China 2010

Friday, October 22, 2010—Headed to China

            We departed Houston’s George Bush Airport at 6 a.m., Friday, October 22, full of anticipation and a little trepidation.   The trip to China had been planned for months, and when the day finally arrived, we had no problem getting up at 2 a.m. to head to the airport. 

            We had been concerned that shuttle buses from the parking lot might not be running, but there was no problem. However, we didn’t realize that check-in counters at Continental don’t open until 4:30 a.m.  We were first in line.  Our traveling companions, Leon and Pam Ahlers, met us at the gate.

            The flight to Newark’s Liberty Airport was uneventful and we departed for Beijing on time.  The Boeing 777-200 airliner headed due north over New York, passing Canada, Greenland and over the North Pole.  A full moon was shining as we traversed the top of the world, and the view of endless ice and deep crevices frozen in time is one I will never forget.  I was also impressed that, despite the concerns over global warming, much of the world continues to be frozen.

            Thirteen hours after leaving Newark, the plane descending into Beijing, China’s historic capital with more than 20 million people.  We quickly realized that what appeared to be dense ground fog blanketing the runways was actually brown pollution.

            Navigating the Beijing airport was easy.  The airport was newly built in anticipation of the 2008 Olympics and signage in English made getting through customs and baggage claim easy.  We had worried about getting to the hotel and had arranged for our friend, Nancy, to write the name of the Westin Financial Street in Chinese for the driver.  When we entered the taxi stand, cars were lined up as advertised; however, our group of four with luggage was too large for the small Daiwu taxicabs.  We were directed to a van.  We gave the driver Nancy’s paper, and he confirmed the hotel with a list of his own.  He then proceeded to negotiate the price with us, beginning at 900 Yuan.  We settled on 600, still too much considering the taxi fare should be approximately 225 Yuan, but it’s difficult to argue once you are in the car, your luggage is loaded, and you are exhausted from a long flight.  Since had been directed to this person by an official-looking person at the taxi stand, we thought we would be safe.

            As we sat in Beijing’s slow-moving traffic, we were amazed at the large numbers of expensive, new cars on the road.  BMW, Mercedes, Buick, Toyota and many more are well represented with smaller numbers of Chinese-built cars from Chery and others.  Later, we would learn than more than 400 drivers licenses are issued in Beijing each day. The city impressed us, being modern but very polluted.

            At the Westin, we were greeted by a contingent of polite, service-oriented employees.  Two young men unloaded the luggage and a group of three young women welcomed us and showed us to the registration desk.  While we registered, lemon tea was served.

            Our room was a welcome sight.  It included a king-sized, extremely comfortable bed, flat screen TV and a beautiful bathroom complete with over sized tub and rainforest shower. We quickly took advantage of the shower facilities, and an hour later, we met Leon and Pam to find a place for dinner before collapsing.             We settled on the Italian restaurant in the hotel that evening.  Bill and I enjoyed pizzas while Leon and Pam selected minestrone and lasagna.  It was delicious, including a bottle of Evian, costing 85 Yuan, or roughly $12.87. Since we had been advised not to drink the tap water, we paid it. We were asleep by 7 p.m.  Just as I was dozing off, there was a knock at the door and a letter was delivered from Arnold, our Viking guide, welcoming us and giving information about tomorrow’s tour.

Tienanmen Square

Sunday, October 24, 2010—Beijing           

            After crossing the international dateline, Saturday, October 23 was a lost day.  We arose Sunday morning refreshed and ready to tackle Beijing.  Breakfast was served in the Westin’s buffet restaurant and included an extensive selection of breakfast items catering to western and Chinese palates.  We enjoyed omelets, pastries and fresh fruit. 

            At 9 a.m., we met our tour guide, Arnold Zheng, in the lobby.  We were relieved to learn that Arnold spoke perfect American English with almost no accent.  More on Arnold later but suffice it to say, he was the best guide ever.  He directed us to the bus and equipped us with voxes (a small voice transmitter that allows you to hear the guide while in crowded places or walking).

