It is time once again to reflect
on the past and hope for the future. We have much to be thankful for this year.
Superstition Mountains
Gary remains active in retirement
serving on three local boards and one national committee. He also teaches a short course or two for
seniors through the local lifelong learning organizations. He is still learning how to say “no.” Vina continues to volunteer with her consumer
work at Call 12 for Action, enjoys her ladies golfing group and her Spanish
conversation group. We both enjoy the
opportunities to hike around Arizona and California.
Vina’s maiden Aunt Queta passed
away at the age of 92 in April. Vina is
settling up the estate.
In May we headed off to San Diego
where we spent the summer. Towards the
end of June we began a two week cruise up the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers.
Our travels began in Amsterdam and concluded in Vienna. In between we visited 15 cities and towns,
went through 66 different locks, and gained a sense of history from the middle
ages through World War II and up to today. We had a great time and made many
new acquaintances. A detailed blog of the
trip with day-by-day descriptions and pictures may be found at: http://garyandvina.blogspot.com/2011/07/cruising-great-rivers-of-europe-2011.html or by scrolling down this blog.
On the home front, Bob, Natalie
and Mike are well and working hard in San Diego. Bob and Natalie were able to come to Arizona
for Thanksgiving, which we shared with Vina’s sister Cricket, now well on her
way to recovery from her liver transplant last year, and her husband Marty,
their son Marty Jr., and his wife Larissa and cousin Jimmy.
The Kleemann's - Gary, Vina, Natalie, Bob and Mike
For the future? Let us all hope for good health, modest wealth
and many friends. Let us all hope and
work for Peace on Earth and Good Will towards All. We wish you all of the very best for 2012 and
hope that our paths might cross during the coming year.
Towards the end of June 2011 we began a two week cruise up the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers. Our travels began in Amsterdam and concluded in Vienna. In between we visited 15 cities and towns, went through 66 different locks, and gained a sense of history from the middle ages through World War II and up to today. We learned of the importance of geography in the development of the human condition and saw firsthand how people lived during the middle ages (1200 - 1500). We saw evidence of the tremendous destruction during WWII and the dangers of a political system gone wrong. We saw magnificent churches, abbeys and cathedrals in the land where the Protestant Reformation started. We enjoyed the trinity of German food -- beer, pretzels and sausages along with Dutch chocolates and apple strudel. And, of course, enjoyed the wine of the region. In summary, we had a GREAT time. Like any trip like this we would have liked to have had more time in each place to explore but it was a great overview of what this part of the world has to offer. For me, history really came alive – both medieval history and WWII history. The impact of geography on the development of commerce and the important role of the church and the reformation were also major themes for me. The similarities (and differences) between this river trip and the river trips we took in China were sometimes hard for me to believe. So much is the same the world over! The geography, the commerce on the river, the development of towns and cities – all of these things seemed very similar between the two places. I was also impressed by the density of the forests along the river and how difficult to penetrate they must have been for those living hundreds of years ago. The vineyards and just general lush green hillsides were quite amazing to this desert rat. We enjoyed the beer and wine and food and are now trying to diet to make up for our sins. While being King is better than being a commoner, life in the middle ages really sucked. It is pretty amazing how far the human race has come in just several hundred years. The imprint of the Nazis and the physical destruction of the country during WWII were also discussed openly by the German people. Much of modern Germany has been rebuilt since 1945. We best not forget the lessons learned from that era.
Day 1 - Wednesday, June 22 San Diego to Amsterdam We spent the entire day and night in airplanes. We left San Diego at noon and flew to Minneapolis where we waited a couple of hours before we boarded the plane to Amsterdam. We arrived in Amsterdam around 11 a.m. Thursday local time. [click here for pictures]
Day 2 - Thursday, June 23 Amsterdam Despite our best efforts we were unable to sleep much on the plane. We were met by one of our tour guides at the airport after going through a rather casual customs process . They just looked at our passports - didn't ask anything about what we were bringing into the country. We were loaded onto a bus (coach) and driven to the ship. We checked in and were shown to our cabin. We immediately went to the dining room for a lunch buffet. Then back to our room to unpack and get settled. We walked around the ship and learned where things were located. Then we decided a good soak in the jacuzzi would be just the thing. It was very relaxing and just what we needed after the long trip across the USA and the Atlantic Ocean. Then it was time for a brief talk in the ship's lounge before dinner. Every night they would give a "port talk" about the place we were in or where were going the next day. Then at 7 p.m. we went to dinner. Dinner took about two hours with all the free wine you wanted included and then we went back to our cabin and CRASHED. [click here for pictures]
Day 3 - Friday, June 24 Amsterdam We woke up around 6:30 a.m., got dressed and went to breakfast. LOTS to eat. After breakfast everyone (all 160 of us on the ship) went on a canal boat tour of Amsterdam. There are a series of semi-circular concentric canals that run through Amsterdam. Sort of a Venice of the North. Unfortunately it started to rain just as we were getting on the boat and that made our ability to see and take pictures more limited but we enjoyed the tour and got some sense of what the city had to offer.
After returning to the ship and enjoying a large lunch, we took off in our own to explore Amsterdam. We went to the Central Station (train and bus) and bought two tram tickets and took the tram (electric rail) to the flower mart. We toured the flower mart where the flowers were indeed beautiful and tulips were popular. We then walked the half hour or so back to the ship. On the way we walked through the Red Light District with the prostitutes in the windows, past "coffee houses" that don't sell coffee - just cannabis, and through a farmer's market on one of the squares. We got lost a few times but that was part of the adventure.
We returned to the ship for a short nap and then the ship set sail at 4 p.m. and our Great Rivers cruise began.
Before dinner there was the Captain's Welcome Drink (champagne) in the lounge followed by a short "port talk" about our visit the next day to Cologne, Germany. Then we were off to dinner. Unlike ocean cruise ships, there was no assigned seating and we chose to sit with different people each night during the trip. It was good to meet interesting people from all over the U.S. After two hours of eating and drinking, we headed back to the lounge to watch the river banks go by and enjoy the view. We went through the first of the 66 locks of our journey. It was still light outside at 10:30 p.m. when we retired to our cabin. [click here for pictures]
Day 4 - Saturday, June 25 en route/in Cologne, Germany We woke up entirely too early (5 a.m.) but relaxed in our cabin and enjoyed the passing view from our large windows. There is a lot of traffic/commerce on the Rhine River.
After breakfast we had a German language lesson by our Program Directors (tour guides). We learn how to say Good Morning, Please and Thank You and other useful phrases. We were told how to count to ten and some basic differences in pronunciation.
The ship arrived in Cologne at 3 p.m. and we took a walking tour of the city in the rain. Fortunately the rain paused for a while as we were walking around. A highlight of the tour was the Cologne Cathedral with its very impressive interior (see photos). It would have been nicer had the weather been better but we did enjoy seeing Cologne. We headed back to the ship for dinner. The ship set sail at 11:45 p.m. for our next port. [click here for pictures]
Day 5 - Sunday, June 26 Koblenz, Germany We docked at the confluence of the Mosel and Rhine Rivers around 7:30 a.m. After breakfast we took a walking tour of the small city of Koblenz, a quaint picturesque place. We felt like we needed more exercise, so Vina and I walked a lot more around the town after the tour. Since it was Sunday, all of the shops were closed - but the churches, museums, pubs and restaurants were open.
