silk thread from the silkworms, and the process to unwind the silk from the cocoons to produce thread. It was fascinating to see the people working, mostly manually (the automatic machines were not operating, apparently skillful workers do a better job). Kiyomi bought a silk shawl, light blue in color that is beautiful. Many of our fellow travelers also bought silk items, including lovely silk quilts ready to go. They made shipping very easy, too.
Eventually we arrived at the Ritz-Carleton Shanghai, a 5-star hotel. We were on the 41st floor, with a nice view, especially after dark. The buffet dinner was extensive and enjoyable; Kiyomi concentrated on salad and Japanese food, I had steak and many of the delicious dessert selections. Back in our room we were glad to have a hot bath. Although the bathrooms on the Century Sun were spacious enough, there was no tub.
The restaurant where we had a Chinese Banquet lunch was above a silk embroidery shop. The colors and artistry of the art was amazing. Vibrant colors, detailed designs and interesting subject matter characterized the works. Many were classic Chinese scenes and landscapes; many were animals (real and imagined); some were copies of other paintings. They ranged in size from perhaps 4" by 6" up to folding screens that were 5' by 7'. Some were the same on both sides, but a mirror image. Prices were pretty high; even the small ones were hundreds or thousands of dollars US.
After lunch, we had a tour of a silk spinning factory. Here we saw the process of getting silk thread from the silkworms, and the process to unwind the silk from the cocoons to produce thread. It was fascinating to see the people working, mostly manually (the automatic machines were not operating, apparently skillful workers do a better job). Kiyomi bought a silk shawl, light blue in color that is beautiful. Many of our fellow travelers also bought silk items, including lovely silk quilts ready to go. They made shipping very easy, too.
Eventually we arrived at the Ritz-Carleton Shanghai, a 5-star hotel. We were on the 41st floor, with a nice view, especially after dark. The buffet dinner was extensive and enjoyable; Kiyomi concentrated on salad and Japanese food, I had steak and many of the delicious dessert selections. Back in our room we were glad to have a hot bath. Although the bathrooms on the Century Sun were spacious enough, there was no tub.
2010-06-28 China - Mount Jiuhua
Today we had our disembarkation briefing - the cruise is almost over! How time flies when you are having fun. First up in the morning was a lecture by Professor Fei on Buddhism. It was more an examination of Buddhism's place in the world today, and its history, rather than exposition of its tenets. Dr. Fei is not a monk, and was dressed in "civilian clothes" rather than the saffron robe of a monk.
After lunch we went by bus to Mt Jiuhua. The ride was very pleasant, through farmland where we saw farmers tilling their fields with water buffalo; and peaceful countryside. The sky was still hazy, and visibility was limited to about 1/4 mile. As we started up the mountain, we were advised there were 99 hairpin turns (99 being a lucky number). Our luck held, and we made it up the winding road with beautiful scenery out the window. The higher we got, the prettier the view - just like the ancient paintings, copied by the Japanese, and admired by Kiyomi. At the end of the road, we got off the bus and looked around, cautioned to "keep off the grass". There are reputedly 99 temples (that lucky number again!). We only had time to visit two, the Zhan Chan Lin and Qiyuan Temples, both on the lower area. There is a gondola that goes up to the summit, but since it was rainy and foggy, we decided it wasn't worth the effort. The temples we saw were beautiful. Here's another. There was a lot of dragon motif - statues, carvings, bas relief, etc. Kiyomi, being born in the year of the dragon, loved it. Inside the temples were huge statues of Buddha and many of the deities, including the female characters beloved by women.
We enjoyed a Chinese Banquet Farewell Dinner, as tomorrow morning we arrive in Nanjing where we will disembark, and continue to Shanghai by bus.
After lunch we went by bus to Mt Jiuhua. The ride was very pleasant, through farmland where we saw farmers tilling their fields with water buffalo; and peaceful countryside. The sky was still hazy, and visibility was limited to about 1/4 mile. As we started up the mountain, we were advised there were 99 hairpin turns (99 being a lucky number). Our luck held, and we made it up the winding road with beautiful scenery out the window. The higher we got, the prettier the view - just like the ancient paintings, copied by the Japanese, and admired by Kiyomi. At the end of the road, we got off the bus and looked around, cautioned to "keep off the grass". There are reputedly 99 temples (that lucky number again!). We only had time to visit two, the Zhan Chan Lin and Qiyuan Temples, both on the lower area. There is a gondola that goes up to the summit, but since it was rainy and foggy, we decided it wasn't worth the effort. The temples we saw were beautiful. Here's another. There was a lot of dragon motif - statues, carvings, bas relief, etc. Kiyomi, being born in the year of the dragon, loved it. Inside the temples were huge statues of Buddha and many of the deities, including the female characters beloved by women.
