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Fall 2025 : China
  • Mark E
  • Janine Westlund
  • Mark E
  • Janine Westlund

Fall 2025 : China

A 22-day adventure by Mark E & Janine Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 30, 2025
  • Fall 2025 : China

    Roaming around Shanghai on our own

    October 3, 2025 in China ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    Took a walk from our hotel around Shanghai. Walked along the Suzhuo River, then roamed the People's Park, toward the Huangpu River and The Bund. Walked along The Bund & made our way to Yu Garden via Gucheng Park & through Yuyuan Bazaar, a huge marketplace that was nothing short of population chaos thanks to the Chinese national holiday 'Golden Week' which celebrates the beginning of the Chinese republic (1949).Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    View of Pudong from The Bund.
    We missed this undulating dragon yesterday.Part of lunch ... sticky rice in a thin dumpling. Delicious!This was some fish dish ... meh. Would have preferred more dumpling. 😄Interesting sculpture near our hotel: The Force of Nature by Lorenzo QuinnAnother by Lorenzo Quinn: Hand of God.2We never had a chance to try this -- automated ice-cream dispenser in our hotel lobby!

    Walking Shanghai with tour group

    October 4, 2025 in China ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    We covered a subsection with the tour group of what the two of us covered on our own yesterday: a bit of The Bund, a walk through Yu Gardens, lunch in Yuyuan.

  • Fall 2025 : China

    Between Shanghai & Suzhou

    October 5, 2025 in China ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    The drive between Shanghai & Suzhou was an illustration of vast differences.
    Shanghai is built as a 3-ring roads system. The inner road is pricey: only ~12% of the population can afford to live there. We were told a 2bd/1ba apartment, ~1200 sq ft can be >US$1mil. Purchased real estate can only be owned for 70 years; however what happens then is not yet known (our guide said the rule went into place in 1990, but Uncle Google suggests the Property Law went into effect in 2007. Either way, both are less than 70 yrs, so the "next step' has not yet passed).
    Shanghai's population is ~25mil people (!!); Suzhou is ~13mil. Many people retire to Suzhou for a more affordable lifestyle.    Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    Our tourist boat ride :)
    Scenes along the canals from our boat.One of countless examples of a traditionally-outfitted girl having her picture taken.A multi-story restaurant along the canal.Beginning our foray into the Land of Retail.Fresh squeezed sugar-cane juice; not as silly-sweet as you'd think.The 'selfie' photo version.Crazy crowds!Little crabs in a pot.Not sure, but thinking these are pastries. (We've been fooled before...)Little breads some of which are shaped into adorable figures.More crowds.

    Day trip: Suzhou

    October 5, 2025 in China ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    Suzhou is ~2hrs west of Shanghai. Often referred to as 'the Venice of the East', Suzhou has a vast series of canals surrounded by a staggering volume of retail. Being a national holiday, we not only experienced the extraordinary volume of local tourism but also got to observe a related local custom of Chinese women getting makeup & dressed up in traditional attire (oftentimes rented for the day) to have their picture taken (via professional, friend or even selfie) in one of the many beautiful venues in & around the canals and gardens.
    We took a ride along one of the canals, wandered a few of the retail-laden areas, had lunch in a local restaurant and ended with a visit to one of Suzhou's many garden areas: The Master of Nets Garden.    Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    1This was in the hotel lobby. I never made the opportunity to try it out. 😕 watch the little screen.
    Posted at the entrance are the unit prices of various foods, vendors names & their ratings.The 'to-go' section of the market.There are always interesting and unique (to us) things to see in a Chinese local market..The 'shopping' section.1Chicken feet. 😯Eggs of all kinds.Pick your favorite and take 'em home for dinner.All possible options for a meal.Next stop: Jade Buddha Temple, dating back to the Qing Dynasty.This is how the layers of silk comforters are made. Very fine, very manual.A silkworm -- we saw him at a silk store shopping stop on our way to the airport.Not the speediest of critters.