After lunch aboard ship, we went to visit a medieval castle in Marksburg. This was an original castle built in the 13th century that was never destroyed (as most have been over time). One thing is certain: Life in the middle ages was very hard - even for those in the upper echelons of society. Cold, wet, dirty and smelly seemed to be the order of the day. We have romanticized the idea of living in a castle. It was not pleasant -- one can only imagine how the peasants lived.
After our visit to the castle, the group went to a beer garden where we were served the German holy trinity -- pretzels, sausages (white and brown) and, of course, beer.
Then we headed back to the ship for dinner and a musician after dinner who performed Oom-Pa-Pa music and played cowbells. Corny but very entertaining. [click here for pictures]
Day 6 - Monday, June 27 Mainz We left Koblinz around 5:30 a.m. and headed up the "middle Rhine" toward Mainz. Along the way we passed 19 castles and many vineyards. I think everyone is familiar with Rhine wine. The weather had turned nice and it was delightful setting on the sun deck and watching the passing parade of castles, vineyards, boats, ships, barges and trains along the shore. We passed many small towns.
Upon arrival we took a walking tour of Mainz. Mainz was one of the first German towns to be created by the Romans and it soon evolved into the capital of Upper Germany. They were having a festival (street fair) for St. Johan. There were booths of stuff to eat and carnival rides everywhere. We toured the cathedral which was built in 975 but a fire in 1009 necessitated complete rebuilding and much of what we saw was finished in 1239. We visited the Gutenberg Museum where we saw a demonstration of the Gutenberg Press and some original Gutenberg Bibles. The effort required to produce these books was tremendous. After we got left by our group, we made our own way back to the ship passing by all kinds of booths selling every kind of thing. Then we got ready to go to dinner in the town of Ruedesheim -- famous for its superior Riesling wine.
We headed off for a wine cellar for a tasting where we tried two different Riesling wines -- one early harvest and one late harvest. We liked them both but preferred the early harvest as it was a bit dryer. After the wine tasting we headed to the top of the hill and the statue of "Germania" overlooking the Rhine and the Rhine Valley. A true Kodak moment.
Then we headed off to dinner at Lindenwirt restaurant where a Oom-Pa-Pa band was playing drinking songs and we enjoyed a traditional German dinner. The beer was good but the wine they served was awful. We had a good time with Vina getting as many people as possible to dance. We headed back to ship in time to watch fireworks from the sundeck. Mainz was celebrating a saint's festival. This was a great ending to a very full day. [click here for pictures]
Day 7 - Tuesday June 28 Frankfurt and Heidelberg The ship moved to Frankfurt while we slept. We woke up to a bright sunny day and after an early breakfast we boarded a coach to spend the day in Heidelberg. About one quarter of the city's population comprises students (i.e., 30,000) at its famous University which was founded in 1386. This is the oldest university in Germany.
Heidelberg Castle is the largest castle ruin in Europe and it is quite impressive dominating the city. We toured the castle and saw the great wine barrel, the "Great Heidelberg Tun" with a capacity of 58,124 gallons of wine. We then went to lunch in a nice restaurant next door to a Subway shop. We enjoyed some ravioli type of things stuffed with spinach and minced meat. German food is very "heavy" but we enjoyed it. Then we took a walking tour of the city seeing the Catholic Church and the Protestant Churches. Gary wanted to tour a bit of Heidelberg University where they had a nice museum of the history of one of the oldest universities in Europe. We then visited the Great Hall -- you have to see the pictures to get an idea of this place. Gary would love to give a lecture in this Hall!
We next visit the Student Prison, where students who misbehaved were sent. Student Affairs work in a very early stage! Graffiti covered the walls and was carved into the furniture. This place was used from 1712 to 1914. Common offenses were drunkenness and illegal fencing. We walked down to Heidelberg bridge before making our way back to the bus and the ride back to the ship. We arrived back in time for the cocktail hour and dinner. [click here for pictures]
Day 8 - Wednesday, June 29 Wertheim We sailed all night going through many, many locks as we traveled up the Main River and into the Rhine - Main - Danube Canal. I was surprised at how narrow the river was along the way.
The small town of Wertheim was much like the other places we have seen with a castle at the top of the hill, a Catholic Church and a Protestant Church, and several town squares with shops all around. Wertheim also had a Jewish section.
Grand Circle Travel provides an opportunity to visit local people in their homes. The family home host visits were this afternoon. We had an enjoyable time visiting the home of a single lady with four grown children and hearing her describe her life in Germany today. The drive out to the countryside was picturesque with forests and rolling hillside pasture land and wheat and sorghum fields. [click here for pictures]
Day 9 - Thursday, June 30 Wertheim/Karlstadt This was a lazy day. The ship left Wertheim around 3 a.m.(or so we were told - we were asleep) and arrived at Karlstadt shortly before noon. We spent the morning enjoying a leisurely breakfast and then a talk and Q&A by the Captain about the workings of the ship. Following lunch, we took a walking tour of the small town of Karlstadt. The town was laid out in a square and was one of the very first "planned" towns. Like so many German towns it was built in the 1200's across the river Main from the Karlsberg Castle - now in ruins. We tried to walk to the castle ruins but could not find the path. Karlstadt is a small town - only 15,000 residents. We enjoyed just exploring the town. [click here for pictures]
Day 10 - Friday, July 1 Tour of Rothenburg then Schweinfurt Most of this day was spent on a tour of the city of Rothenburg. The ship docked at Gerlochshausen where we got off and boarded buses for the hour and a half drive to Rothenburg. Rothenburg is located along the Tauber River. We visit the medieval village where most of the structures were built in the 12 and 1300's. We took a tour of the Christmas Museum, visited the Medieval Crime Museum (more accurately described as the torture museum) showing criminal justice during the Middle Ages, saw the Franciscan Church and the wall around the city and then headed to lunch.
We enjoyed a rather tasty lunch of pork and schnitzel (noodles) in a sauce -- sort of a stroganoff --at a local restaurant. The weather was not on our side with rain coming on and off. We visited St. Jakobs Lutheran Church and saw the Altar of the Holy Blood.
We board the bus for the trip to Schweinfurt to meet back up with the ship. We were tired and we rested before the port talk and dinner. After dinner, Johannes, one of the tour directors, gave a talk about the war criminals of the Nuremberg Trial. [click here for pictures]
Day 11 - Saturday, July 2, 2011 Bamberg, Germany After breakfast, we boarded a bus for the short ride into Bamberg. Bamberg is another typical German town famous for its many breweries and beers. Rauchbier (smoke beer) made from hops roasted over an open fire, is a hallmark of the town. We bought a couple of bottles to bring home for our boys. In Bamberg, we visited the Town Center, the University Plaza, Open Market, Rose Garden and the Bamberg Cathedral. At the Cathedral there was the a golden throne which was described as the Arch Bishop's Throne. Our thoughts went from admiration of the beauty of the throne to revulsion of the idea that the Arch Bishop should have such a flagrant display of wealth.