We enjoyed a Chinese Banquet Farewell Dinner, as tomorrow morning we arrive in Nanjing where we will disembark, and continue to Shanghai by bus.
2010-06-27 China - Jingdezhen ancient ceramic factory
Today we went to Jingdezhen for a visit to a ceramic factory that has produced pottery for at least 1,000 years. The royal court of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties got their royal porcelain here: the blue and white, the family rose, the rice-pattern, and color glaze. Many of the cruise members bought some of the lovely offerings, and we enjoyed the demonstration of how porcelain is manufactured, from mixing the kaolin, turning the items on a wheel by hand, painting the designs, applying glaze, to firing in a kiln. The shop had a huge selection of exquisite items, ranging in size from tiny to taller than me.
We had a Chinese banquet lunch at a local hotel, it was quite good, with the usual variety of dishes served on a Lazy Susan from which we each took our helpings. The Chinese "local beer" has been uniformly good. It seems to have less hops than American and European beers, giving it a lighter milder taste. It goes well with the Chinese food.
After lunch we visited the "poreclain outlet mall", where porcelain of all kinds were on sale. The selection was incredible; virtually any kind of porcelain was available in all sizes. There were dozens of shops like this, on several streets. The goods were very tempting, but we could not easily carry any more stuff, especially fragile items. But many of the other tour members bought some very nice items.
After dinner the crew of the Century Sun put on a cabaret/talent show for us. We were surprised at the high quality of talent, and the beautiful costumes. It was a very enjoyable show, and it seemed the crew enjoyed performing for us (many of the crew performers had reminded us during the day that the show would be good and to watch for them).
We had a Chinese banquet lunch at a local hotel, it was quite good, with the usual variety of dishes served on a Lazy Susan from which we each took our helpings. The Chinese "local beer" has been uniformly good. It seems to have less hops than American and European beers, giving it a lighter milder taste. It goes well with the Chinese food.
After lunch we visited the "poreclain outlet mall", where porcelain of all kinds were on sale. The selection was incredible; virtually any kind of porcelain was available in all sizes. There were dozens of shops like this, on several streets. The goods were very tempting, but we could not easily carry any more stuff, especially fragile items. But many of the other tour members bought some very nice items.
After dinner the crew of the Century Sun put on a cabaret/talent show for us. We were surprised at the high quality of talent, and the beautiful costumes. It was a very enjoyable show, and it seemed the crew enjoyed performing for us (many of the crew performers had reminded us during the day that the show would be good and to watch for them).
2010-06-26 China - Hubei Provincial History Museum
Today was a visit to the Hubei Provincial History Museum. We rode through Wuhan (capital of Hubei Province, and a history of 3500 years). It's also famous as the start of the revolution in 1911 depicted in the movie "The Last Emperor". The Museum visit started with a wonderful musical performance of both Chinese and Western music on the 65 ritual bells that cover 5 octaves. The bells are exact copies of from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng (around 433 BCE). The performers were in traditional, very beautiful costume, and put on a delightful performance. AFter the concert, we went in to the main part of the 4-story museum. Starting on the 4th floor, we walked through the Minority Ethnic Clothes exhibit, then down to the Painting and the Calligraphy exhibits. Kiyomi was fascinated to see the original paintings that were copied by Japanese painters, and used as their inspiration until they developed their own style. She also appreciated seeing the evolution of the Kanji script, from the original scratching on turtle shells to the vertical writing on bamboo slats to the current form, which is similar to the Japanese Kanji, but a little different. So she can usually get the meaning of the Kanji, but not always; and cannot pronounce it in Chinese at all.
Later in the day after our return to the ship we had a Napkin Folding demonstration by our favorite waitress, Fiona.
Later we saw the A&E biography of Mao Tse Tung (now Mao Zedong –wikipedia.org). It painted a pretty grim picture of the Chairman from a Westerner's point of view; but apparently he is still revered by many Chinese. If he had not set Chinese progress back 40 years, who knows what China's place in the world would be today?
Later in the day after our return to the ship we had a Napkin Folding demonstration by our favorite waitress, Fiona.
