18: 30 China
Day 1: We left the ship at about 09:30 on Sunday 19th February for a swift panoramic view of Shanghai, passing through the Bund, the old waterside area, used in the film “Empire of the Sun”, before going to the station to catch the Maglev Train to the airport. The trip was over very quickly and we reached speeds of up to 431 km/hr and felt safe all the way. Negotiating the bends was a very exciting experience.
Day 2 took us to the Terracotta Warriors museum. The first warrior was found when local farmers were trying to dig for a well in 1974, when the country was very different. So far over 7000 warriors have been excavated and we are told that this represents only 1% of what could finally be discovered.
One of the farmers was available to sign souvenir books!
Day 3. We toured the largest square in the world, Tiananmen Square, covering 34 acres. This is where Chairman Mao is buried and where the student massacres took place in the 80s. Strangely, no tour guide mentioned this! It was fascinating to see all the Chinese visiting this place which is significant in the country’s communist history.
Look at our picture with Chairman Mao at the edge of the square, leading to the Forbidden City.
At Pudong airport we caught a plane for quite a bumpy flight through clouds and over mountains to Xian, which was once the capital of China. Having viewed the Xian City Walls, the only complete preserved city walls in China built in 1300, we arrived at the Sofitel hotel to a luxurious room.
Looking out from the window, we could see the wide expanse of modern constructions, underlining the fact that this country is becoming very westernised very quickly.
We were taken to a dinner in a theatre restaurant where we saw some excellent, well choreographed, folkloric dancing. Millie, you would have enjoyed this!
Looking out from the window, we could see the wide expanse of modern constructions, underlining the fact that this country is becoming very westernised very quickly.
We were taken to a dinner in a theatre restaurant where we saw some excellent, well choreographed, folkloric dancing. Millie, you would have enjoyed this!
Day 2 took us to the Terracotta Warriors museum. The first warrior was found when local farmers were trying to dig for a well in 1974, when the country was very different. So far over 7000 warriors have been excavated and we are told that this represents only 1% of what could finally be discovered.
One of the farmers was available to sign souvenir books!
The work on this mausoleum began in 246BC soon after Emperor Quin ascended to the throne aged 13. All the warriors are different – Oliver would have loved these. The main pit is very large (230m x 62m) and is the one we spent most time in.
It was an exhilarating experience and Ashley even preferred it to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. The history is fascinating.
It was an exhilarating experience and Ashley even preferred it to the Valley of the Kings in Egypt. The history is fascinating.
We had lunch at the museum and then flew by East China airlines to Beijing. We both cannot believe that we are visiting such places. The hotel was part of the Peninsular group and again outstanding, especially the Asian fusion dinner we had in the evening: lobster, massive prawns, oysters and scallops among the many offerings.
Day 3. We toured the largest square in the world, Tiananmen Square, covering 34 acres. This is where Chairman Mao is buried and where the student massacres took place in the 80s. Strangely, no tour guide mentioned this! It was fascinating to see all the Chinese visiting this place which is significant in the country’s communist history.
Look at our picture with Chairman Mao at the edge of the square, leading to the Forbidden City.
The city is no longer forbidden, so we spent a very good time looking at the area where emperors and their concubines (up to 40000 – exhausting work) lived for 500 years up to the last emperor, Puyi in 1912. On our return to UK, we will look again at the movie, “The Last Emperor”, as we recognised many parts of the Forbidden City that were used in the film.
Finally we jumped on our coach for a short journey to the Juongguan section of the Great Wall of China. Unfortunately neither of us was able to reach the top. But we were able to see the Olympic Birdsnest stadium on the way to the Wall.
Altogether this trip was superb, probably as good as our first overland. What it showed was the history of a feudal system where emperors had all the power, developing into a very modern country.
We were told of poverty in some parts of the country, but the evidence of Shanghai, Xian and Beijing, shows a massive capacity to develop further. We are always told that India and China are to be the financial power houses of the future. For us, it is obvious that China will become the strongest power economically way before India.
We were told of poverty in some parts of the country, but the evidence of Shanghai, Xian and Beijing, shows a massive capacity to develop further. We are always told that India and China are to be the financial power houses of the future. For us, it is obvious that China will become the strongest power economically way before India.
Organised and disciplined (all dissenters are shoved in the clink!) and, as long as the people accept their lack of freedom, then economic success is assured. The people are determined and those that we met and talked to always spoke of making money – no communism here. A fascinating country and the next USA.
To Nagasaki tomorrow, but the captain has just informed us that we will be one and a half hours late docking.
Photos look great! Did you try the meatballs in China? I hear they're the dog's bo**ocks.
ReplyDeleteYou're back, hooray! Have missed you for a couple of days. Looks like you are having an amazing time, damn those p&o germs trying to spoil your fun, how bloody annoying, hope it's not too bad :-( Found out yesterday that we have an inspection to look forward to next week, bring it on I say, get it over & done with.....next 7 days will be tough though. All is good here, children are well and happy :-) Feels like you have been away for a long time now, will be lovely to see you both but don't want you to stop having a great time xxx
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