            Unfortunately, it was cold and raining and as we disembarked the bus at Tienanmen Square, it was coats on and umbrellas up.  Much as we hated walking in the rain, we were relieved to see that it was clearing the pollution which had prevented us from seeing buildings across the street at our hotel.  Tienanmen means “Gate of Heavenly Peace” and it has been the center of Beijing for centuries.  We walked past the building housing Chairman Mao’s tomb and then stood in the middle of the enormous square—the world’s largest square which can accommodate 1 million people—to get the full effect.  At the north end of the square is Tienanmen Tower, the formal entrance to the Forbidden City during the Ming Dynasty. 

To enter the Forbidden City, we walked under the famous photo of Chairman Mao, emerging into one of many courtyards.  The largest palace in the world, the “city” has more than 175 acres of palaces, pavilions, courtyards and gardens.  Completed in 1420, it was forbidden to all but royalty until the fall of the imperial dynasties in 1911.  The palace contains 9,999 rooms—the ancient Chinese believed that 10,000 was the number representing divine perfection and to have that many would be an affront, even for royalty.  It is protected by a 20-foot moat and a 32-foot-high wall.  Today it is known as the Palace Museum.

Our first Chinese lunch introduced us to local dining habits—a lazy susan containing lots of dishes of things cut into small pieces and a saucer to eat from.  The food was good and fortunately, forks were provided.  Lunch came with a choice of bottled water, Coke or beer.

Walkway through the Summer Palace

After lunch, we headed to the Summer Palace, a 700-acre garden and complex which means Garden of Nurtured Harmony.  Built as a summer retreat for the imperial family and royal court during the late Quing Dynasty in 1750, it was destroyed by British troops in 1860.  The Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt it in 1888.  We walked through long open hallways all the way to the marble boat on a beautiful lake.  One of the highlights was a long, painted walkway from the palace complex to the lake.  Heaven forbid that royalty should get wet!

After a long day of sightseeing, we were happy to dine at the hotel’s buffet.  The food was great and it was another early bedtime.

The Great Wall

Monday, October 25, 2010—The Great Wall/Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs

            Monday morning, we were delighted to see that Sunday’s cold front had pushed out most of the pollution and we had blue skies and cool temperatures.  We had an early breakfast at the hotel and boarded the bus for the Great Wall at 8 a.m..  We drove through Beijing’s morning rush hour to the Badaling Hills to see one of the best-preserved sections of the wall.  Archaeologists estimate that the entire wall was once 6,200 miles long; today, about 3,750 miles remain.  Construction began about 2,000 years ago and it was completed under the Ming Dynasty.  At Badaling, the wall is nearly 28 feet high and is wide enough for ten people to walk shoulder to shoulder.

            We have the distinction to have been among the few people to ice skate on the Great Wall.  The cooler weather and overnight rain meant that ice had formed on the wall, so we hung onto the railing for dear life as we tried to climb the steep stone pathways.  We were so tired from fighting for safe footing that we didn’t walk as far on the wall as we had intended, but the views were amazing.  Leon and Pam, with their blonde hair and hazel eyes, were stopped several times for photos with Chinese visitors.  As spectacular as it was, it was a relief to get back to the gift shop to meet our group.

            On the way back through Beijing, we stopped for lunch at the Jade factory—one of the typical tour company ruses.  We took a brief tour of the jade factory, had a Chinese style lunch, and then had the opportunity to peruse the massive showroom to buy jade.  We didn’t.

             

Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs

             In the afternoon, we continued to the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs.  This was the valley that 13 Ming emperors chose as their final resting place between 1368 and 1644.  The Sacred Way is a long avenue lined with 18 pairs of massive stone sculptures of elephants, lions, camels and mythical beasts, ending with a grand marble gateway.  On the afternoon of our visit, the sun filtering through colorful autumn leaves made a beautiful backdrop for the statues; however, we were somewhat disappointed that we didn’t have the opportunity to actually visit one of the tombs.

            On the way back, Arnold shared details of his life.  Born in 1976, he is the son of a school teacher—in China, a government employee.  After 20 years of service, his father was rewarded with a new apartment, so the family’s home grew from 50 meters to 100 meters.  The neighbors were so happy for them that they pitched into paint and decorate the new place.  Arnold learned English from an American teacher and from watching television.  He and his wife live in Beijing and both work in the tourism industry.  He has been out of China twice.  Once, he visited St. Louis and Las Vegas and a second time he went to Switzerland with Viking Tours.

