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10/10/04

China Trip

August-September, 2004

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Tour Day

Day

Date

Location

Photos and Commentary

Click individual photo below to view photos from that day (photos start on 8/22)

Web References/Travel Plans

1

Tuesday

8/17

DC to Long Beach-Los Angeles

Leave DC Dulles at 11:30 AM via JetBlue Flight 305 (Airbus A-320).  Arrives Long Beach at 1.50 PM (2,308 miles).

2

Wednesday

8/18

Los Angeles

California Touring

Free Day

3

Thursday

8/19

Los Angeles

Free Day

4

Friday

8/20

Los Angeles

Free Day

5

Saturday

8/21

LA to Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific Flight 881 (747-Business Class) leaves at 1:55 AM for Hong Kong

6

Sunday

8/22

Hong Kong to Beijing

Arrive Hong Kong at 7:40 AM (7,233 miles-14 hr., 45 minutes). Cathay Pacific Flight 318 (330 Business Class) leaves Hong Kong at 5:50 PM, arrives Beijing 9:00 PM (1,254 miles-3 hr., 10 minutes).  Upon arrival in Beijing, check in at the Peninsula Palace Hotel

 .Palace Hotel

Tour brochure photos of Beijing 

7

Monday

8/23

Beijing

After breakfast and a welcome orientation, today's sightseeing includes the exquisite Forbidden City's Imperial Palace After lunch, see the marvelous architecture at the Summer Palace and Tian An Men Square. Tonight, attend a welcome dinner party featuring delicious Beijing Duck.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Party

8

Tuesday

8/24

Beijing

Today, first visit a jade factory and shop.  Then, stroll along the Sacred Way, lined with statues of warriors and mythical beasts, to the Ming Tombs and Chang Ling Exhibition Hall. After lunch, walk the ramparts of the historic Great Wall, one of the most amazing feats of mankind. Conclude the day's touring with a visit to a cloisonné factory and shop. Tour brochure photos of the Great Wall and Ming Tombs 
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Western Dinner

9

Wednesday

8/25

Beijing

This morning tour the ornate 15th-century Temple of Heaven, where emperors prayed for good harvests and heavenly blessings. Then proceed to a pearl workshop to see pearl jewelry being made. After lunch, ride in a pedicab to Gu Lau (Drum Tower) and enjoy the city views. Then travel  Beijing's ancient narrow streets, known as Hutongs again via old-fashioned pedicab. Visit Shiheyuan (the old quadrangles) and learn about life in the city during the reign of Kublai Khan. Stroll along the Hutongs, stop for tea at a typical courtyard-style home. Visit the Prince Gong Garden. After dinner this evening, enjoy a remarkable Beijing Opera, including a discussion and demonstration of the elaborate makeup and face-painting techniques used by the performers.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner  

10

Thursday

8/26

Beijing-Shanghai

Fly to Shanghai, China's bustling cosmopolitan center of business and commerce. Visit the Jade Buddha Temple. Check in to the deluxe JW Marriott Hotel.

 JW Mariott Hotel

This evening, dinner is followed by an amazing acrobatic show.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

11

Friday

8/27

Shanghai

 

Sightsee Nanjing Road or Huai Hai Road's popular emporiums, the famous Bund. Visit a carpet factory and tour the Shanghai Museum's exhibits of dynastic cultural artifacts. ,
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

12

Saturday

8/28

Shanghai-Suzhou -Shanghai

This morning motorcoach to Suzhou, noted for its ancient gardens. Cruise Suzhou's canals. Tour the  Pan Men City Gate, and the Auspicious Light Pagoda Later tour a silk mill and the Embroidery Research Institute. Conclude the day's touring with a visit to the Garden of the Master of Fishing Net. Return to Shanghai.   Tour brochure photos of Suzhou
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Western Dinner

13

Sunday

8/29

Shanghai-Yichang

Morning at leisure in Shanghai. Later, fly to Yichang. Met and escorted to San Dou Ping to see the Three Gorges Dam Project and then transfer to Maoping where your Yangtze River adventure starts as you board the Victoria Queen.