After touring the city, we return to the ship for lunch and sailing toward Nuremberg. The rain held off until we left. We spent the rest of the day sailing the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal. We toured the ship's kitchen in the afternoon. It is amazing how they are able to prepare so many meals in such a small space.
After dinner there was a passenger talent show. Gary was fighting a head cold and went to bed early but Vina said that she enjoyed watching the show. It is always a bit surprising to discover the hidden talents that people do and don't possess. [click here for pictures]
Day 12 - Sunday, July 3 Nuremberg We woke up to a cold and rainy day docked in Nuremberg. After breakfast we enjoyed a brief lecture on the history of Germany since 1933. Such recent history yet so far away. The rise of the Nazi's is/was scary. Germany today is working hard to confront its dark past.
After the lecture we took a bus tour of the old city. We were let off at the old city and saw the "beautiful fountain." The central square and we walked to two different churches -- Church of Our Lady and then St. Sebaldes Church. We watched the church clock change at noon with animated figures moving about and then headed back to the ship for lunch.
After lunch we boarded the bus again for a trip back to the city and the "Documentation Center" a museum showing the history of Hitler and his successes and atrocities and the relationship between Hitler and Nuremberg. We visited the parade grounds where many of the Nazi rallies were held in the 1930's. We saw the half finished stadium where the Documentation Center is now located. It will take me some time to digest all that we have seen. How so many good people could all go so wrong at the same time gives one pause. [click here for pictures]
Day 13 - Monday, July 4 Regensburg A day of many good things and some changes in plans -- a "Murphy's Law" sort of day. On Sunday evening our ship was delayed for three hours waiting to go through a lock. As a result we were late in getting to the drop off point for our tour of the oldest monastery in Bavaria, a boat ride on the Danube Gorge (reminiscent of the Li River in China) and a visit to the Liberation Hall in Kelheim.
During the night we crossed the European "continental divide" for watershed at 1,331 feet. Prior to this all of the locks we went through were raising our ship. From now on, our ship is being lowered. Vienna - the end of our trip is at 558 feet.
After being dropped off around 9 a.m. we were driven by coach to a wonderful old monastery and brewery where we toured a magnificent church followed by dark beer and pretzels at the monastery. We then boarded a small ship for a short cruise down through the Danube Gorge -- at the beginning of the 1,776 mile long (appropriate length for USA Independence Day) Danube River. The limestone cliffs carved into the mountainside were quite impressive. The ship dropped us off near the Liberation Hall -- a large round building on the top of a hill. We climbed to the top and had some marvelous views.
We were then supposed to meet back up with our ship but it was running behind schedule because of the lock delays. Our buses had other commitments so we were dropped off and we had to wait under a bridge until the River Aria (our ship) came up the Danube about half hour after we got there. Reunited, we boarded and headed for a late (2 p.m.) lunch -- American style -- on the 4th of July. After eating too much we headed out for a walking tour of Regensburg. The cathedral there and its stained glass windows were quite spectacular -- and we were treated to hear the organ -- I captured some of it on camera. I hope the sound comes through OK. After dinner, exhausted, we went to bed. [click here for pictures]
Day 14 - Tuesday, July 5 Passau We took a walking tour of Passau in the morning. Passau is located at the confluence of the three rivers and as such was an important trade town. The highlight of the morning was an organ concert at noon in St. Stephen's Church. The church was another incredible work of art. The music seemed so appropriate for a baroque church of the 16th century. I hope that my recording capture at least some of what it was like to sit there and hear this mighty organ play.
It rained really hard while we were having lunch aboard the ship but cleared up and became warm and sunny by the time we got ready to head back out. We were told this was typical weather.
That evening we had the Captain's Farewell Drink and Farewell Dinner (filet mignon). We had purchased some bottles of wine when we boarded the ship and we needed to finish off a newly opened bottle -- so we did!
After dinner the crew provided us with a "talent" show -- corny but enjoyable. [click here for pictures]
Day 15 - Wednesday, July 6 Melk and Vienna, Austria We docked in the small village of Melk. The main attraction was the over-the-top abbey built on the top of the hill. The pictures, while spectacular, can't really do justice to the opulence of this place. It was almost obscene. One can't help but wonder at the resources spent on this place and the needs of the common people who funded it. We took the walk up the hill and did a tour of the place.
We came back to the ship and began packing up for our return trip home. The ship left Melk and headed up the Danube toward Vienna. Along the river we say many, many vineyards, churches, castles and towns. The vegetation was green and lush. The weather cooperated with the sun coming out and the temperature near 80. This was the highlight for Vina. Floating down the Danube while listening to Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss being played over the ship's speakers.
We docked in Vienna and after dinner boarded a bus for short driving tour of the city on the way to a concert of Mozart and Strauss. The concert was in a smallish hall but very enjoyable. We enjoyed champagne out on the terrace during intermission. We headed back to ship to get about three hours sleep before we had to get up and begin the long trek home. [click here for pictures]
Day 16 - Thursday, July 7 Vienna to San Diego Today was the longest and hardest part of the whole trip. Including the time change, this day lasted 33 hours and we were awake for almost all of it. We left the ship at 4 a.m. Thursday Vienna time (6 p.m. Wednesday California time) and arrived at the San Diego airport at 6 p.m. Thursday. Needless to say, after our son Mike dropped us off at home, we crashed. [click here for pictures]
Happy Kwanzaa Feliz Dia de Reyes Happy Eid al-Adha
Morning in the Superstition Mountains
Retirement is proving to be a busy time of life. Gary is involved with his committees serving on the New Frontiers Council as Treasurer, on the Emeritus College Dean’s Council, on the ASU Retirees Association Travel Committee and the NASPA 2012 International Conference Planning Committee, hiking, (Click here to see all the picture albums), golfing, taking yoga and teaching and taking classes while Vina spends time volunteering, golfing, hiking, and taking classes. We do have our periodic overlap golfing, hiking, attending lectures and classes, finding good estate sales, going to ASU football games, and enjoying the Broadway plays at Gammage .
After living in our home in Tempe for more than 30 years, we finally decided to fill in the sunken living room floor. The cement truck backed into the driveway and they wheeled in wheelbarrows full of concrete. (Click here to see pictures) Now the living room and the dining room are on the same level and we can extend the dining room table out to its full length. This proved very useful at Thanksgiving with 14 of Vina’s family over for dinner.
