How it all began

1972 was a vintage year. Nothing to do with red wine or classic cars. It was the year that Mick and I married. 5th February to be precise.

We first began to think about our Ruby Anniversary roughly three years before the event. We decided that it would be great to do something really special to celebrate. We did not want to wait for our Golden Anniversary as, sadly, both of our Mothers had been widowed before they achieved that event. So we started to save without, at that time, any real idea of exactly what we were saving for.

We must have spent at least a year throwing ideas around. We would each suggest a location and then think about the things that we would do if we went there and try to weigh up the pros and cons of each idea. There were a number of possibilities. We would both love to visit India but the options available were not rocking our boat at that time. I would love to see the pyramids in Egypt but there was and still  is  unrest in the country so, we discounted that option. I would love a cruise holiday and also want to visit Tahiti and Polynesia. I did find a wonderful sounding cruise on a working cargo boat departing Tahiti and visiting the surrounding islands. It sounded heaven but, the price was beyond our means at the time no matter how hard we saved. Maybe one day.

Finally, we decided that we would both really love to visit China. I have always loved anything Oriental. Such a wonderful cultural history, stunning scenery and great food. What more could we ask. We would delay our trip until April rather than February. It can be rather cold in China in February and the Easter period was more convenient for me to take a holiday from the children that I care for.

The next stage was to decide exactly where we wanted to visit in the limited time of our holiday and to choose which company  we would use to assist us whilst in China. We usually travel independently and do our own thing but, we felt that for China we really needed some help and support. We finally decided to use China Odyssey Tours to arrange a private 2 person  tour. Our contact was Andy and we built up an excellent rapport. I told Andy a few things that we definitely wanted to include in our tour such as the Yangtze cruise. Andy sent us a suggested itinerary and we threw ideas back and forth, adding or deleting,  until we arrived at a final itinerary that seemed to fit the bill perfectly.

Departure Day - Friday 6th April

So, the day finally arrived. Friday 6th April (Good Friday) was not a holiday in France so we kept fingers and every thing crossed that there would be no snap strikes either on trains or planes. We left home at 8am and would arrive at CDG airport, Paris at 1pm. Our flight was due to take off at 4:05pm. As it turned out our flight was delayed by almost an hour. This was a cause of concern as we only had 90 minutes stopover to change planes at Doha, capital city of Qatar.

We had chosen Qatar Airline for our trip. Not the cheapest but a good reputation for a reasonable degree of comfort in economy class, plenty of  leg room. The food on board was excellent and a refreshing drink was available whenever needed. Personal entertainment screens meant that we could watch a film or sleep whenever we wanted. We both watched Warhorse. Mick was reading the book at the time.

We made up some time en route but the timing was very tight when we arrived at Doha. We were resigned to the fact that, even if we made it in time for the transfer flight, our baggage might not join us. Finally we rushed to the boarding gate where it seemed that the staff were looking out for us. In fact we were not the last to arrive. Five businessmen joined us a few minutes later and a bus arrived to rush us to the plane where all other passengers were already on board. Take off was moments away. It was now 1am, 7th April, Doha time. A new international terminal is currently being built and it will be magnificent when finished.

The next flight was going to last more than 8 hours and it would be 2:40pm when we arrived in Shanghai, Saturday afternoon. We were served a meal after take off and then most people settled down to sleep for the duration.  When we woke we really would have enjoyed a light breakfast but, as it was already after noon in Shanghai, we were served a full dinner. That was such a shame because so many people sent most of the meal back uneaten. Not really what we needed after a nights sleep and such a waste.

Shanghai - Saturday 7th April

The arrival procedure in China was efficient and did not take too long. Not the case for everyone! As  we waited for our own turn at the desk an incident was unfolding before us. A young woman was being turned away from entry. I am not sure of her nationality as I could not hear well enough to detect her accent but she was a native English speaker. It seemed that she did not have a valid visa and she kept saying 'I have a letter inviting me here', which she proceeded to wave in the face of the official who remained unmoved. She was told to go elsewhere to try to arrange a visa as there was no way she was being allowed to enter without. I wonder what happened to her on a Saturday afternoon, trying to enter China without the required paper work.

Miracle of miracles - our bags had arrived with us. Our guide was waiting and we started the journey to our hotel in the centre of Shanghai. Joe gave us a potted history of Shanghai and China during the one hour drive. He also asked why or how we had chosen China Odyssey for our trip. I told him that I was impressed with my email exchanges with Andy particularly as he had removed, at my request,  a number of visits to things like silk factories and jade museums that we knew were only government stores with greatly inflated prices.

Our hotel, The Bund, was wonderful. Breakfast, buffet style, was sumptuous. A wide variety of Chinese and Western style food both hot and cold. A chef was available to make fresh omelette's on request with your choice of fillings. The variety of steamed  buns were delicious.  I have never seen such an enormous bed, king size double. There was room to hold a party on it!! Wonderfully comfortable. This was to be the norm for us in China.

Our hotel was just a short walk from the Nanjing Road so once we were settled in our room we went for a stroll. It was early evening and the street was buzzing with people simply strolling up and down. Every few minutes we would be accosted by a street hawker, often on roller skates, trying to sell us things that we did not want. The main sales item was a pair of mini rollers to fit onto shoes complete with flashing lights. This road is a magnet for a promenade at night. Most of the shops have prices way out of our league. Lots of carved jade and gold, magnificent to look at but, certainly in our own case, only to look at. We might have saved hard for this trip but.....not hard enough for those prices. This was the only place in China where we were to find a bar to sit and watch the world go by whilst enjoying a beer. At most other locations it was necessary to go into a restaurant or hotel to buy a drink.  The unwanted part of sitting to have a beer is that you will be accosted by beggars, sometimes whole families of them. They also accost you whilst shopping but it is easier to walk away. We had been warned not to give anything unless we wanted hoards of beggars to appear, as if by magic, apparently from nowhere. Shanghai was the only place that this was a problem, although the beggars must also have  existed in most places.

