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1 October: We began our adventure by flying to Dallas on 29 September and spending an evening there. Then, on 30 September we left the US en route to China via a 13 hour flight to Tokyo (arriving on the afternoon of 1 October). As usual, we were treated to great wine and outstanding Japanese cuisine during the crossing of the Pacific Ocean. After landing at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, we then spent several hours in the JAL Lounge before leaving at 6:00PM for our final destination of Beijing where we arrived at 9:15PM after some 24 hours total in transit. Whew! We then took a taxi (after an attempted fare rip-off (taxi drivers are universally crooked!)) and arrived at the Crowne Plaza Airport Hotel at about 11:00PM. We quickly checked in and although the business class seats now convert into a fully flat bed, we truly enjoyed getting a night’s sleep in a REAL bed!
2 October: We enjoyed a fabulous Chinese breakfast buffet at 9:00AM which featured noodle soup, congee, dim sum, dumplings and many other delicacies. It was so good that we relaxed and ate numerous courses before returning to our room at 10:15AM. We then took the Crowne Plaza’s shuttle back to the Beijing airport. From there we took the Airport Train into Beijing. We then transferred to Subway Line 10 and, after only four stations, we exited and arrived immediately at the New World Hotel Beijing. Amazing – it took only about an hour in transit to reach the hotel. We went to the Executive Lounge and obtained our room immediately. We then relaxed for the balance of the day planning how to see various sites during our next eight days in Beijing.
3 October: After another excellent Chinese breakfast buffet featuring handmade noodles made and cooked right in front of us, we returned to the subway to begin our explorations of Beijing. The subways in Beijing are simply fabulous!! They go just about everywhere in the city and the fare is about USD$0.30 for a one way trip including all transfers. We had planned to begin with Tian’anmen Square but quickly changed our minds due to the unbelievable hoards of Chinese tourists planning to do the same. Two huge holidays - National Holiday (1 October) and Mid-Autumn Festival (1 October – 8 October) – resulted in both Beijing locals and individuals from outside Beijing visiting sites here to celebrate.
So, we choose instead to visit Lama Temple, a complex of numerous buildings forming the largest Buddhist temple in Beijing. It was an incredibly beautiful place and it features a 26 meter tall Buddha carved from a single white sandalwood tree which was acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest Buddha of its type. We were shocked to find the temple jammed with Chinese individuals offering prayers and incense at the various temples within the complex (we didn’t believe too many Chinese were devout Buddhists). Anyway, it was a bit unnerving to see so much activity and pushing throngs and bon fires of burning incense in a complex devoted to such a gentle and enduring religion.
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The entrance to Lama Temple |
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A huge bell in the Temple complex |
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A collection of beautiful Buddhas |
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Prayer flags waving among the Temple buildings |
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The Giant Maitreya made from a single sandalwood tree |
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The Guiness Book certification with information about the Giant Maitreya |
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Lindy outside a pagoda in the Temple complex |
After visiting Lama Temple, we took the subway to visit the ancient Bell Tower and Drum Tower located in a “hutong,” one of Beijing’s old neighborhoods. While both Towers were impressive (as our photographs attest), the surrounding neighborhood was truly impressive. The streets are so narrow only bikes and rickshaws can pass through. They have been modernized a bit; there are now public toilets (for use by residents – there’s no plumbing in these ancient houses) about every other block.
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The narrow streets of an |
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The Bell Tower |
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The Drum Tower |
Late in the afternoon we returned to the New World. We
walked so far we were truly tired! We enjoyed evening cocktails and wine in the
Executive Lounge followed by beef satay, spring rolls and noodle soup. Yum!
Then it was time for some rest before our next day of exploring.
4 October: Thanks to the 28 September opening of Beijing
Subway Line 4, we were able to travel to The Summer Palace in a snap! (Actually,
it took a few line changes but it was a great way to access what used to be a
remote location about 12KM from downtown.) The Summer Palace was a haven for
royalty during the heat of summer as it sits in the hills on the edge of Beijing
on a huge lake. It now is a place to be enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.
The Summer Palace is amazing! It’s comprised of numerous ornate buildings and temples, beautiful gardens and a large lake. We began our all-day exploration by climbing up Longevity Hill (~185 feet tall accessed via some rugged, uneven steps). En route we passed beautiful pavilions and towers. Atop the center of Longevity Hill stands the Tower of Buddhist Incense (Fo Xiang Ge) which is its focal point. We then took a much less strenuous route down the opposite side of the Hill until we reached Kunming Lake. The lake covers 2.2 square kilometers and was entirely man made with the excavated soil being used to build Longevity Hill. We then walked the length of the Long Corridor (720 meters) along the shore of Kunming Lake. It is a painted wooden walkway adorned with more than 14,000 paintings. As we strolled, we watched numerous individuals paddling rental boats and we also saw several Dragon Boats transporting tourists to/from various points on the lake. At the end of the lake, we saw the amazing Marble Boat. No, it doesn’t float (it’s actually a pavilion) but it sure looks great!