Later we saw the A&E biography of Mao Tse Tung (now Mao Zedong –wikipedia.org). It painted a pretty grim picture of the Chairman from a Westerner's point of view; but apparently he is still revered by many Chinese. If he had not set Chinese progress back 40 years, who knows what China's place in the world would be today?
2010-06-25 China - Yueyang Tower and Tea Garden
Today was our visit to Yueyang Tower and Tea Garden. On the way we passed Dong Ting Lake, but the haze in the air made the view very dim.
The Tower has three stories, but was covered with construction blankets, so we could not see the actual tower. In any case, it is the latest of many rebuilds and restorations. There were scale models of previous versions that were very picturesque. We could go inside the Tower and view a famous poem inspired by it, as well as a copy of the poem. Of course, it was in Chinese characters, so most of the group could not read it, but could admire the calligraphy (there is a scholarly study here). On the third level was a poem in extremely cursive calligraphy written by Chairman Mao when he visited the Tower in 1976. The study critiques it, and gives the English meaning for each of the characters, but it didn't make much sense to me.
After the Tower, we went to the Tea Shop where we were introduced to "Silver Needle Tea", also known as "Dancing Tea". We enjoyed seeing the tea needles rise and fall in the glass; if you add boiling hot water to the needles, they rise, then sink, then rise, then finally sink. Hence the "dancing" name.
The evening musical performance was "East meets West" when the 3-piece Chinese orchestra joined the Baker Street Duo to prove music can unite the cultures. It was interesting to hear the Chinese instruments performing Western music, they did an excellent job. I regretted not bringing my video camera to capture the performance.
The Tower has three stories, but was covered with construction blankets, so we could not see the actual tower. In any case, it is the latest of many rebuilds and restorations. There were scale models of previous versions that were very picturesque. We could go inside the Tower and view a famous poem inspired by it, as well as a copy of the poem. Of course, it was in Chinese characters, so most of the group could not read it, but could admire the calligraphy (there is a scholarly study here). On the third level was a poem in extremely cursive calligraphy written by Chairman Mao when he visited the Tower in 1976. The study critiques it, and gives the English meaning for each of the characters, but it didn't make much sense to me.
After the Tower, we went to the Tea Shop where we were introduced to "Silver Needle Tea", also known as "Dancing Tea". We enjoyed seeing the tea needles rise and fall in the glass; if you add boiling hot water to the needles, they rise, then sink, then rise, then finally sink. Hence the "dancing" name.
The evening musical performance was "East meets West" when the 3-piece Chinese orchestra joined the Baker Street Duo to prove music can unite the cultures. It was interesting to hear the Chinese instruments performing Western music, they did an excellent job. I regretted not bringing my video camera to capture the performance.
2010-06-24 China - Jingzhou Elementary School
Today was a visit to the Jingzhou Elementary School that Viking has sponsored for the past ten or so years. We were greeted by a drum and bugle corps, lining the walk on each side. Many students came to shake hands or give a "high five". Then there was a dance performance with singing, and after the very warm welcome we went to the classroom to be entertained by more singing. Then the teacher told the children to get out their English lesson books, and each of the students got their own personal English tutor. My student was pretty good; he was a third-grader, and the lesson book had had a lot of phrases and number exercises. We went through the numbers to 20, then the alphabet, and then phrases. It was an enjoyable morning, and hopefully the children will be more favorably disposed to Westerners as they get older.
Note: If you'd like to contribute more to the School Fund, I got this information from Viking:
"Thank you for your recent online inquiry.
If you would like to make a donation to one of the children or to the school in general you can use the account information found below. Each child requires about 200 US dollars for school every year. This would be an excellent amount if you were looking to sponsor a child for one year, but we would appreciate any donation you would be so gracious to give. You can do a money transfer directly from your bank to the account below. If there is a specific child name you would like the amount to go to specifically, be sure to make a note of this.
Jingzhou: (for VRC school #1 and #2)
Payee: JING ZHOU SHI SHA SHI QU JIAO YU JU
Payee bank: BANK OF CHINA HUBEI JINGZHOU BRANCH
Account Nr: 18305208093014
Swift Code: BKCHCNBJ600
Best regards,
Viking River Cruises
877-668-4546"
After the school visit and return to the ship, we set sail for Yueyang, enjoying more scenic cruising.
There was an interesting lecture on "China Today" that told us what China has been doing in the past 30 years or so, after Mao died and the more progressive Chinese leaders took control. We heard about the "one child" policy, and how it has changed many aspects of everyday life. The change from a closed country to a much more open policy has been evolutionary, and continues today. Education has become an important goal for the future advancement of China on the world stage.