    Marketplace, Jade Buddha Temple, silk

    October 6, 2025 in China ⋅ ⛅ 90 °F

    Last day in Shanghai: we visited a market where locals shop for their food, a silk store (for the inevitable 'tourist retail' stop), and the Jade Buddha Temple.
    At the end of the day, we went to the airport for our flight to Yichang where we'll drive ~1 hour to where our boat is docked on the Yangtze.Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    We started at 'You are here' and walked the upward path along the river.
    1This man sounded a long welcome horn as we arrived.2At the beginning of the walk was a lovely performance.Crazy crowds. Last day of Golden Week.1A few fun local area residents.1Actual home of a very wealthy family from ~100 yrs ago (repaired/reinforced for current viewing).Monkey Mountain at the top of the path: too many monkeys to count.Working our way back down.1The tribes buried their dead in elevated caves; the higher the better, closer to heaven.Part of the walk included a recreation of a traditional wedding.Life.The road to/from the tribal area hugged the Yangtze and was pretty curvy.Three Gorges Dam -- a more-than-impressive sight to behold.One of the Three Gorges viewing points.1

    Tribe of the 3 Gorges & Three Gorges Dam

    Oct 7–15, 2025 in China ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    A geopark in the Xiling Gorge attempts to introduce guests to the primitive way of life, historic folk culture & traditions across Ba, Chu & Tujia cultures.
    In the afternoon we visited the Three Gorges Dam: the largest hydropower plant in the world.Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    Sunrise from our cabin balcony.
    Our boat.Interesting: the sign suggests 'bar'. So...leave the kids outside to play while having a drink? 🤔View from our bus of Fengdhu along w/ some commentary from our guide.More views, more commentary.Entrance to Xiaoguanshan.3 sitting Buddhas reflecting 3 lives: past, present & future.My favorite Buddha. 🤗There are 3 homes in this complex. These pics are courtyards & rooms w/in each.Mark, blending into the picture. :)China has tons of bridges of varying construction/styles.After lunch, fellow passenger Tony graced us w/ his piano skills.

    Xiaoguanshan Cultural Park

    October 9, 2025 in China ⋅ 🌙 79 °F

    Today we docked near Fengdu in Chongqing. We explores Xiaogyansgan Ancient Folk Culture Oark with its recreated ancient residential buildings, courtyards, temples, wood carvings and city gstes.

  • Fall 2025 : China
    The locals' dance/exercise group.
    They all pulled us in with them.The locals & tourists: we couldn't speak each other's language, yet we were all able to communicate.A different version of those fun lions.These were all built 1/2-size.Chinese are known for their lacquer & silk works. That big screen back there: ¥68,800 (~US$9,700).The attention to detail is nothing short of astonishing.This piece is ~4.5' x 2.5' and costs ¥88,880 (~US$12,500).¥18,880 (~US$2,650)Looks like a singing, but this too is all silk threads. ¥18,000 (~US$2,500).¥39,800 (~US$5,600).This is a floor stand, ~4'H x 5'W: ¥268,000 (~US$37,600).A little larger than the peacock: ¥1,388,000 (~US$195,000).All silk, but the colors are different (pink on one side, white on reverse) w/ NO VISIBLE KNOTS!!Same flower, blue on one side pink on reverse.

    Dancing locals, Terra Cotta Museum, Silk

    October 11, 2025 in China ⋅ 🌧 57 °F

    Morning visit to Xingqing Park -- a hub of local activity where there a groups who regularly start their day together in exercise, singing &/or dance. We had an opportunity to join in on a local morning dance/music gathering. On the other side of the park, our guide's mother was engaged in an exercise group with whom she has participated every day for the past 25 years. (!)
    We then went to the Terra Cotta Museum to view the bronze chariots & horses (~1 mile from the warriors). It seems carving large-scale sculptures of bronze is 'easy' and the real skill is carving smaller pieces. As such, the Emperor had these chariots & horses carved at 1/2-size of real life; he was, in effect, 'showing off'.
    After the museum we headed to the silk shop for the requisite tourist-shopping experience. The silk creations were aMAZing (as were some of the prices). All were true works of art!!    Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    ~6000 lifesized soldiers are buried w/ China's 1st emperor Qin Shi Huang.
    Each warrior held an actual weapon, mostly looted in a tomb robbing & burning incident ~209-20 BC.All soldiers we're brightly painted, but the color faded almost immediately on exposure to air.One skinny soldier.The Emperor thought all threats came from the East, so that's the direction all warriors are facing.Restoration area.A select few statues of higher ranking officers are in glass cases for 360° viewing.The detail is extraordinary; down to the tread on the soles of his boots.It's believed this man was carrying a long bow.Ornate armor, headdress & hands placement suggest this was one of the highest ranking warriors.Group dinner: Tang Dance Performance.The musicians.This was a really neat holographic performance.

