China March 2019

14 day tour of China with 4 day Yangztze River Cruise - Gate1 Travel Read more

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China March 2019 Traveler
Three Gorges Dam
March 30, 2019 in China ⋅ 🌧 54 °F
Heading on a rainy day to the Dam. On a bus where I can’t hear the local Guide. Not good. Talking about his relatives selling oranges through WeChat and online. Oranges are big in this area

This Dam is 6x the size of the Hoover Dam, the largest hydroelectric project ever attempted by man Many people were relocated to make room for this. Well over a 1.4 million people had to be relocated all over China. For a whole lot more info on the Dam check out this link - https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2006…

This was definitely a day for muckers rained solid all day which made it hard for pics. Enormous number of people. On an avg day - 10,000. Highest number - 43000. I can’t imagine.

Pics are going to be very hard to upload. Connection speeds for uploads are abysmalRead more
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China March 2019 Traveler
Docked at Badong Entrance to Three Gorge
March 31, 2019 in China ⋅ 🌧 46 °F
Entrance point to Three Gorges
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China March 2019 Traveler
Shenong Stream
March 31, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 48 °F
Our 2.5 hr excursion up through the Three Gorges. Got lucky with a sunny day
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China March 2019 Traveler
Wu Gorge
March 31, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 54 °F
Continuing our voyage up the Gorges
TravelerPicture are beautiful. Hope you’re feeling ok!
3/31/19Reply
TravelerBack and foot doing ok. Had one of those weird fainting like spells that have sent me to the ER back home twice. That was rather spooky. Scared others. Fortunately hasn’t struck again! Someday someone will figure that out
3/31/19Reply
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China March 2019 Traveler
Jade Emperor Scenic Area - Fengdu
April 1, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
Per Gate 1 , a slight change in our itinerary today

“Based on customer feedback, the Shibaozhai excursion has been replaced with an excursion to the Jade Emperor Scenic Area in Fengdu in order to improve your overall experience. The Jade Emperor is a prominent deity in Chinese Taoism, and this site features the largest statue of the Jade Emperor in the world, as well as views of the valley below.”

Peaceful morning - rather foggy along the river banks. Lots of construction going on. China is all about construction - making huge strides but so many people! Huge challenges to say the least. Going to a lecture in a few moments about harvesting fresh water pearls.Read more
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China March 2019 Traveler
Jade Emperor Temple
April 1, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F
A rather kitschy representation of the Buddha and an actual little town built up around this area which reminds me of Gatlinburg or something. Would have preferred what they originally had on the itinerary. A bit more info on Fengdu and how it survived the rising flood waters caused by the Three Gorges Dam can be found here. Actually the city had to be relocated to the other side of the river. http://discovery.cathaypacific.com/a-chinese-gh…Read more
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China March 2019 Traveler
Last night on Victoria Anna
April 1, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F
After a nice stroll along a city park where we were greeted with great curiosity and lots of stares and a few friendly hellos, Janet and I returned to the ship where we chilled till dinner time, just talking with new friends (a very nice group of people- one of the things I really enjoy about Gate 1 trips).

Had the Captains dinner tonight. Our servers are two of the nicest young ladies with fantastic smiles, that make dinner an enjoyable experience.Read more
TravelerSmall world, we are stay at hotel Victoria! 1000s of miles away
4/1/19Reply
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China March 2019 Traveler
Chongqing - visit to Stillwell museum
April 2, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F
A link to info on Stilwell - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stilwell…

33 million people in this city. Whew!!
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China March 2019 Traveler
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Exploring old town Chongquin
April 2, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F
Fantastic market place with tons of people. Tom led us to a nice place for lunch where we all shared about 6 different dishes. Good thing he was there as no one spoke English. Used my google translate app to ask a girl in the restaurant if I could take a picture of the back of her T-shirt. It actually worked! She was all excited about it. Later on the street had different young Chinese girls come up to me to take a selfie with me. Too funny. Used it again with an old man who came up to me trying to figure out who I was. Put in “ I’m an American” and he got all excited and went back to tell his buddies. Huge smiles all around!!Read more
Traveler Hope you didn’t get anything from the women picking her nose!
4/4/19Reply
Traveler Too funny. Probably true!
4/4/19Reply
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China March 2019 Traveler
Chongquin airport
April 2, 2019 in China ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
Waiting on 1 hr flight to Xian, home to the Terra Cotta Warriors. Scheduled to depart at 4:50. Time for a Starbucks.

Janet has caught a cold. Not good.