Later we learned the rules on how to play basic Mahjong the way the Chinese do; it is a universal pastime, especially among the older people. We did not learn how to score, just the basic moves and strategies. If you are interested in the Chinese rules, they are here. Other countries have different rules (written and unwritten!); see here for more.
Note: If you'd like to contribute more to the School Fund, I got this information from Viking:
"Thank you for your recent online inquiry.
If you would like to make a donation to one of the children or to the school in general you can use the account information found below. Each child requires about 200 US dollars for school every year. This would be an excellent amount if you were looking to sponsor a child for one year, but we would appreciate any donation you would be so gracious to give. You can do a money transfer directly from your bank to the account below. If there is a specific child name you would like the amount to go to specifically, be sure to make a note of this.
Jingzhou: (for VRC school #1 and #2)
Payee: JING ZHOU SHI SHA SHI QU JIAO YU JU
Payee bank: BANK OF CHINA HUBEI JINGZHOU BRANCH
Account Nr: 18305208093014
Swift Code: BKCHCNBJ600
Best regards,
Viking River Cruises
877-668-4546"
After the school visit and return to the ship, we set sail for Yueyang, enjoying more scenic cruising.
There was an interesting lecture on "China Today" that told us what China has been doing in the past 30 years or so, after Mao died and the more progressive Chinese leaders took control. We heard about the "one child" policy, and how it has changed many aspects of everyday life. The change from a closed country to a much more open policy has been evolutionary, and continues today. Education has become an important goal for the future advancement of China on the world stage.
Later we learned the rules on how to play basic Mahjong the way the Chinese do; it is a universal pastime, especially among the older people. We did not learn how to score, just the basic moves and strategies. If you are interested in the Chinese rules, they are here. Other countries have different rules (written and unwritten!); see here for more.
2010-06-23 China - Three Gorges Dam
Today was our introduction to the Three Gorges Dam, a colossal 1.3 mile wide and 610 feet tall project started in 1992. The project has continued since then, and will be finally complete in 2011. There will be an elevator for small ships! Larger ships will have to use a series of 5 locks. Almost 2 million people have already been relocated as the river has risen up to 330 feet, with another 100 feet to go, and as many as 6 million people will eventually be relocated. The project is submerging almost 2,000 villages, towns and cities. The three benefits of the dam are flood control, power generation (equivalent to 18 nuclear power plants) and safer, improved navigation on the river. There is a lot more information at the links, or google "three gorges dam" for even more discussion and photos.
2010-06-22 China - Lesser Three Gorges
Today was scenic cruising through the Qutang Gorge. We saw the original inspiration of the sumi-e paintings of the mountains mysteriously shrouded in fog and clouds (still shrouded in fog and smog), which were later copied by Japanese artists. That misty foggy look is what it really looks like.
Later we got off the big ship at Wushan and got on smaller ships for a cruise on the Daning River through the Lesser Three Gorges (Dragon Gate Gorge, Misty Gorge and Emerald Gorge). We could almost see blue sky occasionally, and the Gorges' scenery was awesome. The Daning was a more blue color, and looks much cleaner than the Yangtze. This is a river where fish are "farmed", and bring a premium price, being from clean water. This is the site of the "Hanging Coffins of the Ba people" that were subject of a Discovery Channel program. Personally, I could not make out the coffins that the guides pointed to, but others apparently did, and photographed them.
After lunch on the ship, we could enjoy more cruising through the Wu (Witches) Gorge, which runs between Sichuan and Hubei Provinces. There are some awesome photos here.
There was another excellent dinner, climaxed by a Happy Birthday cake for Kiyomi, since today is her birthday. Our tour leader, Simon, must have found her birthday on her passport, and asked the chef to make a white cake with white frosting (which was delicious). Later that evening the ship went through the 5-stage Three Gorges Dam ship locks, but it started from 11 PM, and we were in bed by then.
Later we got off the big ship at Wushan and got on smaller ships for a cruise on the Daning River through the Lesser Three Gorges (Dragon Gate Gorge, Misty Gorge and Emerald Gorge). We could almost see blue sky occasionally, and the Gorges' scenery was awesome. The Daning was a more blue color, and looks much cleaner than the Yangtze. This is a river where fish are "farmed", and bring a premium price, being from clean water. This is the site of the "Hanging Coffins of the Ba people" that were subject of a Discovery Channel program. Personally, I could not make out the coffins that the guides pointed to, but others apparently did, and photographed them.