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The amazing Summer Palace complex |
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One of the many sets of stairs which must be climbed inside the Palace |
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One of the complex buildings built into the mountainside |
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A beautiful stupa (and also clear views of Beijing!) |
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Looking down of the many boaters enjoying the day on the lake |
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One of the many beautiful paintings on the wooden walkway |
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A lovely stone bridge (and a glimpse of the many crowds at the Palace) |
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One of the many pagodas |
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A Dragon Boat accepting riders before touring Kunming Lake |
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The amazing stone boat |
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Another view of the lake with the Summer Palace in the background |
We returned back via the Long Corridor to explore some other buildings to the east of the Palace. We particularly enjoyed the Garden of Virtue and Harmony where we saw traditional musicians and dancers perform in one of its inner courtyards. It was a great way to end our visit.
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One of the courtyards in the Palace |
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Musicians playing traditional instruments in traditional garb |
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These beautiful dancers were a huge hit with the crowd |
We made our way out of the compound and then we made our way back to the subway station. We were actually able to get seats on our return back to the New World which was a great treat after being on our feet the entire day.
5 October: We took a tour today to visit two wonderful places not accessible by subway. We were picked up at 7:30AM by our guide, “Isabella” (actually Miss Dong, but many individuals working in tourism assume a non-Chinese name to make it easier for Westerners) and joined the six other individuals on the tour. We began by visiting the Ming Tombs, burial place of 13 of the 16 Ming emperors. The tombs are located in the mountains outside of the city and took us about an hour to reach via our van. First we saw a Hall which includes numerous relics from the area. It is built of 60 huge pillars made of Mahogany which were brought from southeastern China – quite a long trip! Like most of these ancient buildings no nails were used in the construction!!! The actual burial mound has not yet been excavated.
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The entry to the Ming Tomb Complex |
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An overview of the Complex |
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One of the beautiful buildings |
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A decorative ceiling held up by wooden pillars |
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These were belts made of jade which can only be worn by an Emperor or Empress |
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A crown woven from gold (pretty special!) |
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A beautiful crown made from jewels and pearls worn by an Empress |
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A variety of household items made out of jade |
We next visited a jade factory. Here we saw a demonstration of how rough jade is crafted into beautiful carvings and jewelry. We did a bit of shopping and, after some tough negotiations, we ultimately purchased a jade bracelet made of Burmese jadeite to match Lindy’s jade necklace and earring set bought in Taiwan last year.
After stopping for a delicious lunch, we proceeded to the Great Wall. We went to the Badaling section which is a well preserved example of this incredible structure. Although we visited the Wall before, it never ceases to be amazing. Truly a Wonder of the World! We took a tortuous hike up the Wall to the first Watch Tower. From there, the view of the Wall crossing the hills and valleys was unbelievable. It made that hike worthwhile! Afterwards we made our way down slowly (yes, the stone stairs are treacherous).
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The Great Wall - truly amazing! |
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A close-up view of the Great Wall as we begin our ascent |
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See how steep those stairs are?! |
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A view from the Great Wall looking at other branches of the Wall |
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Lindy and fellow traveler, Pat, arriving at the top of the Wall |
On our way back into town, our guide and driver took us by the Olympic Complex so we could see both the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube. Pretty neat after seeing the recent Games. We got back to the hotel at about 5:00PM after enjoying another full day of sightseeing. Then back to the Executive Club for drinks, wine and wonderful snacks.
6 October: Since the holidays were still in progress, we decided today to visit the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is enclosed with a long wall. It was built in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty to offer sacrifices. We visited each of the key buildings.
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Entry into the Temple of Heaven |
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A closer view of the Tower |
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Altar boxes within the Tower |
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The beautifully decorated ceiling over the altar boxes |
The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is a big palace with round roof and three layers of eaves. Inside the Hall are 28 huge posts. The four posts along the inner circle represent four seasons-spring, summer, autumn and winter; the 12 posts along the middle circle represent the 12 months; and 12 posts along the outer circle represent 12 Shichen (Shichen is a means of counting time in ancient China. One Shichen in the past equaled two hours and a whole day was divided into 12 Shichens). The roof is covered with black, yellow and green colored glaze representing the heavens, the earth and everything on earth. The Hall has a base named Altar for Grain Prayers which is made of three layers of white marble and has a height of six meters.
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A view of the Hall of Prayer |
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A closer view of the Hall Tower |
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The intricate painting of the Tower is amazing! |
Another beautiful building is the Imperial Vault of Heaven. It includes a Circular Mound Altar that is a three-tiered altar made of marble. It was used by the Emperor to make sacrifices on the day of the Winter Solstice every year. Stunning!
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The Circular Mound Altar |
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An incense urn by one of the staircases |
We returned to the hotel mid-afternoon to relax for the balance of the day (and give our legs a chance to recover after four full days of touring!).
7 October: We chose to visit Beihai Park next to the Forbidden City. Beihai Park was built as an oasis for numerous emperors. The Park is quite large so we focused our time on two of its key buildings. We began at the Circular City. It is elevated about 15 feet above the main park walkway and is comprised of numerous buildings. The most important building is the Chengguang Hall. It holds an incredibly rare statute of Buddha carved in flawless white jade (jadeite the harder, rarer, and more valuable of the two jade minerals). Stunning! Outside the Hall is a great urn made of variegated dark jade which was used by Kublai Khan for storing wine. Our kind of guy!
