Evans' trip to China 2007

Photo update

2007-11-04T15:01:00.000-08:00

Have now loaded all our photos into web albums which can be found at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jfivesanfeliu

Click on public gallery and you'll find 4 albums of China pics and one of Hong Kong (also some other family pics if you're interested?)

Still trying to find a way of uploading video clips - no success so far but will keep trying.

Hope you've enjoyed this blog - if so please add your comments or email us at:

evansjohn5@sky.com

Signing off for the last time,

Carol & John x

Home again but still a few memories to blog!!

2007-10-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

Well we've been home for 4 days and back at work for two and this is the first time I've had a chance to catch up with the blog.

We left our hotel at 6am on Tuesday morning (11pm Monday UK time) only to find on check-in that there was a 2 hour delay on our flight from Hong Kong to Shanghai. We were worried that we would miss our connection for the 12 and a half hour flight to the UK but all was well as this flight too was delayed by 2 hours - as a result of yet another typhoon to hit South-East China (there was another one 3 weeks earlier just before we were due to fly out to Shanghai).

The flight was otherwise uneventful and we eventually reached home around 10.15pm Tuesday evening - exhausted but with some great memories of an amazing trip.

We have started to download a few pics into the blog pages so look out for these as well as the new entries for Xi-an and Beijing. Photo downloads take quite a while so we'll only put a few on the blog but will set up a separate website for the rest of our pics - will post address in due course.

More to follow......

Safe in Hong Kong!

2007-10-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

Well, you probably thought we'd disappeared from the face of the earth - I'm afraid we're still very much alive & kicking on our last day here in Hong Kong. The typhoon that has hit South-East China on Saturday/Sunday hasn't affected us as we left Shanghai on Saturday morning. In fact it's very hot & humid here and we're really enjoying the air-con in the hotel and shopping arcades!

As we suspected, once we left the cruise ship last Monday, our itinerary was extremely busy and Internet access has been impossible either due to lack of facilities or lack of time. We'll catch up on the events of the last week in separate blogs but may not have time to post all these before we leave for the UK tomorrow morning so keep looking. Will also post a selection of photos once we get home.

Hong Kong is an interesting place - much more western than mainland China. We are very impressed by the service and facilities of the 4* Eaton Hotel in the Kowloon district of HK where we are staying as compared to the 4* and 5* we have stayed in in Shanghai, Xi-an and Beijing and have particularly enjoyed the time to relax in the roof-top pool.

We arrived in HK on Saturday afternoon and were hit by the heat and humidity (approx 33 degrees and 55%) as we got off the plane. Shanghai had been hot (about 28 degrees) but not as humid. After some 'leisure time' the 6 of us who had taken the HK extension following the China tour (Pat & Jim, Mary & Brian and ourselves) ventured out onto the Nathan Road (one of the main shopping roads which leads down to the harbour (about 1.5km). We were accosted by vendors selling everything from "Rolex" watches, "Sony" & "Nikon" cameras, mobile phones & other electrical goods (authentic copies of the real thing!!), made-to-measure suits, massages, etc, etc. we got very good at dodging them and John collected a pocketful of promotional leaflets in an effort to appease them. Anyway we made our way, slowly, to the Avenue of Stars ( Chinese celebrities & film stars' hand prints in the pavement on the harbour front). The only one we recognised was 'Jacky Chan' (our Chinese guide's namesake) and we took a picture of this to send to Jacky on our return home.

We had been encouraged to get to the harbour-front in time for the laser show at 8pm - a synchronised display of lights and music played out across the tall buildings of HK Island.

This was rather disappointing as we had been expecting something with more impact but another 'must do' crossed off our list. We ate in a harbour-front restaurant and enjoying the sights and sounds of this busy city, before making our way back to the hotel.

John & I enjoyed a Mr Whippy ice cream about half-way back up the Nathan Road - I think it was the best I've ever tasted but maybe that was to do with how hot and sticky we were and the fact that it only cost 6 HK dollars ( about 40p)! After a long cold drink of ginger beer in the hotel bar we retired to bed, looking forward to our HK city tour in the morning.

We had the luxury of a 9.20am start for the half-day city tour on Sunday. After a number of hotel pick-ups in the Kowloon District we headed to HK Island through the Harbour Tunnel .....

..... and up to Victoria Peak with superb panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and the Kowloon Peninsula.

Although still rather hazy we did manage to get some reasonable photos of the harbour area and the vast array of skyscrapers that litter the landscape here.

From here we headed down to Repulse Bay which was named, not because it's repulsive (in fact, it's one of the most beautiful beaches on the island!) but as a memorial of the battle between the Chinese and the British in which HMS Repulse was sunk. It is also home to two huge statues of Tin Hau, Goddess of the Sea, overlooking the most popular and accessible beach on the island. Although we only had half an hour here we were determined to have a swim in the South China Sea. Mary & I had both worn our bikinis under our clothes so had a lovely swim (hoping that the surrounding shark nets were all intact, especially after our local guide had been humming the Jaws theme as we left the coach!) whilst the others paddled on the edge. We were a little damp when we got back on the coach but at least we kept cool for the rest of the tour!

Our next stop was Aberdeen, once a small (by Chinese standards!) fishing town but now home to numerous high-rise buildings and a large harbour - an interesting mix of the old and the new with sampans and traditional fishing boats mingling with modern millionaire yachts.

We took a sampan tour around the the small floating village in the centre of the harbour and were proudly shown traditional Chinese house boats moored alongside fishing boats and lobster nets. The sampans were all 'manned' by elderly Chinese ladies who had a great plan for making sure they weren't ripped off by the tourists - at the end of the tour they stopped in the middle of the harbour and would only make their way back to the quay once everyone had paid their fare in full, so..... unless you wanted to swim for it!!!

Our guide told us that many of the fisherman now work in local factories and that the fishing industry is slowly dying out - this seems to be the way of Hong Kong as the old, traditional ways are wiped out in favour of the relentless striving for the new and the modern - very sad! we returned to our hotel after a brief visit to a HK jewellery factory where we all resisted the temptation to make any purchases (very expensive). Another swim in the roof-top pool before heading back out into the city and the Star Ferry to cross Victoria Harbour to HK Island for dinner. This was more difficult than we thought partly because it was dark and partly because our map wasn't very detailed - our walk to the ferry terminal took us over an hour and took us through a large park with open-air municipal swimming pool and flamingos, hotel lobbies, subways and shopping malls.

However, we did see the Doulos Ship in dock - we had heard that it was on it's final journey before being decommissioned and had stopped off in HK but the local paper led us to believe that it had already left so we were delighted to come across it by accident!

After much walking in the evening heat ( still above 30 degrees) we eventually managed to find a rather expensive Italian restaurant in the IFC (International Finance Centre) overlooking the harbour - it was worth it to have some western food at last! Chinese food is great but after nearly 3 weeks I think we'll be giving the local takeaway a miss for a while!! Our journey back to the hotel was also eventful as we decided to take a bus from the Star ferry - once we located the right bus (they all seemed to go up the Nathan Road but we were told to get the No. 2) our lady bus-driver didn't understand English and when we showed her where we wanted to go on the map she indicated that she couldn't see - she wore thick-lensed glasses so this didn't bode well for a safe ride! We then discovered that most people have electronic bus passes and that the machine only accepted the right coins so we were scrambling around in our pockets for enough coins for the fare - we never did find enough and she eventually gave up on us and let us take the ride anyway. Amazingly we managed to get off the bus just a short walk from the hotel and made our way to the air-conditioned bar for the now customary ginger beer with ice before embarking on the beer and cocktails.