After lunch on the ship, we could enjoy more cruising through the Wu (Witches) Gorge, which runs between Sichuan and Hubei Provinces. There are some awesome photos here.
There was another excellent dinner, climaxed by a Happy Birthday cake for Kiyomi, since today is her birthday. Our tour leader, Simon, must have found her birthday on her passport, and asked the chef to make a white cake with white frosting (which was delicious). Later that evening the ship went through the 5-stage Three Gorges Dam ship locks, but it started from 11 PM, and we were in bed by then.
2010-06-21 China - Shibaozhai Temple in Zhongxian
Today was our arrival in Zhongxian for a visit to the Shibaozhai Temple built around 1650. We walked through the new relocated city, across a swaying suspension bridge and through a yellow glazed entrance gate. I could not see the 9-story pagoda plus 3-story temple on top as we approached, but as we walked around a high wall, the pagoda came into view. It was built into the cliff rather than on top, so was not visible from the city. We decided to climb the spiral staircase with 99 steps (9 is a lucky number), and our guide explained the history and stories of each level. The temple at the top had several alcoves with statues of deities, including the female goddess beloved by women. There was an arched stone bridge across a small pond, and according to legend, if you can cross it in three steps, you are assured of going to Heaven. A lot of our group did it, but we figured it couldn't be that easy to attain Heaven, and besides we were not sure which Heaven was meant. Our guide had said that for the Chinese, according to Taoism, Heaven is pretty much our environment, not a celestial paradise. There was a nice view of the countryside, which would have been better on a clear day.
After returning to the ship and enjoying another sumptuous dinner, we retired early to recover from the strenuous climb, and rest up for a busy day tomorrow.
After returning to the ship and enjoying another sumptuous dinner, we retired early to recover from the strenuous climb, and rest up for a busy day tomorrow.
2010-06-20 China - cruising the Yangtze River
When we awoke on 20 June, the ship was already sailing down the Yangtze River. The sky was the same warm and humid, with overcast haze/fog/smog that we've seen every day so far; apparently it is the usual weather pattern three-fourths of the year. We were served a lavish breakfast buffet, all kinds of breakfast foods of all nationalities.
Afterward we had the embarkation briefing where we learned about the ship's facilities in detail. Then we had an informative lecture on the Yangtze River: history from 3,000 years ago, the several names it has been given, why it is known now as the Yangtze, its length, and other information.
In the afternoon we arrived at new Fengdu, a relocated city. When the Three Gorges Dam was constructed, the depth of the Yangtze has increased by about 300 feet so far, inundating old Fengdu. I must say, it doesn't look new. It seems to be run-down and messy, though the relocated inhabitants say it is much better than their previous city. That may be the official line the local guides are instructed to say. They seemed to speak of the old city with fond nostalgia. We heard more than 1.2 million people were relocated to a higher elevation along the Yangtze due to the rise. About 40 percent of the $25 billion cost of the dam was relocation expense, 30 percent cost of the dam construction. Anyway, we were not particularly impressed with Fengdu.
That evening on the ship we had a welcome champagne toast and a concert of traditional Chinese music performed on traditional instruments. Than came a delicious Chinese food banquet of many different dishes skillfully prepared. After dinner there was a fashion show demonstrating the costumes of the various ethnic minorities of China. It was very colorful and interesting.
Afterward we had the embarkation briefing where we learned about the ship's facilities in detail. Then we had an informative lecture on the Yangtze River: history from 3,000 years ago, the several names it has been given, why it is known now as the Yangtze, its length, and other information.
In the afternoon we arrived at new Fengdu, a relocated city. When the Three Gorges Dam was constructed, the depth of the Yangtze has increased by about 300 feet so far, inundating old Fengdu. I must say, it doesn't look new. It seems to be run-down and messy, though the relocated inhabitants say it is much better than their previous city. That may be the official line the local guides are instructed to say. They seemed to speak of the old city with fond nostalgia. We heard more than 1.2 million people were relocated to a higher elevation along the Yangtze due to the rise. About 40 percent of the $25 billion cost of the dam was relocation expense, 30 percent cost of the dam construction. Anyway, we were not particularly impressed with Fengdu.
That evening on the ship we had a welcome champagne toast and a concert of traditional Chinese music performed on traditional instruments. Than came a delicious Chinese food banquet of many different dishes skillfully prepared. After dinner there was a fashion show demonstrating the costumes of the various ethnic minorities of China. It was very colorful and interesting.