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The ancient walls surrounding the park |
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This giant jade jar is called "Great Jade Sea." It weighs over 3,500KG and is huge! |
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Chengguang Hall |
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The beautiful white jade Buddha |
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A woman wearing her traditional costume |
We next visited the Jade Flowery Islet to view the White Pavilion. It was built in 1651 on the former site of the Palace in the Moon where Kublai Khan received Marco Polo. It provides great views of the park and lake. The building was built in the style of a stupa rather than a traditional Chinese pavilion. It stands 118 feet tall and is caped by two bronze canopies with 14 bronze bells hanging from them. It was truly a stunning site!
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The White Pavilion Complex |
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A closer view of the Stupa part of the complex |
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The steep stairs you must climb to access the White Pavilion |
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Ed with a bronze crane at the White Pavilion |
8 October: We took a day off from touring and set out to do some shopping. We again used the subway to reach another part of the city. As we headed to the Friendship Store, we were approached by a young artist, 22 year old Wei Ping (who also used Crystal as her chosen name). She offered to show us some of her works. We followed her to a small studio about 10 minutes away that she shared with her art professor from the University of Peking. Crystal’s art was exceptional (we even liked it better than her professor’s work and he is fairly well known). After viewing numerous pieces we came upon a watercolor she had painted on silk that we really loved. We offered to purchase it and she agreed to sell it (at a starving artist price so we did not negotiate further). It was so beautiful and Crystal did an excellent job especially in painting the figure with its delicate face and hands. She told us it was inspired by a classical Chinese novel, “A Dream of Red Mansions.”
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Crystal and her Professor |
After leaving the studio, we continued to the Friendship Store with its four floors of goodies. There we bought a beautiful flawless crystal bottle which was painted from the inside to show four beautiful women in traditional Chinese dress. This is an art form which is new to us on this trip. We found it fascinating that such delicate work could be done by applying various paints into the inside of a bottle. It certainly requires another special talent (not unlike the painting done by Crystal).
9 October: Since the Mid-Autumn Festival ended yesterday, we decided to try again to visit Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City in hopes that the crowds wouldn’t be as bad as we experienced on 2 October. Well, it was better but there were at least 50,000 individuals in the Square. Since it’s free to visit the Square there were still lots of Chinese tourists. However, the Forbidden City, while crowded, was still manageable to visit. We spent the entire day in this unbelievable setting. It’s cultural overload to see so many halls, temples and other buildings inside this walled city. We also took the time to visit the National Treasures section. It primarily is known for displaying items used by the Emperors. This includes many gold relics serving as pitchers, plates and vases as well as personal jewelry. Wow is about all we can say.
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Tian'anmen Square |
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The exterior wall of the Forbidden City |
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A glimpse into the huge complex which comprises the Forbidden City |
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A beautiful stone bridge |
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One of the many buildings and courtyards within the Forbidden City |
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Hall of Supreme Harmony (also known as the Hall of Golden Chimes) was built in 1420 |
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A golden wall decoration in the Hall of Supreme Harmony |
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Looking to other buildings in the complex from the Hall of Supreme Harmony |
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One of the pavilions within the Forbidden City |
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One of the many thrones located throughout the Forbidden City |
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More elaborate buildings and rooftops within the Forbidden City with the White Pavilion Complex (with its unusual white stupa) in the distance in Beihai Park |
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A carving in coral in the National Treasuries collection |
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Another treasure - A gold bottle! |
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Lindy standing by an elaborate jade carving |
10 October: This morning we said good-bye to Beijing as we took the subway and then the Airport Train to return to the Beijing International Airport. We then took an Air China flight some 3.5 hours southwest to the city of Guiyang in Guizhou province. Guizhou province is most famous for its natural beauty and also for the many minority peoples in the province. When we arrived it was drizzling and a bit gray. We found our way to the Airport Shuttle Bus and rode into town to one of the major stops. There, we took a taxi to the Sheraton Hotel. The latter was a bit of an adventure because we didn’t have the Sheraton’s name written in characters to show the driver (Lindy thought she had the name but it was in Japanese characters). Thankfully we found a well-dressed businessman and he was able to write the name for us in Chinese characters. We then showed it to a taxi driver and he brought us directly to the hotel (yeah, an honest cabbie!).
We were shown to the Executive Lounge where we checked in
and we then taken to our room on the 33rd floor with great views of
the Jiaxiu Tower on the Nanming River (more details to follow). Later we
returned to the Executive Lounge where we enjoyed cocktails, wine and delicious
local foods.
11 October: We had a leisurely morning at the hotel
enjoying a fabulous buffet breakfast that was the best we’ve enjoyed while being
in China. We then went to the Concierge to discuss possible tours in the area.
It was a gray, drizzling day so we decided to hope for better weather later in
the week. After giving us a few ideas, we were sent to the Business Center
where we could make an actual booking. At the Business Center, “Berry” (a
young trainee) helped us make a booking to see Qingyan Ancient City as well as a
couple of scenic areas en route to/from the ancient city. Berry found a group
with whom we could make a booking but there would not be an English guide; it
was strictly a Chinese tour. So, we signed up thinking it would only add to the
adventure, especially since our goal was to enjoy the setting and take some
photographs. We decided we could also use the internet if we needed specific
details. After making the booking, we enjoyed the balance of the day in the
hotel. It was a well-deserved day of rest after our nonstop touring.