            We arrived back at the hotel around 5 p.m., and decided not to attend the optional Peking Duck Dinner and Beijing Opera.  We don’t eat duck and reviews of the opera were not glowing.  Instead, we walked around the neighborhood near our hotel, enjoyed another Westin buffet dinner and turned in early.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010—Beijing and off to Xian

            Our last day in Beijing was jam packed.  We were instructed to have our bags outside the door by 7 a.m.—no complaints from us since that meant we didn’t have to move them.  A last great breakfast at the Westin and then off to the silk carpet workshop for a carpet-weaving demonstration (that’s code for “a chance to buy silk carpets).  The demonstration was interesting, but too much time was allowed for buying carpets.  We didn’t succumb to the temptation, but several in the group did come away with rugs. 

            Our next stop was a highlight of the trip—a rickshaw ride and visit to one of Old Beijing’s hutongs (narrow ancient alleys).  These traditional Chinese neighborhoods are rapidly disappearing to make way for modern buildings but the glimpse into everyday life was illuminating.  Hutongs are ancient, narrow city alleys bordering courtyards around which local families have built residences and created communities.  Most were built during the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties from 1279 to 1911.  Generally, several families live on one courtyard.  Three families usually share a kitchen and ten families share a toilet.  We toured the hutong by rickshaw, arriving at the home of a retired resident who allows visitors into her home three days a week in order to make extra money.  

Communal kitchen in the hutongs of Beijing.

            The lady with whom we visited had lost her home during the Cultural Revolution but had been allowed to move back a few years ago.  Many who lived in the hutongs were sent to farming collectives and their homes were taken by the government. She no longer owns the land but is allowed to live there.  Her home consists of two tiny rooms and she lives there with her beloved poodle.  She and her granddaughter also have a business painting decorative bottles.  There were 38 of us in the group and she graciously shared her life experiences with us and answered our questions.

            Following the home visit, we toured further into the hutong with a guide who explained some of the meaningful aspects of home construction.  For example, a residents’ status was reflected in the number and size of the beams in the threshold at the entrance of the home.       

            After the hutong visit, we transferred to the airport for the flight to Xian. We flew China Eastern Airlines.  Arnold very efficiently managed boarding passes and luggage and the flight was easy.  We experienced our first strange airline snack of the trip--a boxed snack containing a plain white roll and plain tasteless white cake.  With a population of 7 million, we were surprised to find a relatively small airport upon arrival; however, we gradually discovered that only Beijing and Shanghai have large international airports.  Cities such as Xian only have domestic service.   

Located in the Yellow River Basin, Xian is one of the birthplaces of civilization with 3,100 years of development and 13 dynasties.  Marking the beginning of the famous Silk Road, it reached its peak during the Tang Dynasty. Thus, we attended the optional Tang Dynasty show, which celebrates the grandeur of the Tang era.  Lasting from 618 to 907 AD, this age was one of tremendous cultural, artistic and technological achievements.  The show included dinner followed by a program of traditional song, dance and colorful period costumes.  It was an interesting evening, and according to those who attended, a much better program than the Beijing opera.

Since our flight was delayed, we didn’t have the opportunity to check into our rooms at the Golden Flower Hotel until after the program.  The hotel was not as nice as the Westin in Beijing but comfortable for a one-night stay.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010—Terra Cotta Warriors and Chongqing

            Breakfast at the Golden Flower was another bountiful buffet of western and Asian food.  Afterwards, we boarded the bus for a drive to the Terra Cotta Warriors, China’s greatest archaeological treasure.  While we had seen many pictures, they don’t prepare you for the immense display of thousands of figures lined up for battle.  The warriors were commissioned by the first future emperor of the Qin Dynasty around 246 BC.  When he was only 13 years old, Qin Shi Huang began work on his mausoleum.  More than 7,000 life-sized Terra Cotta archers, infantrymen, soldiers, horses and chariots in full battle gear and standing in formation were buried with the emperor to protect him in the afterlife. In addition, more than 10,000 concubines and many of the tombs’ builders were buried alive near the emperor. 