2010-06-19 China - Xian
Today was our visit to the Terra Cotta Army site, another highlight of the cruise. We had seen reproductions of various sizes in shops everywhere, including some full-size jade reproductions at the Great Wall. It was a different experience to see the massed ranks of thousands of soldiers and horses that have been unearthed so far. We heard there could be as many as 6,000 figures, most of which are not even yet unearthed and pieced together. Apparently the excavation is still in progress, and will keep students and professors of archeology busy for years to come, first unearthing the broken figures, and then piecing them together. A 360-degree movie gave the history of Qin Shi Huang, the warrior king who had his army constructed more than 2,000 years ago starting in 246 BC. The official website, in addition to wikipedia.com, is www.bmy.com.cn according to our ticket. There is a lot of information, many images, and you can get it in English. The city's history goes back at least 3,100 years, and was the capital for 12 dynasties of imperial rulers.
We had extra time before our flight, so we were able to visit the Da Cien (or Da Yan) Temple with its Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 645 AD. According to the story, Xuan Zhaung traveled to India to obtain the Buddhist scriptures, and then spent about 10 years translating them to Chinese. Xi'an is the beginning of the Silk Road, where the silk goods started their journey to the Middle East and Europe. We saw a depiction of the life of Buddha, statues of the various deities, and enjoyed the art museum, where beautiful works of art were displayed and sold. Kiyomi was fascinated by the calligraphy done by the abbot of the temple, and almost bought it. She may yet, over the Internet, since they have an email address (susanna951225@yahoo.com.cn).
After our visit, we went to the airport for dinner and our flight to Chongquin where the ship Viking Century Sun was waiting for us. Chongquin was the capital of China during WWII, and the base of the Flying Tigers. I wondered if it was the Chunking of dried noodle fame. We went directly to our stateroom for a shower and good night's sleep.
We had extra time before our flight, so we were able to visit the Da Cien (or Da Yan) Temple with its Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 645 AD. According to the story, Xuan Zhaung traveled to India to obtain the Buddhist scriptures, and then spent about 10 years translating them to Chinese. Xi'an is the beginning of the Silk Road, where the silk goods started their journey to the Middle East and Europe. We saw a depiction of the life of Buddha, statues of the various deities, and enjoyed the art museum, where beautiful works of art were displayed and sold. Kiyomi was fascinated by the calligraphy done by the abbot of the temple, and almost bought it. She may yet, over the Internet, since they have an email address (susanna951225@yahoo.com.cn).
After our visit, we went to the airport for dinner and our flight to Chongquin where the ship Viking Century Sun was waiting for us. Chongquin was the capital of China during WWII, and the base of the Flying Tigers. I wondered if it was the Chunking of dried noodle fame. We went directly to our stateroom for a shower and good night's sleep.
2010-06-18 China - Beijing and Xian
After breakfast we boarded the bus and went to a silk carpet workshop, where the silk carpets are woven and sold. We were shown the various qualities of carpets, depending on how many knots per square inch, which ranged from inexpensive to almost priceless. We were familiar with the concept from our visit to Istanbul and Egypt, where carpets are also woven.
Then it was on to the airport, where we took a flight to Xian, famous for the terra cotta warriors. We checked in to a new hotel, the Kempinski Hotel, apparently one of a German chain. It was quite deluxe and comfortable. For dinner we chose to attend the Tang Dynasty (618-907) Dinner and Show. The food was pretty good, not excellent, but acceptable. The show was fantastic, it reminded me of a Las Vegas production with an all-women orchestra of ancient Chinese instruments, dressed in Tang Dynasty costumes. Then there were dances where long scarves were gracefully swirled through complex patterns, dances telling a story, martial dances with elaborate and colorful costumes. We thoroughly enjoyed the show.
Then it was on to the airport, where we took a flight to Xian, famous for the terra cotta warriors. We checked in to a new hotel, the Kempinski Hotel, apparently one of a German chain. It was quite deluxe and comfortable. For dinner we chose to attend the Tang Dynasty (618-907) Dinner and Show. The food was pretty good, not excellent, but acceptable. The show was fantastic, it reminded me of a Las Vegas production with an all-women orchestra of ancient Chinese instruments, dressed in Tang Dynasty costumes. Then there were dances where long scarves were gracefully swirled through complex patterns, dances telling a story, martial dances with elaborate and colorful costumes. We thoroughly enjoyed the show.