12 October: We woke up to a rainy morning so we once again
enjoyed a leisurely buffet breakfast. We then decided to tour the area near the
Sheraton equipped with a huge umbrella (thanks to the Sheraton). We first went
to the Qianming Temple complex located next to the Sheraton. It featured a
beautiful garden, goldfish ponds and incredible bonsai trees. The actual temple
was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is one of the earliest
temples in the area. It was truly beautiful and the misty morning made it even
more so.
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Beautiful Qianming Temple |
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A giant bonsai in the Temple complex |
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The Temple courtyard (which we had to ourselves thanks to the rain |
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The old & new - a pagoda in the Temple with a modern high-rise behind it |
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Two "protectors" guarding the Temple |
We next decided to get a glimpse of modern Guiyang. We continued our walk to People’s Square, a large square featuring a giant statute of Chairman Mao. Underneath the square, we found an underground WalMart Superstore (quite the contrast!). We expected something similar to our WalMart stores in the US so this was quite a shock. To begin, the store was huge! Then, its market area was incredible and it consumed the greater part of the store. There were kiosks of specialty items, an incredible deli, fresh meats, smoked meats, and two fish counters – one for dead fish; one for live fish as well as all kinds of live shellfish, turtles and frogs. Wow! Of course, we were probably the main event in the WalMart since Westerners are so uncommon and we guess most don’t even know that a WalMart exists in this remote Chinese city. Oh well, part of the adventure!
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Ed at the entrance to the |
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A tank of fresh fish |
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Your choice.... fresh turtles or fresh frogs |
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The largest trays of steamed buns we've ever seen |
13 October (Happy 13th): Our day began early as we joined our Chinese companions for a day of touring outside Guiyang. We had thought we would be with a large group but instead we were with three Chinese tourists, our guide and our driver. While quiet and shy, our guide, Jiaz, did speak some English and he did so well enough to give us information about the various sites we toured.
We began the day at Tianhetan Natural Attraction about 30km south of Guiyang. It is a scenic spot known for its waterfalls and caves. We began our exploration by taking an oversized golf cart into the park’s interior. There we walked along the river and had great views of a waterfall and a working bamboo waterwheel. We then took a tour of Longtan Cave, which included both a wet cave and a dry cave. We explored the wet cave by taking a boat ride through it. We walked through the dry cave (although it was also a bit wet; no boat needed however) and saw lots of formations – stalactites and stalagmites. Photography was a bit difficult due to the Christmas-type lighting (i.e., multicolored and sometimes blinking) near many of the larger formations.
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The setting of |
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Our entry into Longtan Cave |
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One of the many formations we saw in Longtan Cave |
Afterwards we and our Chinese companions had a great lunch
at a small restaurant. Despite no common language, they took great care of us
in making sure that we understood the various foods, we had plenty of tea and we
all enjoyed ourselves.
After enjoying the delicious lunch, we next went to Huaxi
Park (named for the Huaxi River). The setting was beautiful and we walked the
distance of the park. En route, Jiaz pointed out one mansion in the complex
where Zhou Enlai had once lived. Our driver picked us up on the other side of
the park and we headed to our next site.
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A view during our walk in Huaxi Park |
As an aside, our driver was amazing! The traffic in Guiyang and its surrounds is unbelievable and only the most aggressive and yet careful drivers can manage to get through the tangles without being in an accident. We did enjoy our Nascar experience albeit in a small van with little or no shock absorbers!
Our final stop for the day was the amazing Qingyan Ancient Town. It is a town built of stone during the Ming and Qing dynasties. We had thought it would be some type of a monument but it’s a living, breathing town. Families still reside within its walls and most have turned the bottom floor of their dwellings into stores selling local goods and souvenirs. The town was absolutely jammed with Chinese tourists. Interestingly, we were the only Westerners present and that made us an additional attraction. We were given a tour by a local resident who showed us many of the temples and other important buildings in the town. Afterwards we wandered on our own. We met a Miao woman (one of the minorities of China) in her traditional dress and were able to take her photograph on condition that Lindy be in the photo with her.
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Lindy walking the ancient streets |
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Wall decorations on a building |
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Individuals at prayer in one of the many temples |
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Lindy and her beautiful friend in traditional costume |
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Us with our guide, Jiaz |
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What it takes to keep a cycle rider dry on a wet day |
Qingyan Ancient Town was the end of our tour. We were driven out of the mountains and back into the bustling city of Guiyang. A great day that was both interesting and lots of fun too.
14 October: For our final day in Guiyang, we explored more of the city on foot. To begin, we walked through a park along the Nanming River to Jaixiu Tower (or the “First Scholar’s Tower”). The Tower was built on a huge rock in the river and connected to both sides of the river by the Fuyu Bridge. Jaixiu Tower is a three tiered wooden pavilion used a meeting place since the 1600’s. It’s truly lovely and is a beautiful place to relax and watch the local anglers trying their luck in the river. We next visited Cuiwei Gardens. It is comprised of ancient buildings from the Ming Dynasty and beautiful bonsai trees and other ornamentals. We took photographs of the key buildings and wandered among the gardens.