In March we helped Barbara Phelan, one of Gary’s staff members and a good friend from the Associated Students days celebrate a milestone birthday. We were joined by old friends from those days and it was very enjoyable. (Click here to see pictures)
Ajo High School held the 50 year Reunion for Vina’s class. (Click here to see pictures) Vina was on the planning committee and helped organize the reunion. It was a two day event in conjunction with the Friends of Ajo reunion and a great time was had by all who attended. It was great to see some old friends. It is amazing how quickly you can pick up after long separations. This year three of the ladies that Vina plays golf with were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversaries, so we all got together to celebrate. It was another great excuse to have a good dinner with good friends. (Click here to see pictures)
After finally deciding we could and would survive Gary’s retirement, we decided to see some of the world. Why China? Well, because it’s there, Vina had never been to the Orient and we could travel with other ASU retirees. So off we went. We were in China for three weeks. We have written a blog about our wonderful time visiting China. You can read a day-by-day description of the trip and see the photos by clicking here. It proved to be more of an adventure than a vacation. We will forever enjoy the memories of friends, vistas, foods, the train rides and the bathrooms.
When we returned to Tempe from China we got ready to return to San Diego for the summer. It was one of the coolest summers that San Diego has had for a long time. The normal June gloom (morning “marine layer” with cool afternoons) was followed by a somewhat gloomy July and August – which was just fine with us. We get all the sun we want in Arizona. I think we had one week of “warm” weather. Complain – not us.
We spent the 4th of July with Bob and Natalie at their home where we enjoyed some really great barbecue food and good company. (Click here to see pictures)
One of the fun things we enjoy doing while in San Diego is attending estate sales. We have slowly been furnishing the condo with some really good and relatively inexpensive finds.
We took a motor trip to Sacramento in early August. We stopped along the way and picked up our good friend Bob Serrano in Twenty-nine Palms (Click here to see pictures) where we were treated to a wonderful dinner. The next day we drove up to Sacramento. We all had a great time visiting with John and Joan Hendricks (and dog Winston) in their beautiful renovated home. (Click here to see pictures) They have recently resettled in Sacramento after many years living on Long Island in New York. We visited the wine country one day (Click here to see pictures) and took a trip to visit with San Jose State friends Bill and Joan Parker another day. (Click here to see pictures)
We visited the Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento (Click here to see pictures) and we also stopped at Al the Wops in Locke, California for an unbelievable hamburger. (Click here to see pictures) The farmlands of old are now becoming vineyards with some great wines to sample. It was a great adventure.
On August 5th, Gary’s Aunt Edith passed away. A memorial service was held August 13th in Newport Beach. Aunt Edith played a big part in raising Gary and she will be greatly missed. (Click here to see pictures)
All summer Vina’s sister Cricket kept complaining that she was not feeling well. She went to the hospital twice. Finally after a lot of tests and speculation it was determined that she was suffering from liver failure. The exact cause was not known. Fortunately she received a liver transplant on August 20th. The extended family – most of who had left Phoenix for the summer – came home to be by her side. She is progressing well in her recovery, much to the relief of all.
In September Vina broke a bone in her right foot. Because it was the right foot, she could not drive. Never have Gary and Vina been so closely attached as they were now. Vina continued as many of her activities as she could - albeit on a greatly reduced scale. Gary would take her to her exercise classes where she would just do what she could and to golf where she would only putt. We would often attend classes together. Vina is thankful to all who transported her when Gary could not. We took another driving trip with the New Frontiers retirees group to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon in Utah. It was just beautiful country. (Click here and here and here to see pictures.) We were there at a time when we could see some of the changing fall colors.
In November we had a very festive reunion with the China crew where we were able to share photos, memories and some really good Chinese food. (Click here to see pictures) After spending three weeks together you get to be a little like family.
We hosted Thanksgiving at our home with family this year. Unfortunately Bob and Natalie and Mike were not able to make the trip from San Diego but Marty and Cricket, Little Marty and Larissa and the girls, friends Kathy and Jeff, and Eddie, Elsie, Michelle and Mason were able to be with us. (Click here to see pictures) We look forward to seeing Bob and Natalie and Mike during the Christmas holiday season when we travel to San Diego.
We wish you all of the very best for the New Year and for peace on earth and goodwill towards all. We are hopeful that our paths might cross during 2011.
We spent three wonderful weeks at the end of May and beginning of June on a grand tour of China. We came away from our trip with a totally new understanding and appreciation for China and the Chinese people. China was many things but seemed in many ways to be a huge contradiction.
Everything is super sized -- the number of people, the size of cities, the buildings, the construction projects -- almost everything. The Chinese are very friendly people who sometimes acted like impatient New Yorkers (they hated not to be first in line). There were tremendous capitalist markets in a communist controlled country. The people showed a great respect and obedience for authority yet there was a palpable desire for freedoms. Beggars and poverty could often be seen but wealth and increasing prosperity for most people was quite evident. There were lots of religions and religious tolerance was in evidence in an officially atheist state. The Chinese society showed great respect for the 16 different officially recognized ethnic minorities in the country while the Han majority clearly rules. Rural farmers were using water buffalo in the rice paddies while Los Angeles style freeway traffic jams were common in the cities. Ancient traditional architecture going back many centuries was next to ultramodern skyscrapers. The Ying and the Yang. The contrasts and juxtapositions were really quite astonishing.
One can only vaguely image what China will be like in another 10 years. All I can say with some certainty is that it will be much different than it is today.
What follows is a day-by-day blog of what we did. Each day correlates with the pictures in our Picassa photo online account. Just (Click here for pictures) to view all of the pictures for that day.
17 - 18 -19 May (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday)LA, Beijing and Shanghai
(Click here for pictures) We left home in Tempe around 6 p.m. Monday to head to the airport and catch a Southwest flight to LAX. Then we boarded a China Airlines 747 for the 13 hour flight to Beijing. The Beijing airport was very modern, clean and impressive. It was just the first of many sights we would see and be surprised by in China. After arriving in Beijing we took another flight to Shanghai. We arrived in Shanghai around 7 p.m. Tuesday Arizona time and 10 a.m. Wednesday China time. Twenty-five hours from our front door in Tempe to the Shanghai airport. Our bodies didn't quite know what to make of it! The Shanghai airport was also very modern, clean and impressive. Both airports were very large having been built and renewed for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 Shanghai World's Fair.
Here the twenty of us traveling together -- an interesting group of strangers who will become close over the next 23 days -- got to meet our tour director and guide, Lucky Wang, for the first time. We also met our local guide, Sunny. (Every place that we went we got a government employed local guide.) Even though we were very tired from our long journey across the seas, we were excited and eager to begin our tour.
The Shanghai sky was overcast with haze/smog/fog -- hard to tell. This was going to be the story throughout China. The air pollution was unbelievable all over the country. The weather was pleasant -- warm (high 70's) and humid.
We took a motor coach (i.e. bus) tour of the city. We would spend a LOT of time riding in buses during our tour of China. Shanghai reminded me a lot of Los Angeles. Traffic was jammed. Population density at 19.2 million was impressive. Modern Architecture was juxtaposed with the old. We visited The Bund located along the Shanghai river. The Bund, a popular tourist destination in Shanghai, was a financial center for Western powers before the Communists took power. The former banks, trading houses, and consulates that still stand there testify to past Western involvement in China. Then we went to visit a temple. In order to get to the temple we walked through an area filled with many shops eager to sell us whatever we might want. Capitalism is alive and thriving in this Communist country! All prices were negotiable with generally three different prices -- tourist prices, "best" price (usually about half) and Chinese prices (even lower). We generally were only able to get the best prices.