Today we are making the most of our first day of leisure for about 10 days - we got up late (at 9am) for breakfast - we have had so many early starts (at 6-6.30am) in the last week we had forgotten what a lay-in was! Now sitting in the Internet cafe in the basement of our hotel and enjoying the speed of the Internet once again - a real treat after the interminable slowness of access on the Yangtze. We're planning to do some last minute shopping this afternoon before having a leisurely evening meal with the remaining 4 members of our party and an early night before our 5am start tomorrow morning. Because of the way in which the itinerary has been arranged we are having to fly from Hong Kong to Shanghai and then connect to our flight for the UK rather than a direct flight from HK so we will be travelling for about 18 hours in total. Thankfully we've both taken Wednesday off so will have some time to recover a little before returning to work on Thursday.

However, it has been worth it - this has been a most amazing and fascinating trip and one which we will never forget!

Looking forward to catching up with many of you when we get home,

Lots of love

Carol & John xxxx

P.S. Our final Peking Duck dinner - Hong Kong style!!

Ode to Jacky!

2007-10-06T13:49:00.000-07:00

ODE TO JACKY

by Laine Marshall

5th october 2007

Oh, what a holiday we have had in China -we've had such a good time

Especially with you, Jacky, as our guide - everything was just fine.

Such a small group of us - you thought you would have an easy job

But, unfortunately, you got the short straw - the rebellious, naughty mob!

From Scotland there was Catherine & Ken and Ann & Ronnie

Scots are renown for their kindness, whiskey and control of money!

Brian & Mary represented us with their ball-room dancing - they were ace.......

And John, with his quiet, subtle humour coupled with Carol, the lens in front of the face!

Sandy & Brian helped us all out with snippets of information we missed from the guide

And on Pat & Jim, Bill & Jane, for the beer drinking, fun and laughter we relied.

It is without doubt that we have seen many wondrous sights

And learned much about your way of life,

But one question remains unanswered about you

In the future will you take a wife?

I'm sure you will - with your good looks, wit, charm and prowess

With an invitation we could all return to wish you 'double happiness'!

The memories we will all take home about China and its culture

Will remain for a long time

But one particular memory will be of you when we hear the song

'You are my sunshine'.

So it is our thanks to you - remember us when you take the next group to the bar

From Pete & Laine and the rest of the naughty group -

Thanks, goodbye and......ding, ding, ding, ding hao!!!!!

Our final day in China!

2007-10-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

Friday 5th October

Today was our last day in China - 10 members of our party would be leaving to return to the UK the next morning whilst 6 of us flew to Hong Kong for another 3 nights. However, there was still plenty to do and see. We checked out of our hotel in Beijing after breakfast and drove to the Forbidden City. It was still raining and we felt sorry for other tour groups staying at the hotel who were off to climb the Great Wall today! We had a photo taken of us under the 'hugging tree' - a must for lovers we were told!!

The Forbidden City was, until the last century, the seat of China's Emperors. The Last Emperor (see last film of that name) had 999½ rooms built which housed 3000 concubines. Why 999½ you ask? Well, apparently his father had 1000 rooms and, as his heir, he was not allowed to have as many as his father, so.......999½!!! We spent a couple of hours walking around this amazing city with Sally giving us interesting snippets of information.

Then it was off to the airport for our flight back to Shanghai where we were to spend our final night in China. As we would be arriving in Shanghai in time for the Friday night rush hour again (as on our arrival from the UK) and because we didn't want to have to sit in traffic for 3 hours again, we asked Jacky if it would be possible to arrange tickets for the MagLev train to take us from the airport to the centre of the city. This magnetic levitation train is another 'must do' in Shanghai and reaches a speed of 430km per hour taking only 7½ minutes to complete this journey. We were delighted that he was able to get us tickets - a real bargain at 40 Yuan (less than £3) each for a single and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of accelerating to such a speed - amazing. On the journey Jacky also told us that he had phoned ahead to the hotel and asked for us all to be upgraded as it was our last night in China and when we arrived in our rooms we weren't disappointed - we all had 6ft beds and most of us had suites as well - what a treat! Thank you Jacky!

And so it was with heavy hearts we all met up for our final meal together - Jacky was leaving us tonight as he had Saturday off to be best man at his friend's wedding. After 2 weeks together we all felt like a family and it was sad to say 'goodbye'. We all exchanged email addresses so we can share our photos and sat in the bar 'til late reliving all our experiences. Laine had written a poem for Jacky on behalf of us all which you can read in a separate blog along with photos of everyone - it says it all.......

Beijing and the Great Wall

2007-10-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

Thursday 4th October

Another early start again today to ensure we avoided the worst of the traffic 'en route' for the Great Wall, which stretches for 6000 kilometres and dates back to the Ming period. We were glad that it was a warm, sunny day (around 22 degrees) as it had been raining the day before we arrived - not good climbing conditions. Sally, our guide, informed us that tourists were allowed to climb the Wall at different points but that we were going to the most difficult and demanding of them all - at Juyuonguan Pass! Here the Wall rises very steeply to 880 metres with stone steps (of varying depth & height - from about 10-45cms) stretching upward through various stages to the fifth one at the top. Because of the steeply curving angle of the Wall we couldn't actually see our destination until we reached the 4th stage - the photo on the right shows the Wall up to the 2nd stage (you can just see the 4th stage in the distance) ....

We were given 2 hours to get to the top and back down again and Carol was very proud to be one of the five of our group who made it all the way (even though she was 15 minutes late back to the coach). The views at the top were amazing although it was still rather hazy - as you can see from the photos! Thanks to Brian who waited to walk back down with her - John had got side-tracked with an Australian woman - typical(!) who pointed out that, the apparent Chinese fascination with his feet was nothing to do with their size but because they were covered in freckles! Anyway, Carol was delighted to have made it and had a small brass plaque engraved with her name and the date as a keepsake. This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for her even though her knees ached for days afterwards.

After our exhausting but exhilarating morning we stopped off at a Cloisonne factory where we were shown how they make this enamelware - first introduced into China during the Yuan dynasty. First, a base is made of bronze or copper (usually a vase) and then thin copper wires are glued over the surface to produce a network of tiny cells. Into each of these cells mineral paints of different hues are introduced by means of a dropper. Once dry, the article is fired, the process is repeated then burnished. Carol quite liked some of the final products but John shared the view of many that this technique produces somewhat tacky, gaudy results.....

We had a very nice lunch at the factory, however, before heading for the famous Summer Palace and the longest corridor in the world (see below). By now it was raining again so, what should have been a rather pleasant stroll through this beautiful park of lakeside pagodas became a bit of a washout. We decided to take one of the dragon boats back across the lake to the bridge of seventeen arches but got very wet waiting to board.

We were glad to make our way back to the coach and on to our hotel passing by the new Bird's Nest Stadium and the rest of the Olympic 2008 village still under construction.

Tonight we were treated to a traditional Peking Duck Dinner at a local restaurant - a fitting end to another exciting day!

Xi-an to Beijing

2007-10-05T06:25:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 3rd October

Before leaving Xi-an this morning we paid a visit to the old city walls. We drove on the new road over the moat but could see the old drawbridge. The walls are completely intact and very impressive going on for miles with the walkway on the top of the walls wide enough for two coaches to pass each other. There were bicycles for hire but, as we only had a short time to walk around, we made do with taking photos.