Landed at 6:08 pm. Grey,overcast - bit foggy
TravelerJanet needs a nice hot toddy! Hope she feels better and you enjoy the rest of the trip
4/2/19Reply
TravelerSorry to hear she’s not felling well
4/4/19Reply
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China March 2019 Traveler
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Excelsior International Hotel - Xian
April 2, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
Jessica is our tour guide for Xian. She talked non stop on the way from the airport. Hotel is awesome. Gate1 is knocking it out of the park with these hotels. We checked in and then we went out for a bit to explore street vendors. Great time. Ended up in a noodle shop slurping big bowls of noodles and drinking local beer. A stop at the pharmacy to pick up drugs as many folks are coming down with colds.Read more
Traveler Yummy
4/2/19Reply
TravelerAmazing
4/2/19Reply
Traveler Geez!
4/4/19Reply
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China March 2019 Traveler
At the exercise park
April 3, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F
Great time this morning exercising with the Chinese ! Lots of videos later. Beautiful park. The Chinese are doing things we should all be doing
TravelerI have an aunt who shipped furniture back to the states on her visit to China many years ago. It’s all she talked about 🙄😂
4/3/19Reply
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China March 2019 Traveler
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At the terracotta warrior factory
April 3, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F
Where they make replicas of the terra-cotta warriors, the way they were originally made. Interesting visit. Did a video of how they were made - will have to post that later. Also bought a small one for myself. Then saw some beautiful lacquer finished furniture with inlaysRead more
Traveler So great!
4/4/19Reply
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China March 2019 Traveler
Lunch at hotel
April 3, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F
Stopped at fancy hotel for lunch. For some reason they decided we needed an American meal. No we didn’t and it was only fair at best, so hopefully they scratch that one off the itinerary in the future. I would have rather had Chinese food on a stickRead more
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China March 2019 Traveler
At the Terracotta Warriors
April 3, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F
Now this is a huge operation. Visited by some 3.5 million yearly. Fascinating exhibit. Spent about 3 hrs here. Tons of pics here. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terracotta_Army…https://maps.apple.com/?ll=34.385000,109.273056…Read more
TravelerThere was something on PBS about the terra-cotta soldiers- all of their faces are different. They are each individual soldiers. How thoughtful is that?!
4/3/19Reply
TravelerYes, they are all different. Over 720,000 artisans and common laborers had been involved in the construction. They made some parts by hand and even the parts made by mold would later be carved by hand for details, leading to the pottery figures being all different. Also, the hairstyle, clothes, postures and equipment for soldiers of various types and ranks are different, which also lead to their individuality.
4/3/19Reply
Traveler13. I heard the Terracotta Warriors were first made in delicate colors. Is it true? Yes, it is true. They were originally painted and the major colors were scarlet, rose-bengal, pink, purplish red, dark blue, green, and reddish brown. However, because of the current defective protective technology, they are immediately oxidized and become drab when being unearthed. Thus the protection of the magnificent historical project is still a challenge in archaeology.
4/3/19Reply
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China March 2019 Traveler
Dinner theater
April 3, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F
6 course dinner than an hour long theater presentation. Will follow up with videos once we get to Beijing and I have WiFi. Good time. Great costumes, music
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China March 2019 Traveler
Dinner Theater
April 3, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F
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China March 2019 Traveler
to Xian airport - flight to Beijing
April 4, 2019 in China ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Had to have luggage out last night at 10:30 after we got back from the dinner theater. Breakfast at 5:45. Flight at 9 am

Arrived airport at 7:40am. Onboard at 8:36. Landed at 11:05 am. Had some yogurt onboard The Chinese have the most delicious tasting yogurt. Sweeter than ours back home. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nai_lao?wprov=s…

3 nights in Beijing coming up. Looking pretty smoggy at the airport as we land around 11amRead more
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China March 2019 Traveler
Beijing airport
April 4, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F
21 million people live in Beijing -4x the size of NYC. Some of the pollution coming from the sand of the Gobi Desert that blows through in the form of sandstorms. They’re planting more and more trees to help block some of that. Every person is responsible for contributing to the planting of 5 trees each yearRead more
TravelerWow
4/4/19Reply
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China March 2019 Traveler
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Restaurant
April 4, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F
Great restaurant - authentic stuff here - they just keep bringing it and we keep spinning that big lazy Susan.
Traveler How did you take this picture? It almost looks like it's multiple pictures over laying
4/4/19Reply
Traveler LOL. Pano mode on iPhone. Probably not the best attempt.
4/4/19Reply
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China March 2019 Traveler
Hutong area and Rickshaw ride
April 4, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F
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China March 2019 Traveler
Novotel Hotel
April 4, 2019 in China ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F
Arrived here at 5:30 pm. Going for a city walk with Tom in 30 minutes long day. Beautiful hotel - central location. After a 1 hr rest, we went out to explore the main shopping area. Lot of high find stuff here - Prada, Cartier, etc. also a lot of food vendors on side streets. Check out my wiggling scorpions video that are then fried and eaten on a stick! I couldn’t get enough of them!! Other shots from our city walks (Hutong area, drum tower)Read more
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China March 2019 Traveler
On way to the Great Wall
April 5, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F
Beautiful day out. Air quality 67 vs 176 yesterday - actual blue skies!! Note of interest - the bricks in the Great Wall would circle the world twice. Also the one thing visible from space or so the astronauts claim

Today is a Memorial Day in China where people pay respect to the lives of loved ones who have passed away

Kids are off school today. No tolls charged on the roads

Next year for the first time Chinese visitors to the US will surpass US. Visitors to China. A visa for the Chinese to come to the US costs the same as our visa to ChinaRead more
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China March 2019 Traveler
Jade shop
April 5, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F
Beautiful jade!
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China March 2019 Traveler
At the Great Wall !
April 5, 2019 in China ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F
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