Our China trip was a trip of a lifetime. Thank you, Viking Cruise Line and Ray, our amazing Chinese guide.
I think part of it was because we went with no expectations. Everywhere we looked we were open to surprises, adventures and wonders of the World.
We saw incredible sights, enjoyed Jerry and Laura's company, met some wonderful new travel friends, and grew to appreciate the beauty and culture of the Chinese people!
Woohoo!
Sunday, July 7, 2019
Shanghai June 10-11
We left the cruise ship and flew to Shanghai, our last stop on this memorable trip.
Shanghai is one of the largest (24 million) cities in China and one of the world's most important ports. We were told that if it says "made in China" that odds are it is made here!
Our tour group got to stay at the 5-star Shanghai Peace Hotel because we did the Tibet piece of the tour. Yay, us! This hotel was built along the river back in the 1920's and Charlie Chaplin and Field Marshal Montgomery are just a few celebrities who stayed here. It was also the site for movies including Empire of the Sun.
The Fairmont Peace hotel at night...my phone is starting to die, the photos are starting to get blurry...
The riverfront was spectacular at night. The choreographed lighting on the buildings was mesmerizing! Thousands of people walked the riverside promenades in the evening. We walked a pedestrian mall (supposedly the first one in the world) where upscale shops lined the streets.
On our last night, we were treated to dinner and a breathtaking show of the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe. There was contortion, trapeze tricks, tumbling and balancing! What a fabulous show!
We visited Yuyuan Garden, dating back to the Ming Dynasty, 5 acres of pavilions, walking paths, and grottos
We also visited the Shanghai Museum, displaying stuff from 5000 years of Chinese history
Jade:
Wuhan June 8-9
We had daily excursions (sometimes several in a day) where we went ashore and were able to visit various popular sites and markets.
many types of eggs
live fish
fermenting food in kasks
One of those sites was the fabulous Hubei Provincial Museum. This is an incredible repository of artifacts that predated Christ. One of those treasures, were ancient bells uncovered in 1978 dating to 433 BC. These 65 bronze bells were suspended on 3 frames and divided into 8 groups (heaviest musical instrument in the world).
We were treated to a bell performance (using replicas of the originals) so we could get a taste of the beautiful melodies made by these bells.
It is pretty mind blowing how so many artifacts have survived thousands of years and the lacquerware is still intact.
many types of eggs
live fish
fermenting food in kasks
One of those sites was the fabulous Hubei Provincial Museum. This is an incredible repository of artifacts that predated Christ. One of those treasures, were ancient bells uncovered in 1978 dating to 433 BC. These 65 bronze bells were suspended on 3 frames and divided into 8 groups (heaviest musical instrument in the world).
We were treated to a bell performance (using replicas of the originals) so we could get a taste of the beautiful melodies made by these bells.
It is pretty mind blowing how so many artifacts have survived thousands of years and the lacquerware is still intact.
Back onboard, we got a tour of the bridge:
Onboard School Visit June 7
We were supposed to visit a local school but it happened to be a holiday that day. Instead, a group of the school's children came to us on the ship. Viking supports 3 schools along the river and it was a unique opportunity for us to see the children sing to us in English!
Three Gorges June 6-7
We woke up to breathtaking views of the first of a series of limestone ridges known as the Three Gorges: Xiling, Wu and Qutang. We passed spectacular canyon-like walls. The views were best from the open top deck of the ship.
We embarked to a sampan boat for a leisurely excursion up a waterway. Our guide was a gal who lived in the cliffs along this tributary, so she could share firsthand what it was like to live in this beautifully remote area of the Yangtze River.
Families farmed on the hillsides and took small boats when they needed to go to the city, many miles away.
Due to periodic flooding and the destroying of entire villages, locks (looked like elevators) were needed to lower (or rise) boats based on water levels. We went through one of these locks and it took multiple hours to open to another river level. We happened to be traveling the river at the end of the dry season, so you could definitely see the flood markings along the river banks.
When those rains begin, the river is now able to handle the coming flooding rains because of the Three Gorges Dam.
We walked all over above the dam getting a bird's eye view of various elevators and the dam itself. This dam is the largest hydroelectric power station in the world. In addition to flood control, this dam produces about one-ninth of the nation's electricity. This dam also allows increased shipping to extend farther into some of China's remote areas.
We embarked to a sampan boat for a leisurely excursion up a waterway. Our guide was a gal who lived in the cliffs along this tributary, so she could share firsthand what it was like to live in this beautifully remote area of the Yangtze River.
Families farmed on the hillsides and took small boats when they needed to go to the city, many miles away.
Due to periodic flooding and the destroying of entire villages, locks (looked like elevators) were needed to lower (or rise) boats based on water levels. We went through one of these locks and it took multiple hours to open to another river level. We happened to be traveling the river at the end of the dry season, so you could definitely see the flood markings along the river banks.
When those rains begin, the river is now able to handle the coming flooding rains because of the Three Gorges Dam.
We walked all over above the dam getting a bird's eye view of various elevators and the dam itself. This dam is the largest hydroelectric power station in the world. In addition to flood control, this dam produces about one-ninth of the nation's electricity. This dam also allows increased shipping to extend farther into some of China's remote areas.
Chongqing June 4-5
We flew from Lhasa to Chongqing, which was China's capital during WWII.
Because of its strategic location along the Yangtze River, it is
China's most important inland city. It is home to 32 million people!
We hiked to the Shibaozhai Temple. It is a 12 story pagoda temple that sits on a hilltop. Incredible view of the Yangtze River from the top!
We had to cross a long suspension walkway overlooking the Yangtze in the rain to get there
Our ship in the background...
Interesting things inside, as described by our guide
This afternoon we boarded our cruise ship, The Emerald, for our travel along the most scenic part of the Yangtze River. We are so glad that we had all the big time walking on the front end of the China trip because now we can really sit back and enjoy the next 6 days "cruisin"!
We never did get around to drinking our "welcome champagne", left it for housekeeping!
We hiked to the Shibaozhai Temple. It is a 12 story pagoda temple that sits on a hilltop. Incredible view of the Yangtze River from the top!
We had to cross a long suspension walkway overlooking the Yangtze in the rain to get there
Our ship in the background...
Interesting things inside, as described by our guide
This afternoon we boarded our cruise ship, The Emerald, for our travel along the most scenic part of the Yangtze River. We are so glad that we had all the big time walking on the front end of the China trip because now we can really sit back and enjoy the next 6 days "cruisin"!
We never did get around to drinking our "welcome champagne", left it for housekeeping!
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We were supposed to visit a local school but it happened to be a holiday that day. Instead, a group of the school's children came to us ...