    Terra Cotta Warriors, Tang Dynasty

    October 11, 2025 in China ⋅ 🌧 59 °F

    Bucketlist monent: the eponymous Terra Cotta Warriors!! The Terracotta Army is a collection of life-sized clay sculptures of the armies of Qin Shi Huang(b.259 BC, d211 BC) the first emperor of China (247 - 221 BC), created to protect him in the afterlife. He was a significant influence to China: organizing the empire into units & subunits (today's subdistricts & communities), assigning administrative appointments based on merit instead of hereditary right, standardizing the weights, measurements, currency and chinese characters, prescribing a standard wagon axel length for roads to facilitate transport, and more. He was also apparently a tyrant.
    I guess nice guys can't always get it done. 😉

    In the evening, we enjoyed a Tang Dynasty Dinner & Show. A 6-course meal served while watching a beautiful dance performed by the Tang Dynasty Troup accompanied by Chang'an music.    Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    Rickshaws are not spacious transport. :)
    The license plates on the rear of each rickshaw were interesting.Walking around the hutongs of the area.Entrance to a compound.Entering our host's home.Looking to the left just before entering our host's home.The living room: this used to be 2 rooms until our host removed the middle wall. Not very spacious.Electric boxes for the surrounding homes. Not really up to 'code'. :)The outside of our host's home.A couple strolls down a hutong.Wandering around Shichahai neighborhood. Still very crowded due to the holiday.Map of ShichahaiWith volume: this was a funny form of promotion.

    Hutong Tour

    October 12, 2025 in China ⋅ ☁️ 63 °F

    Hutongs are lanes no wider than 9 meters formed by lines of siheyuan (compounds comprised of rooms around a courtyard) that connect the ancient city surrounding the Forbidden City. As is tradition, the houses of Old Beijing were constructed in this form on the basis if Fengshui: the ancient Chinese practice of design & spatial arranging.
    We traveled through this area on a rickshaw & visited with a local family who allowed us into their home.    Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    Entrance to the Deity Hall grounds.
    Entrance to the Summer Palace.The Palace Gate: entrance to the Summer Palace.View of Longevity Hill from the Spring Pavilion.My bud in front of the Wenchang Pavilion.The gardens, walkways and waterways were beautiful.A perfect location for the local girls to have their pictures taken.I really liked these stone walkways (pardon my feet 🤭).The Tower if Buddhist Incense at Longevity Hill.Stone Boat: the original wooden boat was burnt in 1860; replaced w/ a marble copy.View from our boat ride across the lake.One of the boats we were on.The sun was setting at just the right time for some beautiful pics. :)Built in 1750: 150m long, 544 marble lions (each unique), 17 arches (important in CH numerology).The sun just as we docked on the other side of the lake.