2010-06-17 China - Beijing and the Great Wall
Today was our introduction to the Great Wall of China. It was raining in the morning, but by the time we reached the Wall it had stopped raining, but was still hazy to foggy. Thousands of other visitors to the Wall were walking in two directions from the main entrance. We chose the less traveled but steeper way, and found it to be most challenging. The slopes the Wall was built upon were quite steep, it felt like our noses were almost touching the ground in front. When we reached stairs, they were of uneven height, making climbing a matter of concentrating on the next step, so we didn't dare watch the scenery. Only when we reached the level spots or the towers could we look around, and admire the view. We were surrounded by forest sloping down the mountain on each side of the Wall, and in two directions we could see the Wall continuing for miles and miles across the top of the mountain range. Walking in both directions along the Wall were thousands of other visitors. Fortunately today was cool, high 60s, so despite the exertion of climbing, we were not overheated. I'd hate to do the tour on a hot humid day (or a freezing day when ice would coat the walkway and stairs!). The souvenir shop was like a museum that sold its treasures. There were all kinds of art: sculpture, carving, jewelry, jade goods and jewelry of all kinds, some lovely paintings of several styles.
We had a traditional Chinese lunch at a local restaurant after a brief introduction to jade and jade art at the Dragon Land Superior Jade company. We learned to distinguish jade from glass and marble by the tone given when tapped, and saw some truly magnificent examples of jade carving as relief and sculpture. We learned that for the Chinese, jade epitomizes "spiritual wealth, noble morals, and the finer things in life". If you are interested in buying jade, log in to http://www.longdishop.com with code 1005 197 137 for more information, password if required is 197137. You are encouraged to negotiate a price and try for free shipping door-to-door (not through customs).
Finally we went to the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs, through a marble gateway and down a long avenue lined with stone sculptures of elephants, lions, camels, and some mythical animals.
We returned to the hotel for the evening meal, a fixed menu of tasty selections.
We had a traditional Chinese lunch at a local restaurant after a brief introduction to jade and jade art at the Dragon Land Superior Jade company. We learned to distinguish jade from glass and marble by the tone given when tapped, and saw some truly magnificent examples of jade carving as relief and sculpture. We learned that for the Chinese, jade epitomizes "spiritual wealth, noble morals, and the finer things in life". If you are interested in buying jade, log in to http://www.longdishop.com with code 1005 197 137 for more information, password if required is 197137. You are encouraged to negotiate a price and try for free shipping door-to-door (not through customs).
Finally we went to the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs, through a marble gateway and down a long avenue lined with stone sculptures of elephants, lions, camels, and some mythical animals.
We returned to the hotel for the evening meal, a fixed menu of tasty selections.
2010-06-16 China - Beijing
To start the day we had a lavish buffet breakfast, including many Chinese dishes and familiar Western breakfast items. I tried a little of everything until I ran out of room on my plate. After breakfast we went by bus to see Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. It was jammed with people, apparently today was the last day of a Chinese vacation so everyone was out. There were vendors every few steps, offering goods of every description, but mostly books, maps, fans, soft drinks, and trinket souvenirs of the Forbidden City. It was a hot muggy day, but very hazy - we were wondering if it was smog or just haze. It didn't seem to burn our eyes, but there was a smoky undertone, so we suspect smog. We walked what seemed miles across the Square, and finally came to the entrance. There was a crush of people entering, but we made our way in, only to find out there were several more gates to negotiate, of which we could see the first in the far distance. After another long walk and crush as everyone tried to pass through the gate, we were in another courtyard, with the next gate far in the distance. Needless to say, the Palace grounds are huge. Photos and videos don't give a good indication of the size, especially without people to give perspective, and cuts of the time it takes to traverse the courtyards and stairs. There was a wide-screen TV in the Square; we're used to 50 inch TVs, but this looked like a 50 foot TV!. I had to take a picture, and fortunately there were plenty of people to give the size its proper perspective.
After the Square and City, we went to a lavish Chinese lunch at the New Nikko Hotel. Kiyomi recognized the Nikko name from Japan. The lunch was typical Chinese, featuring a lazy susan about 4 feet in diameter made of glass. Then the surface was soon covered with numerous dishes of various traditional Chinese cuisine: corn soup, sweet and sour, stir fried, fried rice, noodles, won ton, dim sum, watermelon for dessert. We enjoyed Chinese beer with the food, a mild flavored beer with not too much hops taste.