Terra Cotta Warriors

            Local farmers discovered the warriors while digging a well in 1974. Altogether, three pits have been found.  In 2000, another pit was discovered nearby, and in 2002 a pit of Qin Dynasty bronze birds was found near the mausoleum.  The later finds are still being uncovered and visitors can tour the excavations.  A museum also provides a closer view at the soldiers and many artifacts from the find.

            Following the tour, we were fortunate to meet one of the farmers, Mr. Yang, who discovered the warriors in the gift shop.  He graciously signed our book and posed for pictures for a 20 Yuan fee.

            Lunch was provided at the Xian airport in a Chinese restaurant obviously set up to accommodate the large numbers of tour groups visiting the city.  The food was palatable and we departed on time for Chongqing on Szechuan Airlines.  This airline won the prize for the most disgusting snack ever—a beef jerky that appeared pre-masticated.  I took one bite and had to spit it out.  We also discovered that Chinese airlines do not allow passengers to close the window shades.  We’re still trying to figure out why.

            Our arrival in Chongqing was a shock.  This is a city on steroids with more than 32 million residents in the area.  High rises and construction cranes dominate the skyline—Arnold says the construction crane is the national bird of China, and we would concur.  Traffic was horrific.  The city is perched on steep hills at the confluence of the Yangtze and its major tributary, the Jialing River and is the gateway for downstream Yangtze River cruises.  During World War II, the city served as the nation’s capital and the famous American “Flying Tigers” fighter planes were based here. 

River traffic in Chongqing

           

            Chongqing is the perfect example of what is happening throughout China as the population shifts from the country to the cities.  There are more than 300 cities in China with populations of more than 1 million as the nation continues a massive migration.  Arnold told us that more than 300 million people have moved to the cities and that the population is now 55% rural and 45% in the cities versus 80/20% just a few years ago.  As a result, every city we visited had enormous construction projects underway, especially for high-rise housing.  Arnold tells us that in the beginning, China relied upon engineering assistance from other nations to build these massive structure but now has the expertise so that construction is handled mainly by Chinese firms.

            After a long ride through traffic, we arrived after sundown at our boat, the Viking Century Sun.  We checked into our rooms and headed to the dining room for a welcome western meal.  The boat accommodates 306 passengers and a crew of 165 and is 416 feet long.  It was built in 2006 in Chongqing and is leased to Viking.  Foreign companies are not allowed to own river boats in China.

            At 3,554 miles, the Yangtze is the third longest river in the world, after the Nile and Amazon.  Its source is Mt. Geladandong at Quinghai Province and its end is in Wusongkou, Shanghai and the East China Sea.  More than 398 million people, 34% of China’s total, live along the river and 185 cities are located along the way.  The river is wide and beautiful but is also very polluted.  One million people died of severe flooding along the Yangtze over the last 100 years.  The recently completed Three Gorges Dam Project in Sandouping in Hubei Province, has helped eliminate the danger of flooding and has provided a new source of electricity and transportation for China’s 1.3 billion people.

The view from the Temple in Shibaozhai.

Thursday, October 28, 2010—Shibaozhai

            We enjoyed a leisurely morning on the boat, finally catching up on our sleep a little after several days of intense sightseeing.  Lunch on the Century Sun was a large buffet of western food, including soups, salads, sandwiches, and a choice of three entrees.  Since fruits and vegetables are washed in filtered water on the boat, it was great to enjoy fresh produce again.

            As lunch was finishing, the temple of Shibaozhai came into view.  While waiting for disembarkation, we watched as local villagers washed clothes just below our vessel in the Yangtze’s muddy waters.  As time approached for us to go on shore, a market sprang up along our path and the entire walk to the temple was lined with vendors selling all sorts of souvenirs. 