As it was the middle of the national holiday week the inner courtyard was set up with a stage ready for some historical drama and music. We managed to persuade one of the guards in Qing (pronounced 'Ching') Dynasty costume to have his photograph taken with us! It was also fascinating watching the locals in the square below doing sequence dancing and Tai Chi - this is a common occurrence in the big cities with many people, young and old, stopping off on their way to and from work to share in this pastime - a great way to keep fit!

Then it was off to the airport for our internal flight to Beijing - the capital of China. All our internal transfers were organised very efficiently by Jacky, our guide and today was no exception - we were provided with a packed lunch (as well as getting a meal on the plane during the 2½ hour flight) and check-in was managed on our behalf - oh, to have someone like Jacky with us every time we travel!

Anyway, there was no time to waste when we eventually arrived in Beijing. We were promptly introduced to our new local guide, Sally, who whisked us off to our first port of call in Beijing - the Temple of Heaven (see right). An impressive example of Ming architecture, this was where the Emperors staged sacrificial rituals to ensure good harvests.

From here we were taken, late afternoon, to Tiannanmen Square. Teeming with thousands of people this vast square sits in the centre of many buildings of historical note including Chairman Mao's Mausoleum, The Great Hall of the People, the Hall of Chinese History and the Memorial to the Patriots. Portraits of Chairman Mao at one end of the square and Dr Sun Yat-Sen at the other dominate and with hundreds of soldiers marching and on guard there was quite an atmosphere.

We were disappointed not to get photos of the magnificent fountain in the centre of the main square but, just as we arrived it stopped! However, we did get to see it illuminated later in the evening on our 'Beijing By Night' tour. We were encouraged by Sally & Jacky to have a souvenir group photo taken here although none of us were at our best having been on the go since early and desperately looking forward to checking in at our hotel! The photo has come out remarkably well considering!

So ... it was onto our 5* hotel (actually this was the worst hotel we stayed in for the whole tour with poor service and the bar closed for the whole week because of the national holiday!) Another quick shower and change before dinner then back onto the coach as most of us, despite our exhaustion, didn't want to miss out on Beijing by night. Probably, because we were all so tired, this wasn't the best experience but we did enjoy our rickshaw ride through the streets of the old town (I guess this is something you have to do when you're in Beijing!)

We were also taken to meet a family in the Hu-ton district - despite their apparently basic accommodation they had all the 'mod cons' including washing machine, large screen TV, video & DVD, computer, etc. The families who live here are all inter-related and have turned down offers of millions of pounds from Western developers (as this is such a prime site in the centre of Beijing) as they do not want their way of life to change.

We wound our weary way back to our hotel through the illuminated streets of Beijing passing Tiannanmen Square with it's beautiful fountain (the photo's not great as it had to be taken through the coach window at speed!!) We fell into bed exhausted but looking forward to our visit to the Great Wall tomorrow.

Xi-an and the Terracotta Warriors

2007-10-03T12:39:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 2nd October

Another early start after breakfast at 7am ready for a full day of sight-seeing. This morning we visited the famous Terracotta Army, built in 250BC to guard an imperial tomb and comprising thousands of full-size hand-carved soldiers, chariots and horses. This vast army took 40 years to complete and stretches for several kilometres, however, not long after the Emperor's death there was a peasant revolt and the tombs were attacked resulting in the destruction of many of these terracotta mannequins. The site wasn't discovered until 1974 by some farmers digging a well - they'd previously been discovered in the 1930s but local people had kept the find secret for fear of grave desecration charges. The warriors are displayed in 3 large halls built over the excavation pits - the first hall is probably the most impressive with hundreds of soldiers and horses lined up in rows - each one has been painstakingly put back together piece by piece and there is still much work to be done.

During our guided tour here Carol had problems with her newly purchased 2GB memory card and managed to delete all the photos taken that morning (fortunately there were no other pics stored on this memory card much to her relief) so we had to go back to the first hall and retake all the photos - fortunately there was just enough time to do this. The said memory card proved to be faulty and despite it's claim to be 2GB (and being recognised by the camera as such) would only hold 45 pics so Carol's celebrated bargain turned out to be a rather expensive rip-off. Fortunately we had our other camera with us and were able to take pics for the rest of the day, until we could get back to the hotel and buy an authentic replacement.

After an enjoyable buffet lunch we visited a jade factory (very beautiful but also very expensive so no purchases again!) before making our way back toward the centre of Xi-an to visit the Wild Goose Pagoda. Built in 600AD, this revered Buddhist pagoda has been restored and some of us climbed the 15 floors to the top (more steps) - the winding staircase became narrower and narrower and the ceiling lower as we approached the top until we eventually hauled ourselves through a trap-door to reach daylight and the open roof with some fantastic views over Xi-an. We weren't quite sure if the rocking feeling we experienced was due to the after-effects of being on the cruise ship for 8 nights or if the building was actually swaying in the wind! The sound of Tang Dynasty-style music drifted up from the park below as a local group in appropriate costume and with traditional Chinese instruments, entertained the tourists.

On our return to the coach offered to take a group photo for 3 young Chinese girls and one of them insisted that he get in the picture too......

We were given an unusually long time to get ready for our evening meal (nearly 2 hours) so time to rest those weary feet and put some ice on the swollen ankles (in Carol's case) before meeting in the hotel lobby for a night to remember at the Tang Dynasty Music Show and Dinner.

Two members of our party celebrated their birthdays while we were in Xi-an - Jim on Monday and Bill on Tuesday- and tonight was a fitting celebration which was much enjoyed by the "longevity stars" and the rest of us (the Chinese really celebrate age and Jacky encouraged us to revere Jim and Bill in this way). The costumes, music, choreography and food were excellent. A souvenir programme & menu was also included and we opted to buy the show DVD in a presentation case for only 150 Yuan (£10) - a bargain and a great way to remember this wonderful evening. Here are just a few pics to whet your appetite........

Chongqing City

2007-10-01T23:01:00.000-07:00

Monday 1st October

Today we sadly disembarked the Victoria Prince at 7.30am .....

.... last night we said our goodbyes to our table waiters - Justin and Cherry - at the Captain's Farewell Banquet and enjoyed some traditional Chinese music and dancing ......

We cruised into Chongqing harbour quite late with it's impressive buildings all lit up against the night sky - quite a show.

We enjoyed standing out on deck sipping wine and absorbing all the sights and sounds as we docked in the largest city in China (33 million people live here - more than half of the total population of the UK!)

Having left the boat, this morning we headed for Chongqing Old Town where the rickety, run-down, slum-like buildings contrasted with the back-drop of tall skyscrapers and modern roads and bridges - here our local guide was keen to show us the contrast between the modern, westernised city and the 'old' China.

We found ourselves walking down a steep cobbled path amongst the poverty-stricken houses and businesses - barber shops, funeral parlours, shoe-shine and pedicure stands (performed by the same person!), interspersed with market stalls and washing hanging out to dry across the street (see below). It's impossible to do justice to describing the smells, sights and sounds we experienced here but we'll try and give you a bit of a picture and we took lots of photos which we will post later ( the local people were quite happy to have their photos taken and often posed for us)...