    Liu Ding Liu Shia; Summer Palace

    October 13, 2025 in China ⋅ ☀️ 64 °F

    Liu Ding Liu Shia is the combined name of this Deity Hall that sits just beyond the entrance to the Juyong Pass base.
    After our Great Wall experience, we toured the Summer Palace: a resort of the Emoress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty. She had de facto control of the Chinese government from 1861 until her death in 1908. Quite an interesting history about her. The Summer Palace covers a vast area (2.9km/1.1 mi, 3/4 of which is water) and includes Longevity Hill, Running Lake and Seventeen Hole Bridge.
    -- Fun fact: the lake was entirely man made, & the excavated soil was used to build Longevity Hill.
    The Chinese don't waste anything. :)    Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    Beijing National Stadium (a.k a. the Bird's Nest)
    Beijing National Aquatic Center (a.k.a. the Water Cube)Commence the 'awwww'....Meet Meng Er (Meng means 'cute', Er means the 2nd), son of Meng Meng; b.22-Aug-2013.Meet MengMeng: b.13-Sep-2006, mother of 5 inc. Meng Er. Perhaps not too ladylike in her posture. 🤭Pandas are national treasures in China, and Meng Er is no exception.2So they're not exciting in an animated way ... but they sure are cute. 🐼Sone beautiful (and expensive) carving for sale in our hotel boutique.Just amazing detail....

    Olympic Structures & CUTENESS ALERT!!

    October 14, 2025 in China ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics; we couldn't visit but we're able to drive by a few of the notable structures that are still being used.

    And regarding the alert: don't say I didn't warn you . . . be prepared for a genuine 'aawwwww' moment.Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    A 'proof-of-arrival' pic we sent to our China Tour Mgr (Stone). He wanted to know we made it safely.
    1En route to our next hotel; the residences here seem even more densely packed than mainland.More cool bridges...Lunch break. :)

    Hong Kong

    October 15, 2025 in Hong Kong ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    We had to get up at stupid o'clock to catch an 8a flight to Hong Kong.

    We are enjoying this trip, however the heat: not so much. We think (hope) this will be the last leg of these silly temps.

    We arrived around noon, met our new guide Cisco who shuttled to our hotel and then took us on a brief walking tour of the area. This evening most of us just skipped dinner & grabbed some much-needed sleep.Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    Just wall art that caught my attention.
    Man Mo Temple: a spiritual cornerstone in HK. Man: God of literature; Mo: God of Martial Arts.A spiritual cornerstone in HK; scholars used to come to pray for success in their civil exams.Man would carry a calligraphy brush; Mo a sword. Not easy to tell here. 🧐Look at the tree roots growing along the walls!Just a neat vase I saw in a store window. Chinese attn to detail amazes me.(same store window, different vase)Some of the walkways were like San Fran.So many interesting things to see: the wall art (L & R), the old & new(ish) construction...The outer border is all Mah Jong tiles. But the humor is in the name of the place.Interior of Ho Lee Fook.All part of Hollywood Road.A fun store name.Some things make you smile just looking at them.Hand drawings on a coffee shop wall.Hong Kong could be a serious case study in living inconsistencies.

    Hong Kong Island Tour

    October 16, 2025 in Hong Kong ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    Hong Kong is not a municipality but refers to an entire region (specifically the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China). It's governed by the 'one country, two systems' principle since the 1997 handover from the British.
    We stayed in Tsim Sha Tsui, a southern part of Kowloon (a district on the mainland of Hong Kong).
    Today we drove to the island of Hong Kong --- via tunnel built under Kowloon Bay!

    Fun Fact: 'Kowloon' means '9 dragons' & refers to the 8 mountains and an emperor.    Read more

  • Fall 2025 : China
    The highway goes right into the bay! (We'll take that on tomorrow's tour!)A long (hot!) walkway exists for those who want to bake.There are 12 of these guys all along the promenade leading to the base of the budda's stairs.Tian Tan Buddha (aka: the Big Buddha, or the Bronze Buddha)Po Lin Monastery, established 1906Grand Hall of 10,000 Buddhas -- just stunning to see!Detail of the walls to the left & right of the shrine.This is the underside of the roof of the temple!The exterior had beautiful sculptures.Young people praying to the temple with incense offerings.Just because you CAN add flavors to popcorn doesn't necessarily mean you SHOULD. (IMHO)Hard to see, but the drivers are on the left (from China) and right (from Hong Kong).Beautiful sculpture outside our hotel.

    Lantau Island Tour

    October 17, 2025 in Hong Kong ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    We started with a cable car ride on the Ngong Ping 360 offering panoramic (360°) aerial views of the mountains and South China Sea. We climbed the steps up tp through bronze Buddha and then visited the Po Lin Monastery, a sacred Buddhist site.Read more

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