            The 12-story Shibaozhai Temple (Precious Stone Stronghold) is perched high atop a sheer, 721-foot cliff.  Built in 1650 during the Qing Dynasty, it consists of a nine-story pavilion and a three-story temple on top.  The temple once stood alone and isolated, accessible only by a chain lift, but an interior staircase, added in 1819, gave visitors easier access.  We climbed all the way to the top and enjoyed a breathtaking view of the area.  After visiting the temple, we descended to the walkway and walked around the island before heading back to the market to fend off vendors.  By the time we got back to the boat, we were exhausted from saying “no thank you.” 

            That evening we enjoyed Viking’s welcome reception and dinner and we sailed through the night.

Lesser Three Gorges

Friday, October 29, 2010—Qutang & Wu Gorges, Lesser Three Gorges

            Our first entry into the beautiful gorges of the Yangtze began at breakfast as we sailed into Qutang Gorge, the shortest and narrowest of the Three Gorges.  After breakfast, we arrived in Wushan where we boarded a smaller, more colorful vessel, for a cruise on the Daning River into the Lesser Three Gorges.  The views from the boat were breathtaking.  Sheer cliffs and steep mountains rose on either side of the water as we floated between towering peaks covered with lush greenery.  We saw monkeys playing along the bank and the hanging coffins of the Ba people, which were actually coffins placed in caves high up in the cliffs.  The guide also pointed out an ancient plank road carved into the cliff side, consisting of more than 6,000 holes, about two inches in circumference, carved by hand into the sides of the cliffs.  Wooden stakes inserted into the holes supported bamboo pipes to carry brine and planks that created a road stretching more than 60 miles along the river.  Our guide also pointed out the rising water level of the gorges, which is now at 175 meters, the highest since construction of the Three Gorges Dam.

            Construction of the dam displaced 1.13 million people and submerged nearly 2,000 villages, towns, and cities including the residents of Wushan.  Our guide shared the story of his family, which lived in the valley in an apartment measuring about 50 square meters (538 square feet).  They shared a toilet with other families and cooked on their balcony.  They were relocated to an apartment of about 100 square meters (1,076 square feet) and now have three bedrooms, a bathroom and kitchen.  However, since Chinese apartments are completely bare, he was required to take out a loan in order to complete and furnish the apartment. 

Today, Wushan is a modern city with a long staircase leading up to the town from the river.  Residents are proud of their large square where they do Tai Chi and dance.  Small by China’s standards, the city has a population of about 500,000 but looks much larger.

After lunch on the boat, we cruised through the Wu (Witches) Gorge where lush mountains surrounded us.  The narrator pointed out the famous Twelve Peaks, including the Goddess Peak, which is said to resemble a maiden looking down at the river, and a mountain shaped like an eagle. 

Beginning around 10:30 p.m., we began our passage through the 5-stage locks of the Three Gorges Dam.  Since the trip took about five hours, we slept through most of it, but did wake to hear the squeaking of the locks and looked out the window once to see the concrete wall of the lock starring back. 

Three Gorges Dam

Saturday, October 30, 2010—Three Gorges Dam

            We awoke on Saturday morning docked at Sandouping, our gateway to the Three Gorges Dam.  We disembarked at 9 a.m., clambering through barges and over strange-looking metal walkways to get to shore.  Bill decided that his Chinese name is “watch your step,” the chant of countless Viking employees stationed along the path to get us safely to the buses.

            Our first view of the dam was breathtaking and it only became more dramatic as we passed by the five locks that we cleared during the night and approached the top.  Completed in 2009, the dam will be fully operational by 2011.  The Three Gorges Dam is 20 times larger than Hoover Dam in terms of power generation, producing some 18,200 MW of power annually.  The dam itself is 2,000 meters (6,556 feet) long and cost about 180 billion Yuan (US $21.68 billion) to build.

            We spent an hour or so touring the dam and locks before returning to Sandouping.  Upon arrival, we browsed through the local market and watched as local cooks whipped up strange delicacies.  The food looked unappetizing to us, but we noticed one of the staff carrying a huge bowl of it back to the boat for lunch. 

            In the afternoon, we sailed through Xiling Gorge, the largest of the three Yangtze River Gorges, and this time, we were awake as went through the lock to enter Dongting Lake, the second largest fresh water lake in China.  We stood on the deck and marveled as our vessel, the Century Sun, sank from 64 meters to 20 meters before the doors opened and we sailed out onto the river. 

