Haikou, China

Hai Kou (meaning "Mouth of the Sea") gives one a concentrated taste of traditional China. While Hong Kong and Shang Hai are full of gigantic, glitz and glamor, Hai Kou feels like the China we read about in storybooks as children. Once we were docked at the port, we skipped the guided tour and took a shuttle bus into the historic part of town. Haikou has the same population as Charlotte but we were in the old downtown section lined with quaint shops. The street we were on, Jung Shan Road, was cut in the early 17th century in the Qing dynasty. Most of the buildings now standing, however, were built in the mid-19th century. One exception was the lovely Tyan Hou Temple, which, though it looked very ordinary from the outside, resembled a gate of heaven within. I had a wonderful time practicing my Chinese with various groups of young people I encountered. One little girl even asked for my autograph and they all wanted their pictures made with me. I got to practice my Mandarin and they practiced English. They all hugged me as they left. Glenda said she feels as though she is married to a rock star.

The people were all so friendly and gracious! Glenda could have done more shopping if I had taken more American dollars into town. China does not allow American credit cards or ATM cards.

After five wonderful hours of wandering around this delightful city, we returned to the ship for a late lunch.Read more