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The beautiful Jaixiu Tower |
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Gongnan Pavilion in Cuiwei Park |
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Celebration Lanterns hanging within Gongnan Pavilion |
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Ed outside one of the Pavilion Walls |
We spent the rest of the afternoon window shopping along Zhong Hua Nan Road, the key avenue on which the Sheraton is located. We were shocked at the size and number of stores selling mobile phones. It truly is a booming business here in China.
We enjoyed our last evening in Guiyang at the Executive Lounge. We made it somewhat of an early evening so we had time to begin packing and getting ready for our travel day tomorrow.
15 October: This was a travel day where we headed about an hour north (via plane) to the city of Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. Sichuan Province is probably best known for its delicious, spicy food and as the home of the giant pandas. We left the Sheraton and arrived at the airport without incident. We flew Air China to Chengdu arriving at 4:00PM. We then took an Airport Bus in hopes of getting somewhere near our hotel. The staff assured us we would be close. So, we dragged our luggage onto the bus (no, we couldn’t put it in the luggage bin under the bus since we were the first stop). After de-boarding, we searched for the Holiday Inn in vain. After making several inquiries and being given directions in Chinese, we walked along a main street for several blocks but still no shining green lights to greet us. So, we kept on asking and came upon a young girl riding on the back of a motorcycle who spoke some English. She told us to cross over the street and catch a cab back out of the area and toward the Century City (yes, same name) convention complex. Thankfully, we found an open taxi and he brought us directly to the hotel. So, we were in the Executive Club enjoying a gin & tonic and lots of elegant snacks by 7:00PM. Yeah! By the way this was no ordinary Holiday Inn. It was 19 stories high and had over 700 rooms! It was really beautiful and luxurious in every way. The executive floors and club were lavish and the food was 100% gourmet – everything from smoked salmon with caviar to fancy Chinese delicacies.
16 October: Well, it was quite an interesting day. We were basically in “lock-down” as the convention complex, of which The Holiday Inn is a part, was hosting the 10th Annual Western China International Economy & Trade Fair. Unbeknownst to us, the convention was a HUGE event attended by hundreds of thousands of Chinese and foreign visitors and the Opening Ceremonies were being attended by numerous dignitaries. The key speaker was none other than the Premier of China, Mr. Wen Jiaboa. So, needless to say, the nearby streets were closed, no public transportation was allowed within the area and we could walk in only a few public areas since most were cordoned off by security forces. So, we had a leisurely morning to relax thanks to being almost in the company of Mr. Wen (hey, they let us stay in the complex).
We did check out the welcoming committee in our lobby which consisted of 10 very tall, very beautiful Chinese models dressed in ankle length white traditional dresses with the side slit almost to their hips. Stunning! We also watched a troupe of drummers consisting of minority girls in traditional costumes. They beat on a variety of large drums with wooden sticks in choreographed fashion. They were excellent performers and somewhat similar to troupes of girls we had seen in Korea. When security was lifted at 1:00PM, people began to flow into the area to participate in the conference. We went to the outdoor mall complex and visited a few shops. One colorful store brought quite a smile to our faces.
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The Trade Fair Banner |
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What are they selling?! |
17 October: Given the crowds in Chengdu due to the convention center (we learned all hotels in Chengdu were fully booked), we decided to save our main tourist attraction in the area – the Panda Breeding and Research Center - for Monday in hopes that some of the crowds would die down. Then, having already seen so many incredible gardens and temples, we decided to take in the town itself via public bus which costs only 1 or 2 Yuan per trip ($0.15 -$0.30). While it seemed that most of the city was heading to the convention center, we headed into the city.
We saw every type of community as we ventured throughout town. There was one area where the car dealerships were amazing – Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lotus, Porsche, Mercedes Benz – you name it. Obviously, there are now some very wealthy individuals living in China. By contrast, we rode one bus to the end of the line and ended up in a small community which didn’t even seem like it was part of surburbia. The people there wanted to make sure we were okay and that we knew how to get back into town, etc. Again, all communication being done through them speaking Chinese we didn’t understand and us using sign language that sometimes worked. The bus station manager sat us on a bench and kept us company until the return bus was ready. Then, he had the bus driver have us sit in the front row to make sure we knew which transfer bus to take. In fact, when we got to the transfer spot, the bus driver stopped the bus and took us to the station line map and told the people there to make sure we got on the right bus. Amazing! We took a break from our travels and bought some freshly roasted chestnuts from a street vendor and enjoyed them in a small park.
Next, we took the bus into the heart of the city near Tianfu Square (like Tian’anmen only smaller). After exploring this area of town (primarily a business center) and seeing the beginnings of the Chengdu Subway (construction has just begun), we returned back to the hotel via another bus. We were able to catch a very crowded bus (in fact, we were one of the last four or five people who could squeeze in). We made it to within a quarter mile of the complex but the traffic was so bad, the driver had us all get off the bus to walk to the convention complex. Again, we had no idea how HUGE this event was. There must have been 100,000 or more people in attendance at any one time. Wow!