The locals seem to do all their activities on the pavement/roadside including washing, ironing and cooking - we saw large quantities of rice, noodles, breads and pastries being prepared on cast iron stoves and one young girl washing her hair over a drain (using Pantene shampoo!!)

Mothers carrying their babies in baskets on their backs (you don't see many pushchairs in China) and locals carrying their wares in 2 baskets tied to a large bamboo canes across their backs, mingled with the crowds shopping in the market area.

You could buy anything from fresh fruit and veg, 'fresh' meats (not something we would want to try as the joints were sat out in the heat and handled by numerous possible purchasers before eventually being sold - not to mention the flies!), live eels (swimming around in large plastic bowls and often jumping out onto the pavement!), frogs, snakes, chicken, rabbits, ducks, etc.

Our next stop was a visit to Chongqing Zoo and one of the highlights of the tour the wonderful pandas. Our guide told us that there were 2 adult pandas here and a 1 year old baby which we might or might not see - we timed it just right and arrived at the enclosure as the baby panda was having some exercise - unfortunately it's twin had been rejected by the mother at birth and had died and a few weeks old despite attempts to hand-rear it. However, we were delighted spend a few minutes watching the surviving baby rolling on his back and looking rather like a giant toy panda rather than the real thing - they really are amazing creatures!

We would have liked to visit the Panda Research Base in Chengdu but were unable to fit this into our itinerary, however, we were told that they have little success with hand-rearing pandas and attempts to release into the wild are usually unsuccessful as they are still illegally hunted and killed. We then went on to watch the 2 adult pandas, eating bamboo, scratching and preening themselves - it was particularly funny when one of them spent some time rubbing his back up against a wall - we took lots of video footage here and lots of pics.

Our visit to the zoo was rather marred, however, when we saw the poor state of the tigers and the mountain bears in the other enclosures - such a contrast to the clearly well-cared-for pandas. We were told by our guide that she wouldn't show us other enclosures as Westerners were often disturbed by the conditions that the animals were kept in and these were worse than the tigers and bears!

As our flight to Xi-An (pronounced She-An) wasn't until 5pm we had the opportunity to unwind and relax with a foot massage and jasmine tea. We both opted for this and what an experience it was! Unlike the foot massage Carol had had on board ship this wasn't just our feet but a whole body massage for 100 Yuan (approx 6 pounds 50 pence) and lasted for 1 and a half hours - we were ushered into a room with 4 couches so 2 couples to a room. Starting with a head massage we were prodded and pummelled to within an inch of our lives, had hot coals rubbed over our whole bodies (absolute bliss!) - the masseurs were young guys and girls - guys for ladies and girls for the gentlemen - all above board as couples were on beds next to each other and, apart from shoes and socks, no clothes were removed! Carol managed to doze off during one of the more relaxing parts of the process and we both came off the couches feeling like we were walking on air.

Then we were whisked off to the air-port for our transfer to Xi-An - the ancient capital of China and some more sightseeing - see next instalment...

Feng Du

2007-09-29T23:49:00.000-07:00

Sunday 30th September...

This is sadly the last day of our Yangtze River cruise and we arrived at Feng Du, located on the northern bank of the river, 176km downstream from Chongqing (pronounced Chon Chin). This 'small' city has a population of 760,000 and is known as "Ghost City" dating back to the Eastern Han Dynasty when 2 officials from the imperial court, Wang Fang Ping and Ying Chang Sheng, became bored with the political life in court and came to Mt. Minshan outside Fengdu city to practice Taoist teachings. Their surnames combined together sound very much like "king of hell" in Chinese so people began to call Fengdu the "Ghost City". Taoist teaching on hell and final judgement replicates the social structure and bureaucracy of the real world but basically rewards those who are pure of spirit and subjects those who are sinful to severe punishments - a religion full of fear and superstition where immortality can only be achieved by "self-cultivation". What a contrast to God's grace and forgiveness found in our Christian faith?

Although China is a socialist country many of the people still practice their Buddhist/Taoist traditional beliefs and we have been asked to pray for good weather by our guides on more than one occasion!

Anyway, today was our first really sunny day and quite hot. We thought we would have to take all the 600 steps to the top of the mountain so were relieved to find that we could take a chair-lift to just above the half-way point.

The views across the Yangtze to the city of Feng Du itself were fantastic as we ascended and only got better as we approached the top and some beautiful pagoda temples.

We managed to get another 2GB of memory here (cheaper than the UK) and Carol bartered for traditional Chinese conical hat - only 80 Yuan (5 pounds 40 pence). John had already purchased an Emperor's hat with the traditional black plait hanging down the back (he's very excited to have some hair at last!) so we're all kitted out for a Chinese fancy-dress now - just need our pyjamas and a party to go to!!

So ... we have this afternoon at our leisure to pack and get ready for tonight's Captain's Farewell Dinner followed by some traditional music. This 8 days has gone so quickly but we have enjoyed every minute, made even more special by the lovely people we've met and shared our experiences with. We disembark tomorrow after breakfast at Chongqing. We are looking forward to a tour of the city and visit to the city zoo - where hopefully we will see some pandas - before our evening flight to Xian and the Terracotta Warriors.

Our itinerary is pretty full for the next few days so our next update may be delayed until we get to Beijing - will speak as soon as we can. It's been good to hear from a few of you and would love to get your emails, however short if you have time.

Love to you all,

Carol & John xx

Wu and Qutang Gorges

2007-09-29T22:55:00.000-07:00

Saturday 29th September ...

Today we passed through the second and third of the Three Gorges - Wu Gorge and Qutang Gorge.

Wu (or Witches) Gorge is said to be the most beautiful of the Three Gorges and is the home of the 12 famous peaks including "Goddess Peak". We entered Wu Gorge mid-morning and our river guide, Michael, was on hand to give us a detailed commentary as we stood on the decks of the Victoria Prince and viewed the fantastic scenery with cloud-encircled peaks, said to embody supernatural spirits. Still rather hazy/misty but brighter than yesterday and very atmospheric.

After an early lunch we disembarked at Wushan for a smaller ferry, complete with pagoda style roof, to enter the Lesser Three Gorges on the Daning River.

Wushan itself is quite a small town (about the size of East Grinstead with a population of 30,000) so very small compared with the large cities we are visiting on this trip (Shanghai has a population of approx. 18 million and Chongqing 30 million). The town is situated at the confluence of the Yangtze and Daning Rivers.

We spent about one and a half hours winding our way through these beautiful lesser gorges - the water is strikingly clear and green here compared to the muddy, turgid waters of the Yangtze and the river is much narrower (hence the smaller boat). The flooding as a result of the Dam (to date) has meant that the landscape has changed dramatically in the last few years - the bridge which once stood high above the mouth of the Daning River is now semi-submerged and will eventually be demolished once the new bridge further down-stream is finished.

The first and most dramatic Lesser Gorge is known as Dragon Gate Gorge - the river here is only 10-30m wide with the cliffs soaring to 800-1000m on each side. The three gorges are separated by terraced fields - everything is very lush and green and many crops are grown including green beans (I've never tasted such delicious beans), egg-plants, cotton, wheat and tea.

The second Lesser Gorge is Misty Gorge (because it tends to be misty!) where we were shown one of the famous "hanging coffins" suspended high up on the cliff-face - a relic left from the Ba people who inhabited the gorge 3,500-1,800 years ago who believed that the higher up the dead body was 'buried' the more important that person was and the nearer to heaven - no-one knows how they managed to get the coffins up to seemingly inaccessible areas on the cliff-side!