Explore the ship and its many amenities as the  upstream sailing begins
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

14

Monday

8/30

Yangtze Cruise

Sail through Xiling Gorge, longest of the famed Three Gorges. Tour brochure Yangtze cruise map and photos. Marvel at Wu Gorge's deep zigzagging valley. Take an excursion on Shennong Stream followed by the Lesser Gorges. Pass through Qutang Gorge, walled with steep mossy cliffs that crowd the sky.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

15

Tuesday

8/31

Yangtze Cruise

Known as the "Pearl of the Yangtze," visit the magnificent 12-story wooden pagoda at scenic Shi Baozhai* today.
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

16

Wednesday

9/1

Yangtze Cruise-Chongqing 

Morning cruising through now-gentle countryside to Chongqing. A half day city tour includes the zoo, Art Research Institute and the Stillwell Museum. At the Stillwell Museum  attend a lecture on the Flying Tigers, a group of brave American pilots led by retired Air Corps General Claire L. Chennault. The Flying Tigers volunteered to aid the Chinese in World War ll against the Japanese invasion of China, before Pearl Harbor was attacked. Later visit a Chongqing food market and the Hall of the People.  Spend the night at the Hilton Chongqing Hotel

MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  

17

Thursday

9/2

Chongqing-Dazu-Chongqing 

Morning motorcoach to Dazu, famed for its Buddhist archeological sites. Lunch in Dazu; sightseeing includes monumental Buddhist sculptures at Baodingshan.   Dazu tour brochure photos Return to Chongqing and visit flower market. Dinner and overnight at the Chongqing Marriott Hotel.

Chongqing Mariott Hotel


MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner

18

Friday

9/3

Chongqing-Xi'an

Visit a  Chongqing elementary school.  Fly to Xi'an. Visit the Shaanxi Provincial Museum. Check into the deluxe Shangri-La Golden Flower Hotel for dinner and overnight.

Shangri-La Flower Hotel


MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Buffet Dinner ..  .

19

Saturday

9/4

Xi'an

Today visit the extraordinary life-sized terra-cotta legion of warriors buried with the first emperor for over 2200 years; the Bronze Chariot and Circle Vision Movie. Lunch at the Terra Cotta Museum features a noodle-making demonstration.  This evening's highlight is a dinner show at the Tang Dynasty Theatre.  Xi'an tour brochure photos
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Show,  .  .

20

Sunday

9/5

Xi'an-Guilin

This morning, visit the city walls and then tour the museum at the recently discovered Tomb of Han Jing Di, displaying statues and relics of mounted honor guards, warriors, chariots, weapons and tools. Later, fly on to Guilin, at the heart of a magnificent landscape. Check into the Sheraton Guilin Hotel.

 Sheraton Guilin Hotel
 

MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner in Hotel.

21

Monday

9/6

Guilin

Today, enjoy a relaxing cruise on a deluxe air-conditioned boat along the Li River, passing through scenery reminiscent of Chinese ink paintings. See the haunting beauty of Guilin's mist-wrapped monolithic peaks surrounding the river en route to Yangshuo. Later, visit an art gallery at the local university and then feast on a Mexican dinner at the hotel.  Guilin tour brochure photos
MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch, Western Dinner

22

Tuesday

9/7

Guilin-Hong Kong

This morning, visit a Chinese kindergarten; later see dramatic rock formations at Fu Bo Hill and Reed Flute Cave. A change of pace begins today as you fly to dynamic Hong Kong. Check in to the deluxe Kowloon Shangri-La Hotel.

Kowloon Shangri_La Hotel


MEALS: American Breakfast, Lunch

23

Wednesday

9/8

Hong Kong

Today, the tour of Hong Kong goes up to Victoria Peak for spectacular views of the city and its harbor.  Later, Aberdeen's sampan community is visited followed by Repulse Bay and a tour through Stanley Market.
MEALS: American Breakfast

24

Thursday

9/9

Macau

Visit Macau, tour the former Portuguese colony and lunch at the Hotel Lisboa.
MEALS: American Breakfast

25

Friday

9/10

Hong Kong-New York

Leave Hong Kong 2:55 PM via Cathay Pacific Flight 888 (Aircraft varies-Business Class) to New York (stop in Vancouver-no plane change).  Arrives New York 9:30 PM  (8, 822 miles-18 hours, 35 minutes)

Hotel Exterior

Crowne Plaza Hotel-LaGuardia Airport, East Elmhurst, NY

26

Saturday

9/11

New York

Baseball game between New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies at Shea Stadium in the afternoon followed by U.S. Open Tennis-Women's Singles Finals-7 PM-National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadow

27

Sunday

9/12

New York to DC

Final Thoughts

Leave NY LaGuardia US Air Flight 2177 (Airbus A319) at 2 PM. Arrive Washington Reagan at 3:05 PM (215 miles)