Beverly with the schoolchildren

Sunday, October 31, 2010--Jingzhou

            Today was a special experience as we had the opportunity to visit a school renovated and sponsored by Viking Cruises.  On the way, we marveled at the never ending contrasts of China—from modern businesses and factories to people living in poverty in densely populated back streets. 

            The children had been given Friday off and were required to come in on Sunday for our visit.  They lined up along the path to greet us with high-fives and loud shrieks.  Then we enjoyed a performance of music and dance in the school yard.  Finally, we visited a classroom where a child took each of us to his or her desk.  My little girl knew almost no English and was very shy, but was intensely curious about my purse.  We all sang the “Hokey Pokey” and "Old MacDonald" and looked at their English books. 

            The schoolrooms were very basic and the desks were old.  The classrooms hold up to 72 children crammed together for learning.  Sitting in this third-grade classroom with the smell of human excrement from the nearby toilet wafting through the window, I couldn’t help but compare this scene to the beautiful, modern facilities that our daughter was privileged to have in elementary school.  As we left, I hugged the pretty little girl in the red jacket and wondered what lies ahead for her.  I was also thankful that Viking sponsors this school so that she can have an education.

            We arrived back at the boat in time for lunch.  In the afternoon, the landscape of the Yangtze changed dramatically to a flat, tree-lined waterway with busy barge traffic.  It was explained that there are almost no pleasure craft on the Yangtze.  The concept of recreational boating is unknown to the Chinese.  While there are large numbers if sampans and fishing boats, using boats for pleasure is still a foreign concept to the Chinese. We joined the tour of the bridge and watched as the Chinese crew navigated the river.  Finally, Bill and I relaxed with Pam at the front of the boat and reflected on all that we had seen.

Concert of the ancient bells in Wuhan

Monday, November 1, 2010—Wuhan & Shanghai

            Our ship docked this morning in Wuhan, the provincial capital of Hubei.  It was the end of the river cruise and we said goodbye to the great staff and headed to shore for the last time. 

            The air in Wuhan was very polluted and the river bank was strewn with debris.  Our guide told us that the debris was from a flood earlier in the year.  We were bused to a concert played on replicas of the city’s prized ancient chimes and bells, which date to the time of Christ.  We also toured the Hubei Provincial Museum where we saw the original chimes.  This is the heaviest musical instrument in the world, weighing 5,525 pounds.  It consists of 65 bells suspended on three frames and divided into eight groups.  Each bell can produce two different clear tones of melody and harmony covering five-and-a-half octaves and two semitones. The museum also has a wonderful collection of bronzes and lacquer ware.  Some of the artifacts in the museum come from a single tomb dating to 433 BC, which was discovered in 1978. 

            A box lunch was served on the bus on the way to Wuhan’s airport for our flight to Shanghai.  Once again, we were surprised by the small size of the airport in comparison to the city.  The international Shanghai airport, however, was enormous and we arrived in time to enjoy rush hour on our way into the city. 

Shanghai is China’s largest city with 22 million people, and is its center for finance and trade.   The Chinese say:  Beijing belongs to China; Shanghai belongs to the world.  Looking around the modern city skyline at the futuristic architecture that statement appears to be true.  We arrived the day after China’s Expo had closed.  Driving past the Expo grounds, we felt a little relieved to have missed the additional congestion that it must have caused.  We were told that there had been a six-hour wait to enter the Chinese exhibit.

We arrived at the Westin Bund and found accommodations even nicer than the Westin in Beijing.  Our room was huge with a beautiful marble bathroom.  Dinner at the hotel’s buffet was outstanding.  We were sorry we were only staying two nights.

After dinner, we walked to the historic Bund, the city’s elegant waterfront promenade, to marvel at the contrasts of the modern city on one side with its futuristic architecture, and the historic old town on the other, with British buildings from the early 1900s.

Shanghai skyline from the Bund

Tuesday, November 2, 2010--Shanghai

            After breakfast at the hotel, we drove through Old Shanghai, open mouthed once again at the narrow lanes, bicycles and thousands of overhead electrical wires.  We arrived at Yuyuan Gardens, five-acres of pavilions and winding paths dating to the Ming Dynasty.   The garden is surrounded by a restored section of historic buildings which includes many shops, including a Dairy Queen and a Starbucks.  We browsed for a while before heading to the Shanghai Museum.