Next we went to the Summer Palace, another huge property constructed for the Dowager Empress. We took a Dragon Boat to the main area, rather than walking a mile or so. Then we walked around the grounds for about 45 minutes, seeing only a small portion of the garden area. It was like a huge park, with pathways winding among the trees, interspersed with areas to stop for a view or contemplation. We could not imagine the Chinese royal ladies walking; we suppose they were carried in palanquins. It was hard enough for us to walk up and down the hills and steps.
After the Palace, it was "and now for something completely different", a visit to a working-class neighborhood to see an ordinary home in the Hutongs (narrow ancient alleys) district. It was very different from the opulence of the royal dwellings and surrounding gardens. The home was typical of the neighborhood, several generations living together, with kitchen and bathroom across a small courtyard (which was also a public walkway). The owner proudly displayed many souvenirs from previous visitors – flags, notes, postcards, photos, dolls, etc. along with traditional family heirlooms passed down over the years. There were several magpies (which could speak Chinese!), koi, and cats. After our visit, we were given a rickshaw ride back to the bus. The surroundings were not well maintained and ramshackle, lots of trash strewn around, but quite a few nice cars: VWs, Ford, Toyota, Suzuki, etc.
We returned to our hotel, and both of us commented how we were impressed by the wide straight city streets bordered by trees and flowers. The streets were normally three lanes in each direction, with a fourth lane for left turns at the lights, and separate side lanes in each direction for bicycles, and for taxis and buses to drop off and pick up passengers. There were many very colorful flower beds along the way, and weeping willows seemed to be the most popular tree, but we saw many other kinds. We did not expect so much greenery. We were also impressed by how tall the buildings were, especially the newer ones. At night some of the buildings put on an impressive light show.
After the Square and City, we went to a lavish Chinese lunch at the New Nikko Hotel. Kiyomi recognized the Nikko name from Japan. The lunch was typical Chinese, featuring a lazy susan about 4 feet in diameter made of glass. Then the surface was soon covered with numerous dishes of various traditional Chinese cuisine: corn soup, sweet and sour, stir fried, fried rice, noodles, won ton, dim sum, watermelon for dessert. We enjoyed Chinese beer with the food, a mild flavored beer with not too much hops taste.
Next we went to the Summer Palace, another huge property constructed for the Dowager Empress. We took a Dragon Boat to the main area, rather than walking a mile or so. Then we walked around the grounds for about 45 minutes, seeing only a small portion of the garden area. It was like a huge park, with pathways winding among the trees, interspersed with areas to stop for a view or contemplation. We could not imagine the Chinese royal ladies walking; we suppose they were carried in palanquins. It was hard enough for us to walk up and down the hills and steps.
After the Palace, it was "and now for something completely different", a visit to a working-class neighborhood to see an ordinary home in the Hutongs (narrow ancient alleys) district. It was very different from the opulence of the royal dwellings and surrounding gardens. The home was typical of the neighborhood, several generations living together, with kitchen and bathroom across a small courtyard (which was also a public walkway). The owner proudly displayed many souvenirs from previous visitors – flags, notes, postcards, photos, dolls, etc. along with traditional family heirlooms passed down over the years. There were several magpies (which could speak Chinese!), koi, and cats. After our visit, we were given a rickshaw ride back to the bus. The surroundings were not well maintained and ramshackle, lots of trash strewn around, but quite a few nice cars: VWs, Ford, Toyota, Suzuki, etc.
We returned to our hotel, and both of us commented how we were impressed by the wide straight city streets bordered by trees and flowers. The streets were normally three lanes in each direction, with a fourth lane for left turns at the lights, and separate side lanes in each direction for bicycles, and for taxis and buses to drop off and pick up passengers. There were many very colorful flower beds along the way, and weeping willows seemed to be the most popular tree, but we saw many other kinds. We did not expect so much greenery. We were also impressed by how tall the buildings were, especially the newer ones. At night some of the buildings put on an impressive light show.
2010-06-15 China - Beijing
We arrived at Beijing Airport about 8 pm 15 Jun. We were impressed by the huge size and modern architecture of the airport; it is really something to see. We decided they had remodeled it for the Olympics, but it certainly exceeded our expectations. We met up with our tour group leader Simon and transferred to our hotel, the 5-star Ritz-Carleton Beijing. We were greeted by a display of lightening and thunder at the airport, and heavy rainstorm. We settled into our deluxe room on the 9th floor for a quiet night.
The Title Link is to our Smugmug Japan-China photo gallery. China starts on the second page (page 2 of 16). That is the same as this link.
The Title Link is to our Smugmug Japan-China photo gallery. China starts on the second page (page 2 of 16). That is the same as this link.
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