Up very
early today. The 6 of us were excited to get off the ship and start our China
Overland tour with China Highlights. www.chinahighlights.com/
Great sail
in! We watched just tons of boat traffic streaming by us. Barges with logs,
sand, containers and more. Obviously a very busy river. Since the channel is so
shallow, the larger freighters unload their cargo on barges that bring their
cargoes upstream. Interesting mix of grandiose stone buildings and ultra-modern
buildings.
It was
raining a bit, but by the time we left the ship it had stopped. The day was
pretty cool/cold, but nice enough.
Yesterday we were
supposed to get our passports from Princess to carry while we were in China,
however when we showed up at the appointed time they said anyone going on an
overland would get them at their tour meeting times tomorrow. We told them we
were on an independent trip, not on a Princes tour and they didn’t know how to
handle that. We checked back several times to see if they had figured it out
yet, but to no avail. We were told to come back tomorrow morning. Then, they
told us that once they figured out what to do they would type something up and
deliver it to our cabins tonight. The letter appeared and we were to meet in a
lounge at a specific time. We all were early in hopes of getting off the ship
in a timely manner. However, Princess had other ideas since they arrived late
and everyone else was already off the ship. We did finally get them and we were
escorted off the ship to meet with immigration. That went smoothly, except for
Princess trying to keep us at the back of the line. (boo, Princess….)
At last, we were off to
meet our guide for the day. We were greeted by a young man who went by “Steven”.
We had a driver and a guide for the day. We thought it was just foggy out, but
it was smog. Pollution here is pretty heavy.
Just a bit on Shanghai:
“This fabled port on the
Huangpu River has played a pivotal role in the history of modern China. One of
seven treaty ports inflicted by the West on Imperial China, the city was famed
for the Bund, an elegant section of riverbank lined with European mercantile
houses and elegant mansions. Shanghai was also the cradle of the Chinese
Communist Party, and it is here that the People's Republic created its vast
commercial and industrial bastion. Shanghai is also one of the most fascinating
cities on the face of the earth. Its streets are packed with individuals, cars
and bicycles, weaving an extraordinary tapestry of humanity. Yet serenity and
beauty are always present, be it a class practicing early morning tai chi or
the serene repose of the city's jade Buddha.
Shanghai's attractions are legendary, from exquisite temples and superb museums
to the Bund's elegant 19th-century European architecture. The city is also your
gateway to the Grand Canal and the legendary city of Suzhou.”
We started the day with a trip to Yuyuan
Garden. It was serene to walk around in amazement at the size and beauty of the
gardens. It is one of the most lavish and finest Chinese gardens in Shanghai.
Established in 1559, the gardens feature five acres of spellbinding cliffs,
winding caves and gorges, ponds, and glorious pavilions and pagodas. AMAZING!
The market next to the
gardens was fabulous as well. The guide said it was like what we call “China
Town” in the states. Of course they don’t call it that. It had a section that
was a food market. Many interesting things that probably made better photos
than eating. Though, there were some yummy things there we could have eaten.
Wait until you see the pictures! (don’t hold your breath, I may not get to
those for quite a while). There were also lots of souvenir shops/stalls as
well. Bargaining is expected here.
Steven, our guide
ran into Karen & Steve on their private tour
The drive was interesting
and we soaked in “everything Chinese” Cherry trees were in bloom here, though I
suspect only a few. We only saw one in Japan as it was a bit too soon for them,
so it was a treat to see more here.
After we had finished our
sightseeing and shopping here we were off to see the Bund. This 1.5-kilometer-long
embankment runs along the western bank of Huangpu River. We had a nice stroll
here taking in the sites.
beautiful fresh flowers
Steven
Pacific Princess
Then it was time for a nice lunch at Home's
Restaurant located near the Nanjing Road. It specializes in Shanghai cuisine
using the best local ingredients. Steven recommended some great dishes that we
shared. We invited Steven to eat with us and explain the food.
Home's Restaurant
there was an egg in the bottom
After lunch we had a visit to the Jade Buddha
Temple. The main treasures are two statues of Buddha imported from Burma by
sea. They were carved from rare single blocks of white jade adorned with
precious stones. The temple is a hive of activities with monks, worshippers and
visitors. The temple houses two rare cultural relics.
Carved out of solid white jade, the Sitting Buddha measures over 6 feet tall
and is adorned with semi-precious stones, the Recumbent Buddha measures 3 feet
high.
Seeing the Monks and
hearing them chant was quite a treat. We had time and stopped for a tea tasting
in a lovely Tea House. The one that tasted like coconut was particularly yummy.
After a full day of
touring it was time to go to the airport for our flight to Beijing. We found a
place in the airport to grab a couple of noodle bowls. Then, went to Hagen Daz
for some ice cream. They did serve a nice meal on the plane as well. We got in
early evening and checked into the Sunworld Hotel which was a very nice hotel. Our
only issue was the heat in the room. It was so hot we felt like baked lobsters.
We turned the heat completely off and even opened the window as far as it would
allow. (it was pretty cold outside) The room was still pretty uncomfortable for
sleeping, however we were exhausted and slept as much as possible before our
early morning wake up.
airport
dinner
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