Emerald Gorge is the third of the Lesser Gorges and is covered with bamboo groves and foliage and, having seen a few monkeys swinging from the trees or clinging to the rock-face on our way, we were pleased to see a whole colony of monkeys playing on the bank on our return journey.

Having navigated the Lesser Gorges we then transferred to Sampans to enter the Mini Gorges - much, much smaller and a lovely experience with a traditional pipe player and a local Chinese folk group performing to us as we passed by.

We returned to our cruise boat after 4 hours, then sailed onto Qutang - the final of the Three Gorges. We were all exhausted but exhilarated - definitely Carol's favourite day of our trip so far!

The crew put on an excellent and very colourful display of traditional Chinese dancing after dinner and we couldn't refuse when they encouraged us to join in (despite the aching legs from standing most of the day). A great end to a wonderful day.

Gezhouba Dam & the Three Gorges Dam Project

2007-09-28T01:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posting the next few instalments but Internet access has been almost non-existent and our itinerary hasn't allowed much time for blogging!

Here are a few pics from the cruise fashion show on Thursday night, as promised - our guide, Jacky, had a guest spot, joining in a modern number with some of the cruise ship staff and causing quite a stir!!

Friday 28th September...

This was a fascinating day having eventually reached the stunning scenery we had been promised at the start of this trip. We were woken early morning with a thunderstorm - lots of thunder and lightening - which didn't bode well for the day ahead as far as the weather was concerned!

After an 8am breakfast we headed for the bar area to learn how to play Mahjong - a little like Rummy but with domino-like tiles. Carol had also booked a Chinese foot massage for 9.30am as her feet are still swollen following the flight - a little irritating as she can't wear some of her shoes! Well, it certainly did some good and she was finished in time to witness our approach and progress through the lock gates at the Gezhouba Dam.

It had moreorless stopped raining by now but a lot cooler today with lots of low cloud which has limited visibility and will mean that any photos aren't as good as we'd hoped. Everyone was up on deck for the hour or so it took us to get through the dam then we approached our first gorge - Xiling Gorge - very beautiful and atmospheric - despite the poor visibility we took lots of pics and hope that some will be worth saving.

Following an early lunch we disembarked for an afternoon visit to the Three Gorges Dam Project "the largest water conservancy project ever undertaken by human being" (according to the Chinese blurb!) The construction of the dam began in 1994 and is due to be completed in 2009 - at it's peak the project employed 28,000 locals; now only 5,000 remain to finish the work. For those of you interested in these sorts of things the Three Gorges Dam is 2,335m long, 185m high, 18m wide on top and 130 m wide at the bottom and will eventually raise the river water level to 175m above sea level creating a 600km long reservoir with a storage capacity of 39.9 billion cubic metres. By 2009, a total of 570,000 acres of farmland and villages in 19 counties and cities will have been flooded, resulting in the relocation of 1.5 million people. (We saw evidence of this mass relocation with large relocation towns being built all along the river gorges from the Dam site onward.)

The Chinese really know how to make the most of their achievements and we enjoyed a guided tour of the project, including the model version, with excellent views despite the rain and mist! Alongside the Dam is the five-step lock which we later passed through on our way up river - only 4 locks are currently operating so we had to go through the same process as at the Gezhouba Dam but 4 times over - it took us just under 2 and a half hours to reach the top and the second half of the Xiling Gorge. It was particularly fascinating going through these massive locks (a little different from the small locks we know on English canals!) alongside 2 other cruise boats - apparently they can get up to 6 small cruise boats in one lock at any one time so only 3 meant we had plenty of room!! We found ourselves going through the locks alongside a much smaller Chinese cruise boat (much like the "Chinese laundry" we mentioned earlier) - this provided great entertainment value for the Chinese as much as us - we were all taking photos of each other and the Chinese were keen to try out their limited English on us and reach out and hold our hands where possible.

One of our party, Mary, became quite a celebrity -having shaken hands with one Chinese man he then called his friends and family members to join in and take photos! We were also rather surprised to see two of the passengers with fishing rods over the side of the boat - presumably trying to catch some fish for their dinner (inside a lock!!?) - a great photo shot!

Quite an eventful day and John's favourite so far!

Cruising up the Yangtze River

2007-09-27T02:11:00.000-07:00

Today, Thursday, it is already a week since we left the UK & the time has gone really quickly.

"Coming into harbour at Wuhan alongside a brightly lit up river boat"

After cruising all day yesterday we eventually arrived in Wuhan at 8.30pm and were allowed 'free time' to explore on our own (as long as we signed a disclaimer form at reception!). The heat and humidity hit us as we left the ship and we were very glad we hadn't arrived earlier when the sun was out in force. As with all the cities we've visited so far, Wuhan, is a city of contrasts. We walked along the port-side with run-down bars and seedy looking characters sitting on the pavement - the smell of raw fish, from what we assumed was the local fish market, was quite overwhelming and we were not quite sure whether the pavement was wet with water or something else!

However, after about 300-400m we turned the corner and could quite easily have been in London's West End - modern Western shops with numerous neon signs (the Chinese seem to love these) and people everywhere all dressed western-style.

Shopping for souvenirs was high on every one's list as well as a trip to Wall Mart to buy some decent coffee! (There's only so much Chinese tea you can take!) One of our party had a bit of a shock in Wall Mart when a large fish (about 40cm long) jumped out of the open tank at the fishmongers and landed at her feet! The tank was full of an array of fish and other water creatures just waiting for someone to choose them for dinner - at least you can guarantee your fish is fresh!!

On our way back to the ship the contrast between East and West was again apparent with local traders/restaurateurs selling their wares on the roadside - open BBQs stood on the road itself with noodles, rice, 'fresh' (!) vegetables & meat arranged alongside. Cars, bicycles, vans, buses & mopeds weaved in & out of the vendors and the people walking in the road (as there was no room to walk on the pavement) - there are pedestrian crossings but the green man doesn't seem to mean anything so you take your life in your hands when you step off the pavement! Fortunately we had already eaten but I suspect we would have had to be very hungry to risk eating here!

We were glad to get back to the air-conditioned ship and, as is the custom on board after each trip, we were welcomed by the ship's crew with cold, wet flannels and a refreshing cup of lukewarm Chinese tea.

Today has been another full day of cruising so an opportunity to soak up the rays on the sun-deck. It remains very hazy with a warm breeze which takes the edge off the heat but less than ideal conditions for taking photos. The river widens and narrows at different points but we can always see both banks - we are slowly moving away from the industrial areas and most of the scenery today has been rural - some boat-building and lots of farming.

There have been a number of presentations/lectures on board to keep us occupied, including basic Chinese (Mandarin), traditional silk painting & silk embroidery.

We had a tour of the bridge this afternoon and were fascinated to see a number of potted Bonsai trees arranged as a garden on the deck just outside the bridge window - for the Captain I believe!

We have been keeping our eyes peeled for the almost extinct Yangtze Dolphin (although thought to be extinct they now estimate there may be as many as 60-200 left in the wild). Some of our party spotted some finless porpoises yesterday which are more common although still under threat. However, if you look at the colour of the river water (brown & muddy) it's amazing that any living creature could survive in it. However, we are assured by our guide that the colour is due to the high mineral content!

After dinner tonight the crew are putting on a Chinese fashion show which promises to be a colourful affair and another photo opportunity.