We had a traditional Chinese lunch -- a large table (10 people each) with a center turntable and many, many dishes. Our plates were quite small and we ate just a small sample of each dish. At each meal we were offered a free small glass of beer, water, coke, sprite or tea. If you wanted more of of anything except tea, you could buy it. You could have all the tea you wanted. At the end of the meal, we were quite full.
Dinner was much the same but we shared a bottle of wine as we frequently did throughout the trip.
20 May (Thursday)Shanghai, Hangzhou (Click here for pictures) We wake up and have breakfast at the hotel. It is American style (eggs, bacon, toast, cereal, etc.) with Chinese additions (rice, noodles, a kind of rice porridge stuff) and fresh fruit such as watermelon, melon, oranges, and other different fruits.
We leave the hotel in our bus and head to the Shanghai Yu Yuan Garden. It is impressive in the serene oriental style with water, rocks, and falls. Balance and serenity seem to the themes. It is a very popular tourist attraction with Chinese tourists. All of the places we visited during our tour of China are filled with Chinese tourists. They do like to travel and visit places in their country. A highlight was a western tourist falling in the water while trying to take a picture. She wasn't hurt but she scared a lot of people.
Then back to the bus and we were off to visit the Jade Buddhist Temple. As usual it was very crowded. Lots of different Buddha statues, people lighting incense, and praying. Jade Buddha figures were VERY beautiful. The Jade Buddha (which is made of white jade) appears to be a reclining female to our western eyes but we found out later that their are NO female Buddhas.
Lunch was much like yesterday -- a big Chinese meal -- at the Wu Zhen Water Village. We spent the afternoon walking around the water village (old town on the banks of river) with LOTS of shops. Several Chinese wanted to take our pictures and pose with us. They seemed fascinated by Gary's beard. Throughout this trip we (our group of 20 Westerners) stood out. Sometimes we were the only non-Chinese around and the Chinese people really were interested in these strange looking foreigners and wanted to talk English with us and get their pictures taken with us. This gave us a better understanding of what it must feel like to be a minority in a group.
We left the water village around 4:30 p.m. and drove the three hours plus to Hangzhou (pronounced something like "hung joe" to this westerner's ear), where we had a traditional Chinese dinner in a huge restaurant/dining hall. We then checked into the Hangzhou Ramada for a pleasant night.
21 May (Friday)Hangzhou (Click here for pictures) We were up at 6 a.m. Hangzhou,(Zhe Jiang Provence) is a city famous for its natural beauty and historical and cultural heritage. It is one of the seven ancient capital cities in China. It is a large city by our standards but only a medium size city for the Chinese -- about 7 million people! Tourism is the main industry. The drive here reminded me a little bit of California delta country (Stockton, Sacramento). Lots of bodies of water. We saw high speed rail under construction. Seems like EVERYTHING in China is under construction! The scale of the rail project is immense and difficult to adequately describe.
A few words on Chinese toilets. We encountered two kinds: Sitters (like westerners are used to) and Squatters. Squatters are basically flushable porcelain holes in the ground - no bowl. They tended to smell quite bad. The squatters are what the Chinese are accustomed to using. They presented more of a challenge to the women than to the men. A woman needs to squat to use these - very hard on the knees and potentially quite messy. We needed to carry our own toilet tissue because there was often none available.
One of the most famous scenic spots in Hangzhou is the West Lake. Most of the thousands of tourists were Chinese. They liked to take our pictures -- "See the foreigners." We took a cruise on West Lake and enjoyed the natural beauty and saw the man made Lei Feng Tower.
We then visited Ling Yin Temple (Monastery of the Hidden Souls). It is one of the most famous ancient Buddhist Temples in China and houses a variety of Buddhist literature and treasures. Religion is alive and well in China -- particularly with the older population. On the drive to the temple we saw some Christian churches as well. It was very interesting to watch the Buddhist faithful burn incense, bow and kneel and pray. The Buddhist monks chanted during all of this. The altars were magnificent works of art. Just as with other religions, collection boxes were always present.
We then headed off to a tea plantation where we got a tour, tasted some tea and then they tried to sell us some tea. It was a lot like visiting a winery in Napa Valley. We learned about different kinds of tea and qualities of teas. We didn't buy any (didn't want to lug it all across China). Gary did like the green tea. It swelled and tasted like cooked spinach to Vina.
Breakfast today was American style (sort of), lunch and dinner were Chinese style. We enjoyed the food.
We have a long (1,200 miles) train ride lasting overnight starting tomorrow afternoon.
22 May (Saturday) Hangzhou - Train trip to Yi Chang (Click here for pictures) We checked out of the hotel with our backpacks prepared for overnight on the train (we would have no access to our packed luggage). We headed out toward the train station. We stopped by the Hangzhou stadium where there was a Chinese Wal-Mart to purchase supplies (dinner, wine, etc.) for the train ride. We were advised not to eat the food served on the train. The Wal Mart was HUGE. We saw big green frogs, eels, fish, turtles and many very different things for sale. We bought food (ramen, "France" bread, peanut butter, wine and other things) to sustain us for our hours on the train. Vina tried to find cheese by pantomiming a cow to a helpful Chinese person. We finally found someone who spoke a little English and found some very processed white cheese. The Chinese don't seem to eat a lot of dairy products.
After we had stocked up, we went to visit a Chinese open air marketplace. It reminded me of Los Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain. We toured a herbal medicine "pharmacy." We were still resisting buying things.
Then we headed to the train station. We get there and the luggage was immediately screened. We went into a very large waiting room with about 700 - 800 people. There are no seats so we go stand against a wall with all of our luggage piled up. Everyone looks at us because we are Westerners. Then we are told we can move to an almost private waiting room where Chinese people had been asked to move so we Americans could sit down. We had an adventure hauling our luggage and getting everything aboard the train. When our train was about to arrive we had go under the first set of tracks to get to our train on the second set of tracks by going down some stairs, walking under the tracks and then back up hauling our suitcases and bags up the stairs. We had to do this in a very short period of time. We proved to be up to the extraordinary task. We left Hangzhou around 6:20 p.m. and we would arrive around 10 a.m. the next morning in Yi Chang.
We were in first class and shared a small compartment with 4 bunk beds with Dave and Karen Schwalm. The Chinese not in first class were in bunk beds three high and not in private rooms but all in one coach. We enjoyed our "camping" adventure and the ramin, wine and cheese as we traveled 1,200 miles west in China. We passed through many cities and towns ( 7 million, 5 million, etc.) and lots of agricultural areas. We saw many rice paddies with farmers using water buffalo and lots of manual labor but no large machines. They did have some small tricycle type of small trucks which seemed to be powered by a lawn mower type of engine.
The bunk beds on board the train were very stiff -- like boards with little padding. There were communal toilets one at each end of the train car -- at one end a traditional Chinese squat toilet and at the other end, a more modern sit down western style toilet. No showers.