            The Shanghai Museum was one of the best museums of the trip.  We saw incredible exhibits of ancient artwork, sculptures and ceramics dating back several centuries before Christ.  The quality of the work was amazing and really enhanced our awareness that China’s culture was centuries ahead of the rest of the world.

            Our lunch was another tour operator produced demonstration of Chinese embroidery combined with lunch.  The work was beautiful but expensive and the food was so-so.

            Afterwards, we returned for our last stop as a group on the Bund.  The daytime version was even more impressive than at night, and it was a fitting end to our China adventure. 

Arnold explained that most of the buildings on the skyline had been built in the last three years.  He talked about the philosophy of Fungshui—the art of the living in harmony with the environment—and the role it played in some of the buildings’ design.  One building, called the bottle opener, has a large open space in the top.  The opening was designed to let the dragon through as well as let the wind flow through during typhoons.  The design for the building next to it originally looked like a dagger in the heart of China and Fungshui experts insisted that it be changed.  Across the river from the new center of Shanghai are many historic buildings built under the British in the early 1900s.    

After a short rest at the hotel, we went to a performance of Shanghai’s acrobats.  The show was impressive, especially a performance by eight motorcycles inside a single globe—amazing!  The performance was followed by one last Chinese meal in a restaurant on the 7^th floor of an office building.  Like many restaurants, smoking is permitted.  In fact smoking is popular throughout China.  One of the reasons given is that smoking is an acceptable break from work.  The government, however, is beginning a campaign to communicate the health risks of smoking.

            After dinner, we looked longingly at the McDonald's on the corner, but went back to the hotel to get ready for an early departure for Hong Kong.

Hong Kong from Victoria Peak

Wednesday, November 3, 2010—Shanghai to Hong Kong

            We were up at 5 a.m. to make our 9 o’clock flight to Hong Kong.  The night before, we had arranged for a van to take the four of us to the airport for 170 Yuan.  Arnold kindly offered to arrange for a boxed breakfast from the hotel, so we dined on the way to the airport.

            Our check in on China Eastern went smoothly and we arrived at the gate with lots of time to spare.  The flight to Hong Kong took 2 hours, 45 minutes. 

            The only problem of the trip occurred when Bill’s luggage didn’t arrive in Hong Kong.  We went to the China Eastern desk to report it, and while we were filling out the paperwork, the agent received a phone call that the bag had been found.  A couple who had also been on our tour had seen the red luggage tag provided by Viking and had picked it up by mistake.  We were taken to China Eastern’s offices where we received profuse apologies from the embarrassed couple.  We were just happy to have the bag back.

            We headed to the airport desk for our hotel, the Harbour Grand Kowloon, which advertised a shuttle service.  The agent told us the train was much faster and gave us detailed instructions.  The train WAS cheaper and faster and very easy to take.  We asked for a group ticket for four and walked a short distance to the train.  Twenty minutes later we were in Kowloon.  A free shuttle bus transported us the rest of the way to the hotel.

            The Harbour Grand Kowloon was a spectacular property overlooking the harbor and the Hong Kong skyline.  We had booked a superior view room for 2000HK per night.  It was comfortable and very well appointed.  The hotel lobby with its grand staircase and the rooftop pool overlooking the Hong Kong skyline are two highlights not to be missed.

            It was 3 o’clock, but we were starving, so we walked down the street  and discovered a Pizza Hut.  We enjoyed pizza for a late lunch.  By 6 p.m., we back across the street from Pizza Hut at an Outback Steakhouse where a filet and baked potato soothed stomach rumblings from one too many Chinese dinners.

            Tired from our early morning, we turned in early to get rested for a day of sightseeing in Hong Kong.

Thursday, November 4, 2010—Hong Kong

            For breakfast, we settled on a Pacific Coffee shop down the street from the hotel where we enjoyed coffee and quiche (pastries for Bill and Leon).  Then, we headed to the historic Star Ferry near our hotel for the ride across to Hong Kong.  The views are incredible as you cross the harbor and the ferry is cheap at 6.3HK—less than $1US.  