18 October: After breakfast we decided to join the masses and check out the Trade Fair. We walked over to the Convention Center (about 100 yards away) and we surprised at its size. It reminded us of the Convention Center in Las Vegas only much bigger!! There were nine different halls and each was bustling with exhibitors. In addition to the Chinese exhibitors (both national and provincial), numerous countries from the region were there such as: Thailand; Cambodia; Korea; Myanmar; and Vietnam. The US was represented by companies such as GE China and WalMart China.
Before we even got inside we were approached by a young man and woman who represented a company that made a packaged peanut product. Using hand signals we realized that they wanted photos of us holding their product. Apparently it’s good press if Americans like your product so we accommodated them and for that we left with a bunch of their product which was really tasty.
Most of the major exhibitions focused on newly-developed technologies and products or investment (development) opportunities within a specific region. Other exhibitors had products for sale and the Chinese people were buying lots of them. Items included clothing, specialty foods, teas, liquors, art, decorative items and jewelry, especially Jade.
While we were taking some pictures outside the exhibition hosted by the city of Baozhong, (located approximately one hour north of Chengdu in Sichuan Province), a young Chinese man asked us in English to come into the exhibition and view the various specialty items produced there. As he brought us into the pavilion, a cameraman and a videographer appeared and starting shooting photos & video. We were introduced to two local dignitaries from Baozhong and then shown throughout the exhibit. Since the camera was rolling (and we were the only Westerners we had seen at the Convention), the Chinese started snapping shots on the assumption we must be “somebody important.” Anyway, we were shown around by “Michael” for about 30 minutes with others in tow. It appeared to us that with so few Westerners at the show it made good press for this smaller city to have two Americans visiting their display. At the end we were presented with some of their products and we exchanged emails. Michael told us that he currently is working for Chevron in China as a Safety Specialist and has been to the US (thus, his excellent language skills). Baozhong is his home town so with good English skills he volunteered to assist his home town at this show.
We continued wandering through all nine exhibit halls and continued to be amazed – both by the displays we saw and by the number of individuals in attendance. Yes, it was a HUGE show and we now understood part of its significance.
Late afternoon we called it a day and went to the Executive Club to enjoy espresso and catch up on business. Later than evening, we returned again to enjoy the hospitality.
19 October: This morning we had an early start as our goal was to leave the Holiday Inn before the masses arrived (even though it was Monday we still thought it was a good idea to escape early). So, at 7:30AM we caught a taxi and headed to the Chengdu Panda Breeding & Research Center some 50 kilometers (~30 miles) away. It took about 40 minutes on excellent high speed (100 km/hr—60+ miles/hr) highways. The cost of the taxi ride was an incredible $11.00USD. Also, another reason for our early departure was to arrive at the facility when the pandas are most likely to be active. We were told they like to eat in the mornings and nap in the afternoons.
We arrived at the Panda Center at 8:10AM and were one of the first into the complex. The complex houses the Giant Pandas by age – adults; sub-adults and babies – in large heavily wooded compounds (no cages; no bars). There’s a low wall and then a small moat separating us from the compounds. The Pandas can be anywhere in their compound and often are sleeping or resting. Basically it’s like a safari hunting for game; no sightings are guaranteed. You walk around the large compounds looking for the animals. When you find them they may be far away or if you’re lucky very, very close. The principal animal there was the Giant Panda but in two compounds they had Red Pandas.
When we first arrived at the adult compound, there were no Pandas present as the compound was being cleaned and readied for them. That is, fresh bamboo was being but in various feeding areas. So, we headed to the sub-adult compound and hit pay dirt! There were two beautiful Pandas – we were told they were each three years old – that were more interested in playing than eating their morning bamboo. They were so cute!! They were wrestling with one another and pulling on each others paws and ears. It was a blast to watch them try to get the upper-hand on one another.
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The "kids" at play |
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These guys are so cuddly but look at those claws |
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Look at those eyes! |
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Worn out after so much fun! |
After they decided to settle down to have a snack, we returned to the adult compound. The adults spend most of their time eating (no playing or other forms of exercise; sounds like some adults we know!). Anyway, we were lucky enough to come across several different sets of adults enjoying their breakfast. We were able to get so close to them it was amazing! At one compound, we came across two Pandas playing in a tree. They came down quickly, however, when one of the caretakers came into the compound to give them each a cookie (actually a vitamin cake). When the caretaker called their names, each Panda scrambled down the tree and went running for the cookie. Then each sat and enjoyed every morsel – one guy sitting like a giant Buddha and enjoying bits of the cookie off its belly.
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These three guys are enjoying |
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How's this for a close-up of one panda enjoying some bamboo |
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These guys have such amazing faces! |
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Who could say "no" to this panda? |
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This panda is actually taking a break from eating and Ed was able to capture his entire profile |
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These were the two guys playing in the trees before their "vitamin cake" arrived) |
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This unusual creature is also a panda - the Lesser Panda |
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Here's a closer look at the Lesser Panda, who is truly lesser known than his giant relatives |
We also visited the Panda hospital where they had three tiny recently born Pandas in incubators. They looked liked stuffed tiny toys. So cute. Then we visited the Red Panda enclosures and did get to see some but it was getting late in the morning so most were bedding down for a nap. Finally we visited a movie theater which had several short movies about Pandas in Chinese with English subtitles. It was really educational.