23 May (Sunday) Yi Chang to Cruise Ship
(Click here for pictures) Yichang City is located in western Hubei Province, where the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River are divided. Yichang is a distributing center, an important trading port and a transportation hub along the Yangtze River linking west Hubei and east Sichuan since ancient times. For a very long time, it has been renowned as the "Gateway to the Three Gorges". Today, as well as a cultural and tourist city, Yichang remains a brisk river port of China, controlling access to Chongqing City to its southwest.
After we arrived in Yi Chang we went to another market and bought necessities to take with us on the river cruise ship. Then we headed to a buffet dinner at a hotel (different than the traditional Chinese lazy susan dinners) which was very good. Hotels seemed to provide a greater smattering of Western style food. The buffet included pizza, chicken wings and ice cream in addition to traditional Chinese food. As usual, one small glass of Coke, Sprite, water or beer was included with the meal.
Then we went back to the bus and on to the cruise ship. Once we got on to the ship, we were able to finally take a shower. We will spend the next three days cruising the Yangtze River. Once we got settled on the ship, we shared a bottle of wine with Dave and Karen, listened to a briefing on commercial services available on board the ship and then sleep! We were very tired since we slept little/lightly last night on the train. The beds were much better than the train. The ship's cabins were not large but comfortable and had their own bathrooms.
24 May (Monday)Three Gorges Dam and cruising the Yangtze River
(Click here for pictures) The ship stayed in port overnight. We left the ship and took a tour of the immense Three Gorges Dam. It is an engineering and social marvel. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced by the dam and moved by the government to new locations. There is something about a dictatorship which allows that to happen. Although it is mostly complete, construction on the dam is still going on.
We returned to the ship and then our ship went through the dam locks we were previously viewing. It was pretty amazing to see the size of the lock doors and the speed with which the water was moved around. We went through four locks raising the ship to the height of the river behind the dam. Fascinating to watch and to be part of the process.We enjoyed a relaxing dinner aboard the ship followed by a Chinese fashion show. We stopped and docked overnight at Badong where there was a remarkable lighted suspension bridge over the river. It was something to see all lit up at night.
25 May (Tuesday) Shennong Stream and cruising Yangtze River (Click here for pictures) The highlight for the day was a side trip on small "pea pod boats" up the Shennong Stream -- a tributary of the Yangtze. We left our ship around 8:30 a.m. on a smaller boat for the Shennong Stream. We arrived at the Stream and got into much smaller boats (10 people each) powered by oarsmen. They paddled our way upstream. Views were spectacular -- much like the GrandCanyon or Canyon de Chelly but way lots more vegetation.
Because of the dam, the width and depth of the river was rising. Many, many were displaced by these changes and had been relocated by the government. Then we headed back to cruise ship for lunch. After lunch, Gary enjoyed a full body massage and Vina a foot massage (which was really whole body). These were not the mild relaxing kind of massage but hard tugging and pulling and kneading of the muscles. Felt great when it was done and over. :-)
We spent the rest of the day enjoying the scenery as we made our way up the Yangtze. Lucky, our tour guide, gave us a lecture on things we have seen and what we will see in the next few days. Always interesting to hear a Chinese perspective on things.
26 May (Wednesday) Cruising Yangtze River and Fengdu -- The City of Ghosts (Click here for pictures) Spent the morning on an excursion to Fengdu - The City of Ghosts (including a trip to Hell) high up on a hill. It was a long walk up -- more than 600 steps. It was hot, humid and drizzling but it was worth the effort. Buddhism and Taoism are the the two biggest influences on the Chinese people here. Colors are significant. Red is for heaven and good. Blue is for hell. They believe that all people when they die, their spirits come to Fengdu and then to heaven or hell. If we behave well in this life then we don't have to go to hell in the next. We visit hell (temple) to learn what it is like. The Taoists believe in reincarnation. The Buddhists seek nirvana -- a state of heavenly bliss.
There were LOTS of vendors outside the gates of the City of Ghosts. Capitalism is doing well in China. Gary bought a 2GB memory card for his camera for 80 Yuan -- about $12. Probably could have gotten a better price if his bargaining skills were better.
The old city of Fengdu was destroyed by flooding caused by the Three Gorges dam. A totally new city for 7,100,000 people was built across the river on the other bank. The government provided a new apartment and cash to people to resettle. Young people tended to like it but the older people did not. The same was true with the one child policy. Young women saw it as an opportunity to explore careers. The single child is doted upon by all.
This was our last night on the ship and we had a very nice farewell banquet. That evening after dinner our group did a singing presentation of "Home on the Range" and "You Are My Sunshine" for a talent show on the ship. Gary faked it! The group did a great job. We had a wonderful choir director in Cathleen and several in our group do sing with local Arizona groups.
This was our last night on the ship and we had a very nice farewell banquet. We were reminded again of why we enjoy cruising. It was very relaxing and enjoyable while we were able to see many sites. 27 May (Thursday)Chongqing and flight to Kunming (Click here for pictures) Thursday morning the ship arrived in Chongqing which is built on a peninsula at the confluence of the Yangtze and the Jialing rivers. It is nicknamed "Mountain City". Chongqing is the fourth central municipal city (which means that it is run by the Federal (Beijing) government) in China.
We leave the ship and head to the airport. When we get to the airport, we go to our gate in the terminal where a bus (over)filled with all the passengers takes us to our plane on the tarmac. We fly an hour and ten minutes from Chongqing to Kunming. Kunming is the capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, a primarily agricultural province of 45 million. Kunming has a population of five million and is located in one of the world’s most geographically, ethnically, biologically and linguistically diverse regions. Situated at 6,233 feet (1,900 meters) above sea level and 25° north of the Equator it has a rather unique and pleasant climate for a Chinese city. Because of its high altitude Kunming weather is typically characterized by intense sunlight during the daytime and a slight chill at night. When the rest of China is hot, Kunming is one of the country’s coolest cities. When the northern half of the country is frozen and covered with snow, flowers are blooming. Hence, Kunming’s nickname in Chinese is ‘Spring City’.
We visit the “Stone Forest” in the afternoon. It is aptly named. It was a very beautiful and serene place (see the pictures). We walked and climbed a LOT.
The hotel in Kunming was very nice with a revolving restaurant on the 25th floor, where we had a buffet dinner.
28 May (Friday) Kunming flight to LiJiang and Old Town
(Click here for pictures) So much to see, it was hard to keep track of it all. After getting up early (4 a.m.), it was about an hours flight to LiJiang, where the NaXi (pronounced "Nashi") people live. The NaXi are one of the 16 minorities officially recognized by the Chinese government. The NaXi Dongba Culture is famous in China. The Dongba religion worships the spirit of the nature. Dongba means the wise. Dongba also refers to the person that holds sacrificial rites. The Dongba Pictograph (as a form of written language) was widely used among the NaXi people in the 11th century. It is the only living hieroglyphic still in use in the world today.
The hotel we stay at is in Old Town. LiJiang Old Town is listed as a World Culture Heritage site by UNESCO. The hotel is modern but old. By that I mean that it has modern bathrooms (no squat toilets!) but old traditional style rooms arranged around courtyards. A really delightful place to stay.