We're also looking forward to reaching the Three Gorge Dam tomorrow and will tell you all about that next time!

Signing off for now - lots of love from us both,

Carol & John xx

Nanjing to Wuhan

2007-09-25T22:56:00.000-07:00

Hi again

We've now been cruising on the Yangtze River for 4 days and, at last, have a day at leisure on board to catch up with some sleep and update the blog.

The tour so far has been fascinating but extremely hectic. The Chinese are VERY organised and timetables are adhered to rigidly - woe betide you if you're late!

It's been good to have a lay-in this morning (we were very naughty and missed breakfast at 8am - it was commented on by the table waiting staff at least twice when we went to lunch at 12 midday!) - Carol has rather a dodgy stomach so it was probably wise! We have our own balcony so are able to sit out in privacy and watch the world go by - it's very hot and humid but still rather overcast and hazy. The river itself is very busy - lots of commercial traffic and always something to see. Yesterday we docked alongside a Chinese tourist boat - it was an 'interesting' experience walking through this boat to get to the quay - it looked very much like a Chinese laundry - washing hung out everywhere and it looked like families were actually living on board in very poor conditions. Our guide was rather evasive when we questioned him about it. There seems to be a party-line which the guides have to adhere to and they seem to avoid any issues of controversy. We have the feeling that we are only being shown and told the things they want us to see and hear! There is an overwhelming sense that the Chinese are desperate to become and accepted as Western - they are very proud of all their achievements in the world of industry & education and most of their advertising depict western models rather than oriental.

Anyway, back to the tour itself ... on Monday (after our last entry) we had an afternoon trip to see Dr Sun Yat Sen's Mausoleum just outside Nanjing. Nanjing is the 'southern capital' of China ('nan' = south) whereas Beijing is the 'northern capital' ('bei' = north). Nanjing is a walled town built in the Eastern Han period (25-220AD) and known as "Stone City". The Mausoleum is Nanjing's most famous landmark, completed in 1929 as a memorial to the father of the Chinese Republic. It's quite impressive and it's worth climbing all 350+ steps for the views from the top!

(We took lots of photos but will post these when we get home as we suspect that it may take rather a long time to download any pics from here.)

After our visit to the Mausoleum we headed for 'downtown' Nanjing and the Fu Zi Miao Confucius Temple - more incense but less ornate than the Jade Buddha Temple. This temple was destroyed by the Japanese in the 1940s but has since been reconstructed. It is situated on the the edge of a Yangtze River tributary and after walking through a Qing-style bazaar (where we resisted the temptation to buy anything) we walked along the river, along with the many locals, soaking in the atmosphere before returning to the boat for dinner.

Our overnight cruise took us to our next stop (where we moored alongside the 'Chinese laundry' as mentioned above. We left the boat at 8am after an early breakfast for a 3 and a half hour drive to Mt. Huangshan or 'Yellow Mountain' as it is commonly known. Our journey took us through built up areas alongside the Yangtze and then on into the mountainous country-side with numerous paddy fields and tea plantations as well as beautiful lakes framed by the mountains - lots of photos taken through the coach window!

We were shown the new road which was being constructed and, we were told, was due to open in a couple of days time reducing the journey time to 1 and a half hours - just what we wanted to hear. It was another interesting experience watching our coach-driver negotiate the single track available on the main road still under construction - there were no coned off areas so traffic in both directions was taking any opportunity to get through, including driving on the newly laid concrete whilst the workman were still laying it!!

On our arrival at the foot of Yellow Mountain we were ushered into the cable car for our 10 minute ascent to the peak - we found ourselves packed in like sardines but we were fortunate enough to be near the window so were able to take a few more pics as we ascended through the cloud. We were assured that there would be sunshine at the top and were not disappointed - Hunagshan's "sea of clouds" did indeed offer some splendid views.

Mt.Huangshan's 72 peaks have greatly influenced traditional Chinese landscape painting and UNESCO have named it as an area of world historical and cultural protection. It's strange rock formations with pine trees growing out of every crevice have been given a variety of inspiring names by the local Chinese including "Monkey gazing at the sea" and "Squirrel leaping up to the peak". Apparently glimpses of human figures are also reflected in the clouds called the "Buddha Reflection" but we didn't see this.

We had a traditional Chinese lunch in one of the peak hotels before being taken up to see the amazing views - the chained fence was covered in thousands of engraved padlocks attached by couples over the years in order to secure and symbolise their everlasting love - however, the views were enough for us - they were breath-taking!

Carol slept on the return journey - John isn't quite sure how as our driver was determined to get back to the boat in record time, hurtling down the mountain roads at breakneck speed he managed it in 2 hours 25 minutes (and that was with a stop for petrol too)! Another quick change for dinner and then we spent the evening with the others in our tour party - firstly out on deck admiring the moon as it was the Chinese Autumn Moon Festival (we'd had moon cakes at dinner) then some more Karaoke but this time with our Chinese guide taking the floor with other members of the boat staff singing some traditional Chinese love songs. Jacky, our guide, had been singing "You are my sunshine" whilst we were in Shanghai so we all got up on the floor and sang it with him as a finale, much to his amusement. Then off to bed exhausted but having had another eventful day!

So tonight we dock at Wuhan and looking forward to exploring the town and doing some shopping after dinner. Off up on deck now to watch the passing scenery and take some more pics - have already got through 1GB of memory so hoping that the remaining 2GB will last the trip.

I understand that our blog entries are getting through but as we can't view the blog from this end any feedback would be great - so if you have been able to access the blog please add any comments or email us at: wedonttalk@yahoo.co.uk (please note different email address set up for this trip).

Lots of love from us both,

Carol & John xx

The Yangtze River Cruise

2007-09-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

Well - it looks like the test worked and that yesterday's blog did get saved after all! It's been interesting trying to navigate the blog pages in Chinese(!!) but it looks like we've now worked out how to access the English version - up to now there's been a lot of guess-work involved when clicking on icons! Anyway, we hope you've enjoyed reading the blog so far and will do our best to keep it up-to-date - Internet access permitting - it's very slow on the boat (it's taken me about 40 mins to get this far today) to the extent that we were advised to bring a good book to read if logging on!!

Back to the Yangtze - when I signed off yesterday we were just leaving the hotel in Shanghai. Before boarding the Victoria Prince (more of this later) late afternoon we visited the Jade Buddha Temple and a silk factory.

The over-whelming aroma of incense greeted us as we entered the main courtyard of the temple (above) - visitors/Buddhist pilgrims were encouraged to buy and burn large handfuls of incense so the air was quite acrid. The outer shrines were very lavish with giant golden smiling Buddhas flanked by numerous rather ugly looking gods. Fresh flowers, fruit and mineral water was laid out before each Buddha (harvest festival-style) and there was one elderly lady chanting loudly, totally oblivious to us tourists. The temple is still inhabited by a number of Buddhist monks and we saw a few of them in their saffron robes as we wandered around, including one with a mobile phone!!