We spent about 5.5 hours at the complex and left only when mid-afternoon arrived and the cuddly guys/gals settled in for an afternoon nap. We both said that we don’t know what exactly we had expected at the Panda Center but we were both amazed. It was truly a spectacular encounter and a place we’ll never forget!
Now, getting back to the hotel was another one of our interesting experiences. We decided to return via bus since it's typically easy, inexpensive and part of the fun (most Westerners do not ride public transportation so again we're quite the oddity). Also, since it was mid-afternoon we assumed the buses would be pretty empty since most people would be working. We caught our initial bus (the one which would take us to an outlying bus station for a transfer back into town) just outside the Giant Panda complex. No problems at all except when our bus driver decided to take a short-cut due to a build-up of traffic. In a tiny side-street, he managed to hit an advertising sign in the middle of the road. Well, we didn't see any damage to the sign or the bus but policemen sitting at a nearby corner stopped the bus. After our 30-minute delay (so much for a short-cut to save time), the policemen let the bus driver proceed. So, we finally made it to the bus station. Then, we caught a bus into the city center. Again, no problems. However, we had another “squeeze experience” when we caught our bus back to the convention center (and our hotel). Even though we got on at the start of the line (second stop), the bus was jammed. At subsequent stops, people just kept trying to push their way one. Eventually the bus driver just quit making stops; it was the only way to keep the bus moving. So, even though it was a workday (Monday), the throngs were once again headed to the trade fair. Amazing! Oh well, the bus was undoubtedly the better choice due to the unbelievable traffic and congestion. If we had tried to return by cab, we probably would have owned it by the time we got near the hotel!
20 October: Today we left Chengdu to travel to Xi’an. Again, we caught an early taxi to the airport to avoid the mess caused by traffic closures in the area which began at 9:00AM each morning of the Trade Fair. The day was relatively uneventful. We arrived an hour late in Xi’an due to air traffic congestion. After deplaning, we caught the Airport Bus into the city center. There we caught a cab (after Ed had to negotiate a fare) to the New World Xi’an. We settled in and enjoyed beer and appetizers in the Executive Lounge.
21 October: After enjoying a leisurely breakfast, we decided to take a city bus to the heart of town to visit two sites – the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Xi’an is a very large city but the original town is surrounded by a wall (14KM in length) with watch towers located at intervals along it. So, while our hotel was within the city walls, it still required the bus ride to get to the town center.
The Bell Tower was built in 1384. It sits on the pivot of the town’s four main streets (a round-about now encircles it). The Tower has three floors and is 36 meters tall. In ancient times, the bell was rung each morning to give the correct time. Now, the bell is displayed outside the Tower. A short distance away to the west is the Drum Tower. It was actually built earlier than the Bell Tower (1380). Again, its drums (which are still in place) used to be rung at dusk each evening. Both the Bell Tower and Drum Tower are symbolic constructions of the town of Xi’an and are the largest Bell Tower and Drum Tower constructed during the Ming Dynasty in China.
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A view of the Bell Tower as it |
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The bell has now displayed outside the Tower |
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The Drum Tower with its row of drums above the stone base |
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Another view of the Drum Tower |
We returned home in the afternoon again via public bus. It was nice to ride a “normal” bus today – that is, one that had riders but wasn’t packed to the hilt like the buses we had been riding in Chengdu.
22 October: We had previously arranged to have a full-day English guided tour today. Our guide, Wendy (Ms. Wang), picked us up at our hotel at 8:30AM. She and our driver, Mrs. Liu, then drove us to pick-up one other guest, Dustin. Then our touring began. Our first stop was the Big Goose Pagoda, one of the most famous Chinese pagodas built in 652BC during the Tang Dynasty. The pagoda, which is located a short distance outside the ancient town walls, is made of bricks and stands 64 meters tall. It was built to store Buddhist statutes and relics collected in India by the monk, Xuan Zang. The Pagoda is showing its age a bit in that it now leans off center about one meter.
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The entry into Big Goose Pagoda |
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We're standing by a HUGE incense burner in front of Big Goose Pagoda |
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A few of the Pagoda itself |
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A beautiful Buddha encased in glass |
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A very happy Buddha carved into a stone wall! |
Next, we drove about 20 minutes to Banpo Museum and Excavation Site. The site was discovered in 1953 when a power plant was about to be built there. Then, archeologists uncovered an entire village from the Neolithic period (6,000 years ago). The town was quite large and consisted of buildings that were built partially underground. The finish of the buildings was mud and straw (what we call adobe). Also, the town included storage pits for grain and other staples. There also were burial areas where bones of the deceased were stored in large pottery jars.
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The base of one of the |
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Bones discovered as they were left as part of a burial site |
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Earthen pottery |
We then drove another 30 minutes to the complex housing the famous Terracotta Warriors. Before beginning our tour, we and Dustin (our fellow tourist) enjoyed a delicious lunch. Then, on to the big event.
To begin, things have changed a lot since we first visited the Terracotta Warriors in the 1980’s. At that time, only one pit was excavated and it was covered by a tent. Then, we basically viewed the life-size warriors at ground level. Now, a raised viewing complex has been built around pit one and the other pits (no. 2 and no. 3), each of the latter having been partially excavated. There is also a museum which displays various items. From our perspective, these are great improvements to protect these incredible relics.