Old Town LiJiang is a fascinating collection of shops and restaurants. The streets reminded us of the streets in parts of Europe -- narrow and wandering with something new around each bend.
We visited the Mu Residence -- a palace built by a family named Mu. It was styled much like the Forbidden City (Emperor's Palace) in Beijing. It was a wonderful peek at W.R. Hearst style living - Chinese style.
We also visited the “Black Dragon Pool” a beautiful park where the Dong Ba Cultural Museum is located.
We walked more than 15,000 steps this day (some folks were wearing pedometers) before dinner!
29 May (Saturday) LiJiang
(Click here for pictures) Gary woke up Saturday morning with a case of diarrhea and decided to skip the tour for the day. He went to an Internet cafe and caught up on email and then went shopping on those winding streets. While many Chinese do speak some limited English many do not. It can be a challenge to communicate. Airport security in Kunming took Gary's deodorant spray can and he had been unsuccessfully trying to buy some deodorant for several days. Seems the Chinese are not too big on deodorant -- could not find it anywhere. Gary did manage to find a pair of flip flops for 1o Yuan ($1.50 U.S.).
Vina took the camera and will need to write about what she saw and photographed HERE.
After dinner we went to the “Beautiful Water and Golden River Singing and Dancing Performance" at the Opera House. Wonderful lighting and stage settings (Las Vegas style) highlighted most of the different Chinese minority nationalities living in Yun Nan Province. Even though everything was in Chinese, it was very enjoyable.
30 May (Sunday) LiJiang flight to Kunming and flight to Guilin (Click here for pictures) We spent two-thirds of the day in transit. We were up at 5 a.m. to head to the LiJiang airport. We flew back to Kunming where we killed time and had a nice lunch. Took the flight from Kunming to Guilin. We arrived at Guilin around 4 p.m. and took a bus into the city with scenery changing from farmland to city.
Guilin is one of China’s most spectacular geological sites and most photographed landmarks with interesting mountains around the city. Guilin’s unique scenery is formed by its Karst topography, i.e., landscape shaped by the dissolution of limestone layers, leaving a terrain characterized by sinks, ravines, and underground streams.
Guilin has a population of 670,000 and is situated in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, about 350 miles northwest of Hong Kong on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of sweet osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city.
We went on a tour of Elephant Mountain park. Then we went to dinner at a tea house where Hillary Clinton visited when Bill was President. We had the "Longevity" dinner and the presentation of the dishes required us to take pictures of each dish before we dived in to eat. Then we headed to the hotel to check in. We got settled in the hotel and then to bed to get ready for tomorrow's adventures.
The Li River is more than 250 km in length and 500 meters in width. The journey from Guilin downstream to Yang Shuo was 30 miles of breathtaking scenery. Blue jade hills... green silk water... hidden caves... mysterious rocks... fish men on bamboo-small boats… The weather was hot and humid but the breeze on the boat made it all quite bearable. The scenery was so breathtaking that I took way too many pictures! We enjoyed another typical Chinese lunch on board the boat and arrived in Yang Shuo around 1 p.m.
We walked from the boat to the hotel down a long street filled with shopping booths. After checking into our hotel and resting a short while, we took a walk down the shopping street and enjoyed an ice cream cone. Then back to the hotel for a nap. We could not find any English language station on TV.
We went to dinner and an outdoor show. The open air stadium show was spectacular. I know that I have probably overused that word but this show was something to behold. There were boats moving through the water and dancers on land and in boats. The actors were spread out over an entire bay on the river with the lighted sandstone Karst mountains as an amazing backdrop. It was literally a cast of 600 hundred. It was a ballet on the lake with an amazing mountain background. Think of the Beijing Olympics opening show on water. The show was directed by Zhang Yimou who was chosen to do the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening show because of this presentation.
1 June (Tuesday)Xian (Click here for pictures) Up at 5:30 a.m. we flew from Guilin in rainy weather (the only bad weather we have experienced on this entire trip) to Xian (pronounced she - an). Xian is capital of Shaanxi Province and lies in the middle of the Guan Zhong Basin with the Weihe River to its north. As one of China's seven ancient national capitals, it served as the capital for 12 dynasties for over 1,000 years. Xi'an has a great number of precious relics and historical sites. Xi'an was the starting point of the Old Silk Road.
We went on a tour of Elephant Park. This was another Chinese park with paid admission that had beautiful scenery. It is called Elephant Park because of a mountain that (sort of) looks like an elephant. I was surprised at the number of parks in Communist China that require a paid admission to visit.
After checking in and resting at the hotel, we went for a foot reflexology massage. It was just wonderful. And it was way more than just the feet. Very relaxing and refreshing. Then we headed off to dinner and a show at an opera house not unlike the Broadway Palms theater in Mesa, Arizona. It was a nice show but nothing could top the show the previous night.
Another exhausting but enjoyable day.
2 June (Wednesday) Xian
(Click here for pictures) We had breakfast at the hotel then on to the bus for a tour of the Shaanxi Provincial Museum. This was an excellent museum telling the story of the various dynasties in China with an emphasis on Shaanxi province. Then we were off to the the Terra Cotta factory making many, many different tourist items. Didn't buy anything.
Then to lunch -- typical Chinese style. After lunch we headed to the Terra Cotta Soldiers Museum to see the famous archeological digs. Another amazing site/sight. Pictures are good but can't tell the whole story.
The scale of almost everything in China is on a metric hard for anyone who has not seen it to fully understand. The clay soldiers and clay horses are all life size.
On the way back to the hotel our bus found us in a huge traffic jam (because, we think, of an accident on the freeway) and we backed out of the freeway -- with our female guide directing the bus and traffic. We backed up until we were able to turn around and drive the wrong way on the freeway. Finally we got to the cross over to the other lane to drive forward as we should. All the cars and trucks did this. Only we Americans seemed unnerved at the whole process. It was another amazing sight -- we have never seen anything like it!
3 June (Thursday) Xian and train to Luo Yang (Click here for pictures) We started the day in Xian with a quick stop at the Wild Goose Pagoda and then to the City Wall where we spent some time. I know I overuse the word "amazing" but it was amazing to think how they built this wall (it is much more than a simple wall) structure around the city in 1200 or 1300 without modern tools. (See pictures)
Then we went to an early lunch and to the train station to catch the "local" train to Lou Yang. We were the only non-Chinese aboard the train. A six hour train ride with every seat filled and some with two people in one seat and several people with standing only tickets. Upon arrival in Luo Yang we got on our bus, went to dinner and then to a a very nice hotel and bed.
Luo Yang (He Nan Province) is a small city of 1.4 million urban and 6.1 greater area, 25 kilometers to the south of the Yellow River, and is known in China as "The Capital of Nine Dynasties". It was the capital from the Eastern Zhou (770 BC) to the later Tang Dynasty (923-936 AD). For several centuries, Luo Yang was the gravity center of China. In 68, White Horse Temple, the first Buddhist temple in China, was founded here. The temple still exists, albeit the architecture is of later origin, mainly from the 16th century. In 493 the Northern Wei Dynasty moved its capital from Datong to Luo Yang and started the construction of the artificial Long Men Caves. More than 30,000 Buddhist Images from the time of this dynasty have been found in the caves. We tour Luo Yang tomorrow and then train ride overnight to Beijing.