After visiting the two outer shrines we were taken up several flights of stairs to see the beautiful Jade Buddha. I had always imagined that jade was green but, as we learnt at the Shanghai museum, jade comes in a variety of hues from white to grey to pink to green - depending on the mineral content. The jade Buddha is a rather beautiful translucent white and looks very serene - not the rather old, fat sitting Buddha I was expecting but a young slim boy. The roof of the shrine was decorated with hundreds of miniature gold Buddhas each representing someone who had donated money to the building of the shrine (I guess a bit like a named brick or stone in the building of a church or cathedral in the UK). After viewing a much larger reclining female Buddha made from marble (the reclining posture means that they have reached enlightenment and she had a very smug expression on her face) we were taken through into the tea-rooms where we were shown how to make Chinese tea and given the opportunity to taste a number of herbal teas - there were 10 in all, all with different properties, some for sleeplessness, one for losing weight (my favourite), one for headaches, etc. - some were bitter, some sweet and some pretty tasteless but an interesting experience.

On leaving the temple we stopped off at the silk factory where we were given a short tour and explanation of the silk-making process - up to 1.6km of silk thread (in one length) can be obtained from just one silk-worm - fascinating!! We were also shown how they make silk duvets - they were very cheap and lightweight but we managed to resist the temptation to buy one.

Then it was off to Shanghai port to board our cruise boat - the Victoria Prince -

...... we were welcomed on board by a small brass band and given the usual cup of Chinese tea before being dispatched to our cabins to unpack and get ready for the welcome meeting and an early buffet dinner.

Our tour group were allocated two circular tables of eight for dinner and all future meals on board and we are beginning to get to know the rest of group pretty well. A few of us went up on deck after dinner until it started to rain when we decamped to the bar to continue discussing our memories of the trip so far and finding out more about each other. It's karaoke tonight so we had a lot of fun thinking about who we might impersonate and what we were going to sing ... will fill you in on that tomorrow!

As you may have guessed we have some free time this morning but have an early lunch at 11.30am before arriving in Nanjing where we will disembark the boat for a shore excursion to visit the final resting place and memorial to the person responsible for the last emperor in China. There are 392 steps to climb to the top of the mausoleum so we have been advised to wear comfortable shoes!! If time allows we will also get a chance to visit the Qing (pronounced Ching)Dynasty style bazaar so more shopping (sorry John!)

It's the Captain's Welcome Dinner tonight so hopefully we'll have enough time to get glammed up (well me anyway!) as it's a bit more formal than usual.

Hope to catch up again soon,

Lots of love

Carol & John xxx

2007-09-22T19:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

At last have managed to find time to make an entry on this blog - didn't think we were going to manage it as our first attempts kept bringing up the blog pages in Chinese - however, the kind lady in the hotel business centre has now shown me which button to press and here I am.

The last few days since leaving the UK have been rather hectic - we got to the airport really early to avoid any delays on the M25 and managed to check-in and get through security relatively smoothly. The flight left on time and was uneventful - we had been a little worried when we heard that Shanghai had been hit by a typhoon earlier in the week but all had calmed down by the time we arrived. Having said that we arrived to heavy skies and rain ( a bit like home only warmer!) which have remained throughout our stay in Shanghai.

The Friday night rush hour traffic in Shanghai is much like the M25 which meant that the 50km drive from the airport to the hotel took us much longer than anticipated so we had to have dinner as soon as we arrived - we were all a bit smelly and tired after an 11 hour flight and 3 hours getting to the hotel but, as our luggage was coming separately and hadn't arrived by the time we got to the hotel we were just glad of something to eat. Not the best way to met new friends but we were all in the same boat so made the best of it.There are 16 of us on the Magic of the Yangtze tour - all couples from various places in the UK and all older than us!!

After a good night's sleep we were woken by an early morning call at 7am (12 midnight UK time - we're 7 hours ahead) and, after breakfast, headed off for our full day tour of the city of Shanghai at 8.30am. we had driven through the centre of the city the night before with all the tall buildings lit up - an amazing sight - and were really pleased to be on the 32nd floor of the hotel with amazing views over the city. Just as well we got a few pics early on as the heavy low cloud set in more as the day went on and the tops of the buildings were soon hidden from view.

Anyway, back to our first day in Shanghai, which means "up to the sea" according to our national guide, 'Jacky' Chan who is 25 and " very handsome" (in his own words). Our first stop was the private Yu Garden in Old Shanghai.

This garden was developed by a high official in the local government for his aged parents and demonstrates how to combine the 'yin' and 'yang' of formal planting and architecture to create a sublime oasis in the middle of the bustling city. A beautiful and very restful place set amidst the delightful but hectic Old Town with it's myriad of shops selling local goods - the local knife shop looked particularly interesting/worrying with small blades to meat cleavers available for purchase! There was a delightful couple of elderly Chinese ladies singing and dancing and colourful red paper lanterns strewn across the beautiful zig-zag bridge towards the garden.

Our meeting point was Starbucks where the coffee was three times the price of the brollies we bought (see below) - an interesting contrast between east and west!

On route to our next stop Jacky waxed lyrical about the Chinese Family Planning policy ( those of you at the PCT may particularly be interested in this ... only one child per family or you are fined approx 6000 pounds and the child is regarded as illegal so you have to pay for all education and health needs. there are, however, a few exceptions - if you have a girl first you are allowed a second chance and if you come from one of the 8% ethnic minority groups )Tibetan/Mongolian) the government encourage you to have more children to redress the balance!

[As it was raining were inundated with offers of umbrellas and managed to purchase 2 for 3 US dollars (approx 75p each) which kept us and the camera dry - we persuaded the two young girls who sold then to us to have their pictures taken after much hiding behind the counter and giggling! We successfully fended off the many vendors selling 'Omega' and 'Rolex' watches on the way to and from the coach, although one of our party was very tempted when, a clearly exhausted young man offered him three watches for 100 Yuan ( approx. 7 pounds - sorry no pound sign on keyboard!!)]

Anyway next stop was the South China Pearl Company where John threatened to stay on the coach with the credit card . However, I did persuade him to come and listen to the fascinating explanation about the culture of pearls in the South China Seas and was delighted to be able to make my first real purchase of some rice pearls which I had specially hand-made into a twisted necklace of 6 strands of varying colours for less than 20 pounds - a bargain I think. John was taken in by our lovely Shangaiese sales assistant who thought he was a true gentleman!

Lunch was buffet-style at a local Government run restaurant - very tasty - it was fascinating to watch the locals on the street below (through the window) on their bikes with trolleys carrying children's cots, beds and even grandmas(!), cruising the slow lanes whilst an endless stream of slow-moving traffic passed in lanes 2, 3 & 4.

We spent most of the afternoon at Shanghai museum with well-organised displays of bronze, sculptures (lots of buddhas), ceramics, furniture and jade and we were provided with individual audio handsets so we could browse in our own time.

We then attempted to take a romantic stroll along the Bund (by the river) but by this time the fog and rain had really set in so we headed back to the hotel - we hope to get another opportunity to see the Bund in sunshine when we return to Shanghai toward the end of our trip.

After a very short time time to shower & change ( I don't think Jacky understands how long it takes a woman of a certain age to get ready for dinner!) we were off to another local restaurant for dinner then onto the most amazing acrobatic show I've ever seen. This was a real treat and not to be missed should you ever come to Shanghai! No time to describe now as have to go but will try and log on again soon with a little more info about this.

Leaving Shanghai today after a visit to the local silk-making factory and the Jade Buddha. We board the Victoria Prince river boat later this afternoon for an 8-night cruise along the Yangtze and hope to update the blog most days.

This is already proving to be an amazing trip and looking forward to all that the next few weeks brings.

Speak again soon.