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A view of the amazing numbers |
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A close-up view of foot soldiers. Each would have held a weapon (spears, swords, etc.). |
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Us enjoying the excavation of pit no. 2 |
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A view of the foot soldiers from ground level |
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Four horses along with a horseman although he is standing beside rather than behind the horses |
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Looking down on a group of horses and horsemen |
The Terracotta Warriors were discovered in 1974 when local peasants were trying to dig a well. Upon excavation, it was determined that the warriors were built as part of the mausoleum for Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China (work commenced in 246BC). The warriors are an incredible sight! They vary in stance due to their role (i.e., an archer vs. a foot soldier) and each has a unique face. In addition, there are also horses used by either cavalry or to pull chariots. Originally, all items were brightly painted but, unfortunately, the color deteriorates quickly when exposed to air. Thankfully, a few of the warriors’ armor have been preserved so it’s possible to see the color in several of the museum cases. In total, more than 7,000 figures have been found. Amazing!
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One of the warriors (likely |
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A warrior and his horse maintained in the museum (note the detail in his costume as well as the bridle on the horse) |
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A horse-drawn wagon or large chariot displayed in the museum (again, note the incredible detail) |
In addition to viewing the warriors and horses as they believe they were originally placed in the pits, it’s also possible to see other relics such as bronze weapons and beautiful bronze and wood carriages used by the Emperor. Truly this find is one of “The Eight Wonders of the World!”
After driving about an hour to town, we stopped at the East Gate of Xi’an’s ancient city walls. We walked up the wall and were able to view an original archer’s gate (i.e., there were holes in the windows which were used to shoot arrows at any approaching enemy). Then, behind it was the general’s hall – a place where generals would meet to discuss strategy in times of war. The wall itself is really wide – ~25 feet – not just a narrow walkway. It was a great site and the best preserved ancient wall in China.
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Xi'an's Ancient City Wall |
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A closer view of the General's Hall which is visible in the picture above |
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An ancient bell on the wall |
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Looking at the outside of the city walls from an adjoining city wall |
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Us on the city wall with the General's Hall in the background |
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A gate through the city wall |
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A relief recently added to the Xi'An City Walls (that is, it was not part of the original city wall; it reflects the new importance of tourism) |
23 October: After yesterday’s full day of touring, we opted to stay in our neighborhood and explore the local streets. They were bustling with lots of small shops with each selling some specialty items. One great find was the local vodka distilled from rice at 112 proof. We bought it for the equivalent of about $1.50 per liter. We decided to “stock up” and buy a liter to take with us to Japan. We also walked to a local park which was fairly quiet given that it was a Friday afternoon. On weekends the local parks typically are jammed with individuals out enjoying the environment and nice weather (which won’t last too much longer). We then returned to the hotel to enjoy a leisurely afternoon and catch up on our business chores and this diary.
24 October: Today we once again went via city bus back to the center of town. We got off the bus at the stop nearest the Bell Tower and we walked west to the Drum Tower. We had decided to visit Xi’an’s Great Mosque which we eventually found. In the process, however, we came across an entire shopping area for locals (i.e, no tourists in sight). The place was great. You could buy all types of foods – cooked or uncooked – and also enjoy snacks from street vendors. It was a real treat walking the ancient, narrow streets and seeing what locals do on Saturday morning and afternoon. We couldn’t resist all the goodies so we bought dry-roasted peanuts, peanuts in hot pepper oil and some corn nuts (slightly sweet). Like teenagers everywhere, there were lots of kids walking arm-in-arm enjoying the stroll. When we left the ancient shopping area, we returned to the main street and were shocked to see huge numbers of people. We were definitely in the main shopping area of town. Thankfully, our return bus back to the hotel wasn’t jammed as we left mid-afternoon before most individuals were ready to leave.
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One of the busy walkways |
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Here we saw individuals of every age doing their routine shopping |
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The colorful street market |
That evening we enjoyed happy hour at the hotel and made a toast to China as this was the last night of our visit (for 2009 that is!). We really enjoyed our adventure these past weeks; it was fabulous!
25 October: Because of an early flight and our desire to use the Airport Bus (rather than take a very expensive taxi), we had a 6:00AM breakfast. We then checked out of the hotel and caught a taxi to the Airport Bus Station at the Melody Hotel. Things went great and we arrived at the Xi’an Airport with time to spare. We then flew Air China to Beijing. In Beijing, we had to reclaim our bags and then recheck them with JAL for our flight to Tokyo. Again, everything went smoothly and we had a chance to spend 30 minutes in the China Air Business Class Lounge. We enjoyed a beer and a few snacks before catching our flight. Again, we had an incredible Japanese meal on board. It featured all sorts of goodies – miso soup; noodles; a giant prawn; salmon sushi ball; scallops; and the main feature was halibut. With the meal we enjoyed Piper Heidsieck Champagne, a great French Red Wine from the Bourgogne and green tea. Yum, yum.
We will definitely return to China in the
near future. It's an amazing place with virtually unlimited opportunities
for tourism!
[ T O P ]