4 June (Friday) Luo Yang
(Click here for pictures) We went to the Kung Fu (Gong Fu) Center which is a university with >25,000 students next to the Shao Lin Temple. We enjoyed lunch there and watched a Kung Fu exhibition. The students displayed great discipline in learning the martial art. We visited the Dragon Gate Grotto - a large park with many, many grottoes (holes in the side of mountain) filled with carvings of Buddhas. Many of the Buddhas faces had been damaged during the Cultural Revolution. The largest of the Buddhas was up on top of a mountain. It was worth the climb! (See photos) After dinner we head to the train station and board the train for the overnight trip to Beijing. Once again we shared a cabin with David and Karen Schwalm. 5 June (Saturday)Beijing (Click here for pictures) We've become "old hands" at Chinese train travel and had an uneventful overnight trip to Beijing. As it was night and dark, we could not see much from the train. We arrived early (5:30 a.m.) at the West Beijing train station. It was the nicest train station I have ever seen and it was huge.
We got on a bus and headed into Beijing to get a "typical Chinese" breakfast at a state run (i.e. Communist Party) restaurant. It was the worst meal of the entire trip. They were not ready for us when we arrived although reservations had been made. Lucky and our local tour guide had to act as waiters bringing the food out. Lucky complained openly (in English - not Chinese) about lack of motivation to serve by the communist restaurant manager and workers. It was an experience - not the experience we or our tour leader was expecting but an authentic Chinese experience.
Then we headed off to Tian An Men Square. Even though we have all seen the Square in video images and pictures, it is even larger than the pictures convey -- just huge. And there were thousands - maybe 10 -12 thousand people milling about. We were there just 21 years and one day since the famous protests of June 4, 1989. On our trip throughout China, we saw very little in the way of the military or police force. Tian An Men Square was the exception. The Chinese military were prominent on the Square.
Then we went back to the bus and off to the Temple of Heaven -- a large park with four temples. We spent over two hours exploring and seeing the temples. Again, there were thousands of Chinese out enjoying the park (it was a Saturday) with lots of dancing, singing and music playing. It was really interesting to watch and be with the people in the park.
The smog was less than we thought it might be but it was still smoggy. The temperatures were in the 80's F. (23c).
We checked into the Beijing Traders Hotel - a very nice upscale hotel close to a shopping mall, a Hagen Das ice cream shop and a Starbucks. After an afternoon rest at our hotel, we went for a Chinese dinner and then to the Chinese Acrobat Show at a theater.
6 June (Sunday) Beijing
(Click here for pictures) Sunday proved to be a very busy day with LOTS and LOTS of walking. After breakfast in the hotel, we boarded our tour bus and visited the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City served as the residence for the Imperial Family and is located on the other side of the gate (with the big picture of Mao) at Tian An Men Square. The crowds were unbelievable. The Forbidden City is very large (the term "city" is appropriate) and very beautiful.Then back on the bus and we went to lunch. After lunch we visited the Summer Palace which is located next to a man made lake. The Summer Palace was also quite large and spread out. And the Chinese tourist crowds were also quite large. The artwork in the Summer Palace was quite amazing.
Beijing traffic was similar to L.A. or N.Y. during rush hour. We just closed our eyes and trusted in our bus driver to get us where we were going!
7 June (Monday) Beijing
(Click here for pictures) Monday would prove to be another day of LOTS of walking and testing of our physical strength. June 7th was the date that Chinese high school students took the entrance exam for college -- all 1.6 million of them to qualify for 1.3 million slots. People were asked to give the students priority on the highway to get to their testing centers. Monday morning traffic was a mess.
We started out the day by going to the Jade Factory and we made a few purchases. Then we got back into the bus and we were off to the Ba Da Ling entrance to the Great Wall -- about 1 1/2 hour drive from downtown Beijing. The smog continued to be awful -- we could not see the hills it is so "hazy."
The Great Wall is aptly named. It is hard to imagine how they built such a wall in the mountains without modern construction equipment. Some of the men who died in the construction are buried in the Wall. Vina and I both did our best in the heat and smog and climbed (another apt term) the Wall sometimes leaning forward seemingly at a 45 degree angle . Glad we did it!
Then we headed to lunch and a visit to the cloisonne factory. Interesting but we didn't buy anything. Then we drove another 40 minutes or so to visit Ming Tomb and the Underground Palace. I have seen it but I don't understand how they were able to build such a structure 800 years ago.
For dinner we had Mongolian Hot Pot dinner with mutton. Our National Guide, Lucky, is Mongolian and he was very eager for us to taste food from his region of China. It was different but good.
8 June (Tuesday) Beijing
(Click here for pictures) Tuesday was Gary's 65th birthday and a shopping day for the group. We went to this huge multi-story shopping mall. The higher up in the building you went, the more high end and expensive the items for sale were. Nothing had a set price. People negotiated for everything from T-shirts to cell phones to diamond rings. We had been delaying buying things because we didn't want to haul things all around China. Well, this was our opportunity to buy souvenirs and gifts. Mission accomplished.
That evening we had the Beijing (Peking) Duck Farewell Dinner. It was a real treat. Lucky got Gary a birthday cake and a "tiger" hat (for the Year of the Tiger). (See pictures). Everyone sang Happy Birthday. Vina convinced David to lead the group in the Happy Birthday Chant in the tradition of ASU Poly. It was very nice and a great way to celebrate a milestone birthday.
The Beijing Duck dinner was very good and David led the group in an appreciation to Lucky for all that he did in leading us throughout China. A grand evening.
9 June (Wednesday) Beijing airport to Tempe, Arizona
(Click here for pictures) We woke up in Beijing at about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday morning Beijing time (3:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, Tempe time). We would arrive home in Tempe around midnight, Wednesday, Tempe time -- about 32 1/2 hours later.
We had breakfast at the hotel, checked out and headed out to visit the Lama Temple. At this point in our travels, we had seen about all the temples and Buddhas that we could stand. Nonetheless, this place was impressive. Then back to the bus and a stop for lunch. After lunch we took a trip to the site of the 2008 Olympics. We visited the outside of the Bird's Nest stadium (an engineering marvel, in my view) and the Water Tube swimming pavilion. The whole Olympics area was quite impressive.
Then back to bus one last time and we headed to the Beijing airport for our 13 hour flight home. After going through customs and one last passport check, we boarded our flight for the 9 p.m. flight to LAX. We arrived at LAX at 6 p.m. -- three hours BEFORE we left China! Such are the wonders of modern travel. Then we schlepped our luggage over to the Southwest terminal and waited for the flight to Phoenix. We finally arrived at Sky Harbor around 10:30 p.m., gathered our luggage one last time and headed for home.