Lots of love

Carol & John xxx

Preview pics

2007-09-17T11:50:00.001-07:00

Chongqing Gorge

Huangshan - Yellow Mountain

Terracotta Warriors, Xian

The Great Wall

Xiling Gorge

3 days to go!

2007-09-17T11:03:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

Have eventually got around to setting up a Blog in the hope that we will get reasonable internet access on our trip. It seems to make more sense than sending loads of postcards & you'll probably get a lot more info too!

For those of you who don't already know - i.e. those of you we haven't already bored with the details(!) - we are off to China & Hong Kong for a 20 day tour this coming Thursday 20th September. Our excuse for such extravagance is so that we can mark our 25th year of being married (although I'm sure we'll be able to think up equally good excuses for future trips!)

The last few weeks have been rather hectic what with taking Charlotte back to Lincoln just before the Bank Holiday - having achieved a 1st class honours degree in International Relations and having done some voluntary work over the summer, she has decided to move back to Lincoln to live with 3 girls from church and is temping until she finds something more permanent.

The first weekend in September saw me with my car loaded up yet again taking David back to Stafford for his second year 'reading' (not much of that I think!) Music Tech with Film Production. Then last week we were back up to Lincoln again (with more stuff!) for Charlotte's graduation at Lincoln Cathedral.

So.. not had too much time to draw breath and think about what we need to pack.

Anyway we have our visas, passports, currency & traveller cheques; all vaccs are up-to-date and have got plenty of high-strength DEET for those balmy nights on the Yangtze. Just need to find the right clothes to pack - John doesn't know what all the fuss is about as he plans to pack his case on Thursday morning - who does he think does all the washing and ironing?

Really beginning to look forward to the trip now and have attached our itinerary below for those of you who are interested:

DAY 1 (Thurs 20th Sept): UK - Shanghai.Overnight flight to Shanghai.
DAY 2 (Fri 21st Sept): Arrive Shanghai.On arrival in Shanghai, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel for a two night stay. The rest of the day is yours to begin exploring this vibrant city. (D)
DAY 3 (Sat 22nd Sept): Shanghai.Sometimes known as 'Hu', Shanghai is a bustling metropolis that was once a centre for adventurers, tycoons and millionaires. Today this fast-paced city epitomises modern China and yet still offers a rich tableau for sightseers, much of which you'll experience on a full day tour. From the Jade Buddha Temple, with its superb jade buddhas, to the lively old town, exquisite Yu Yuan Gardens and fascinating Shanghai Museum, it's a wonderful introduction to this enthralling city. After dinner at a local restaurant, enjoy an acrobatic show. (B, L, D)
DAY 4 (Sun 23rd Sept): Shanghai.Enjoy a day at leisure in this cosmopolitan and exhilarating city. In the afternoon, transfer to the pier in Shanghai to join your ship, Victoria Prince, for an eight night cruise. (B, D)
DAY 5 (Mon 24th Sept): Nanjing.Arrive in Nanjing to explore this enchanting walled city, once an ancient capital of China and home to some wonderful cultural treasures. Your sights today include the Mausoleum of Dr Sun Yat-Sen, leader of the 1911 Revolution, and a captivating Qing dynasty style bazaar around the Confucius Temple area. (B, L, D)
DAY 6 (Tues 25th Sept): Huangshan.Weather permitting, today brings a visit to Huangshan, the legendary 'Yellow Mountain', one of China's greatest symbols and breathtaking for its scale and beauty. If the weather is against us, an alternative excursion to see Jiuhuashan, the Mountain of the Nine Lotuses, may be arranged. (B, L, D)
DAY 7 (Weds 26th Sept): Wuhan.Spend today on board, enjoying the ship's amenities and views of the passing landscapes before arriving this evening in Wuhan, an ancient town with a rich revolutionary history. Visit the Hubei Provincial Museum, with its fascinating collection of imperial relics or enjoy a walking tour. (B, L, D)
DAY 8 (Thurs 27th Sept): Yangtze River.Sit back and relax for a full day of Yangtze cruising today. Admire the surrounding countryside as it glides by and enjoy all the activities on board. (B, L, D)
DAY 9 (Fri 28th Sept): Three Gorges.This morning your ship sails through Gezhou Dam, the first built on the Yangtze, before travelling to the Three Gorges Dam site, one of man's most incredible and ambitious engineering schemes. Later, cruise through Xiling Gorge and the Three Gorges Dam Five Stage Ship Lock. (B, L, D)
DAY 10 (Sat 29th Sept): Wu Gorge.Enjoy an excursion to the Daning River Small Gorges with its incredible, steep-walled gorges, before passing through the magnificent, cloud encircled peaks of Wu and Qutang Gorges, said to embody supernatural spirits. (B, L, D)
DAY 11 (Sun 30th Sept): Fengdu.This morning you'll experience the remarkable 'ghost city' of Fengdu, said to be inhabited by immortals from China's underworld, and bursting with ancient shrines and temples dedicated to these 'gods'. Note: Due to high or low water levels, it may sometimes be necessary to replace your visit to Fengdu with Wanzhou, White Emperor City or Shibaozhai. (B, L, D)
DAY 12 (Mon 1st Oct): Chongqing - Xian. Arrive in Chongqing and disembark after breakfast. Enjoy a short city tour around the atmospheric old town and city zoo before taking an evening flight to Xian for a two night stay. (B, L, D)
DAY 13 (Tues 2nd Oct): Xian.Today, a full day tour to see the remarkable Terracotta Warriors, built in around 250BC to guard an Imperial Tomb and comprising thousands of full-size, hand-carved clay soldiers, chariots and horses. Later, stroll along Xian's ancient city wall before enjoying tonight's dinner at a Tang Dynasty music show. (B, L, D)
DAY 14 (Weds 3rd Oct): Xian - Beijing.After a morning visit to Xian's Wild Goose Pagoda, a revered Buddhist pagoda built around 600AD, we fly to Beijing for a two night stay. After a short tour to the Temple of Heaven, an impressive example of Ming architecture, where sacrificial rituals were staged by the Emperors to ensure good harvests, transfer to your hotel. (B, L, D)
DAY 15 (Thurs 4th Oct): Beijing.An included full day tour of the legendary Great Wall of China at the Juyuonguan Pass. Stretching 6,000 kilometres and dating back to the Ming period, this startling edifice will stay in your memory forever. Other highlights include the Summer Palace, a park of lakeside pagodas and the site of the marble boat made for the Empress Dowager Ci Xi. In the evening, enjoy a Peking duck dinner. (B, L, D)
DAY 16 (Fri 5th Oct): Beijing - Shanghai. Another fascinating day lies ahead with a sightseeing tour of Beijing. You'll visit vast Tiannanmen Square and the Forbidden City, seat of China's emperors. After lunch, take an afternoon flight to Shanghai. (B, L, D)
DAY 17 (Sat 6th Oct): Shanghai - Hong Kong. Transfer to Shanghai airport for flight to Hong Kong.
DAY 18/19 (Sun/Mon 7th/8th Oct): Staying in the Kowloon district of Hong Kong at the Eaton Hotel.
Day 20 (Tues 9th Oct): Hong Kong - UK via Shanghai. Transfer to Hong Kong airport for your return flight to the UK via Shanghai.

Will try and post a few preview pics if I can work out how.

Hope you enjoy reading this blog and that this doesn't end up being the only entry I manage to make!!

Will post all our pics on our website on our return home if you want to see what we really got up to!

Lots of love

Carol & John xx