            When we arrived at the Central Terminal in Hong Kong, we signed up for the Big Bus tour.  This took us to the tram for Victoria Peak—at 1,805 feet, the highest point in the city.  The views are stunning with gleaming skyscrapers as far as the eye can see.  We had lunch at Burger King at the top and then descended to continue our tour.

            Next, we visited a Man Ho Temple and Lascar Row (also called the Cat Street market) and then stopped at the famous mid-level escalators, the longest in the world.  Returning to the Central Terminal, we took the Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon.  We somehow found our way to the Jade Market.  The market was interesting, but the pressure to buy was so great that we really didn’t find it much fun.  We did, however, enjoy walking through a typical Hong Kong street market where residents were buying food for dinner.  We watched at shopkeepers killed fish and filleted them before our eyes and at the range of meat hanging in the stalls. We felt sorry for the frogs and turtles trying to escape.  The produce was fresh and there seemed to be endless variety in what was sold. 

            We took a cab back to the hotel and had planned to go somewhere for dinner.  Exhaustion overtook us and we ended up eating in the restaurant next to the hotel and heading off to bed.

Main square in Macau

Friday, November 5, 2010—Macau

            Macau is the Las Vegas of China.  Leon had been through there many times during his years drilling for oil in the South China Sea and was excited about returning. 

            So after another breakfast at the Pacific Coffee house, we took a cab to Tsim Sha Tsui for the ferry to Macau.  The ride over was choppy and the weather was awful so visibility was limited.  Once we arrived, we were debating about how best to get into town when Steven approached.  He said he worked for the government and offered advice.  Then, he offered to guide us himself.  We took him up on the offer and he showed us the city in his Toyota van. 

            We stopped first at Macau’s Fisherman’s Wharf, an amusement park that was closed.  He then drove us by the Macau Tower and the Gate of Understanding, which is now closed to the public.  Things finally looked up as we approached the older part of the city.  We stopped at the A-Ma Temple where he explained some of the Buddhist traditions and the use of incense in temples.  Then we headed to the Portuguese section to visit St. Joseph’s cathedral and to the ruins of St. Paul’s Cathedral.  Finally, he dropped us off at the Sands Casino. We searched for, and found, the Sands McDonalds and gambled briefly before heading back to the ferry and the ride back to Hong Kong.  Dinner was at Pizza Hut.

Stanley Market

Saturday, November 6, 2010—Stanley Market

            Our last day in Hong Kong began at our favorite coffee shop and then another Big Bus tour—this time, to the Stanley Market.  Undeterred by the rain, we spent time shopping and lunched on fish and chips at a British pub overlooking the harbor.  This was our best luck at finding souvenirs—no great bargains, but at least we weren’t hounded by vendors. 

            After shopping, we boarded the bus back to town, passing by Repulse Bay.  It was raining, so Bill, Pam and I moved to the downstairs section of the double decker bus.  Leon opted to sit up top.   The Star Ferry took us back to our hotel and we elected to dine at Outback again for our last dinner.  We had planned to take a boat tour to see the laser show over Hong Kong, but the weather wasn’t cooperating, so we took a walk to the end of the Star Ferry’s pier to watch the lights.

      

Sunday, November 7, 2010—Going Home

            Everyone was ready to head home.  After breakfast at our hotel, we retraced our steps via the free shuttle bus to the train station where we checked our bags directly to Houston on Continental.  The train whisked us to the airport in 20 minutes.  Leon and Pam were on a United flight through San Francisco, but it left from the gate next to ours.  We also saw friends from our tour who were awaiting a United flight to Chicago. 

            Our flight took off on time, at 11:25 a.m., and we headed over the Pacific.  This time, we flew further south, flying over Alaska and Canada and into Newark—14 hours 28 minutes.  A very very long flight!!!  We cleared customs, called Vanessa and headed to a coffee shop for American food.  It was great to be back in the USA.  We arrived in Houston at 6:15 p.m. and made it home by 8 p.m. 

What a trip!