We would only be staying 2 nights in Shanghai and the following night we would go to the Shanghai Acrobat show so, Joe asked if we would like to take an evening cruise on the river that first night. Why not, we decided, and it was a very good decision. The neon lit buildings seen against the night sky is a trip definitely not to be missed.

Just a few of the throng

Joe met us later to take us to the river cruise. You cannot believe the crowds, mostly Chinese with a few foreign visitors. Joe spoke to someone in authority and we bypassed the queues in order to board the next boat that would be departing. It was nice not to have to join the 'bun fight' for a place.

Mick and Chris on the evening river cruise in Shanghai

It was a cold and windy evening, threatening rain, but the neon lit buildings were fantastic to see. The rain turned out to be no more than 'spitty spotty' and soon cleared up altogether although it remained cold.  A wonderful start to the trip. Having slept on the flight we felt surprisingly fresh. Do not be fooled by the absence of people in the photo. The boat was filled to capacity but after a quick look the lights most people descended to one of the lounges for shelter or hot drinks. We simply did not want to miss anything so stayed on deck.

Shanghai - Sunday 8th April

I am one of those people who do not sleep well, either taking a long time to get to sleep or waking every hour or so unable to return to sleep for a long while. I had a wonderful night. Sleeping solidly until the alarm woke me at the appointed hour. After invigorating hot showers we were ready for anything, not feeling at all drained after our long journey. Everything we could need was available in our room from robes and slippers to toothbrush and toothpaste, combs and body lotion etc. It is not necessary to take any toiletries with you in this grade of hotel, just your favourite deodorant and perfume. A bottle of mineral water is provided for each guest daily and this was supplemented by bottles provided daily by our guides. Even the Chinese do not drink tap water without boiling it first. It is a risk that you should not consider, even for cleaning your teeth. So with breakfast over, we met Joe and our driver Mr Dai, to discover the delights of Shanghai.

Rear view of Ohel Moshe Synagogue from museum courtyard

Our first stop was to be the Old Jewish Quarter. This was a visit that I had particularly requested after reading how Shanghai had become a safe haven for Jews during the Holocaust. Joe was interested to discover that we are not Jewish ourselves (which he had assumed when given the assignment) but we are very interested in the history and culture.

We arrived at the former Ohel Moshe Synagogue where another guide would take care of us. Joe was also interested in the visit, not having been there previously himself. We were asked to wear protective shoe covers but, surprisingly, Mick and Joe were not asked to cover their heads. Another couple joined us having arrived independently. They were Jews from Belarus originally, now living in New York. Surprisingly, the wife either spoke no English or chose not to say anything that could be understood by anyone other than her husband. I find this habit not only strange but also rather rude.

The local authority had paid to restore the building in 2007 being aware of it's important place in the history of Shanghai. Large

numbers of Jews from all over Europe managed to make their way to Shanghai where they found safe haven from the Nazi Terror. Some married local Chinese girls whilst others married from their own community. The embroidered inscription on this cloth reads:

TRIBUTE  TO  HONGKOU  PEOPLE  WHO  PROVIDED  REFUGE  TO JEWS  IN  TIME  OF   NEED

This was presented by the Israeli Consul to the Chinese people of Shanghai. This area of Shanghai is known as Hongkou.

These beautiful doors are the entrance into one of the museum areas. This area holds many photographs and letters of thanks, from Jews who found haven here, and from their descendants. Many of these families have now made their homes in Australia or USA.  Although the area is referred to as the Jewish Ghetto it was not a ghetto in the manner of the European ghettos.  Whilst residing in Shanghai the Jewish community established their own businesses and were  free to live and worship as they wished. 25,000 Jews found refuge here during WWII.

The Eternal Flame of the Menorah

Bronze depicting a family of refugees arriving.
Unfortunately I did not realise that I failed to
capture the inscription.

Before leaving the area we walked down a road that had once been a part of a thriving Jewish community. Now exclusively occupied by Chinese, the area was buzzing this Sunday morning with people passing in and out of the variety of local shops or simply chatting and watching the world go by.

Our next visit of the morning was to the Jade Buddha Temple. Just a few days before it had been the festival of Tomb Sweeping and so there were many Chinese here praying and burning incense in honour of the ancestors.

On entering the courtyard the pleasant aroma of incense fills the nostrils. There are several large braziers here where people place their incense, fake money and other gifts to be burnt in order to be carried to the other world. There was a surprising number of young people praying here as well as the older generation. There were many large containers with huge bundles of incense and fake money waiting to be burnt. Most people seemed to bring their own with them having made their purchases before entering the temple. The street outside was full of shops and traders with barrows where incense, fake money and other items, that might be needed by the ancestors, could be purchased. There were also a lot of paper flowers, especially lotus blossoms.

A group of women in ethnic costume arrived and prepared to perform a traditional dance for the ancestors. These were mainly older women as were other similar groups that arrived at intervals,

It struck me that many of these statues of the Deities seemed to have an Indian rather than an Oriental appearance. This is apparently the result of a pilgrimage to India undertaken by the monk Xuanzang (602 - 664) during the Tang Dynasty.  There, he studied the deeper elements of Buddhism and brought many of these influences back to China. We were to hear more of him later in our trip.

Young and old alike were making their devotions totally oblivious to the intrusive presence of the hoards of tourists, most of whom were in fact Chinese.

Monks were performing a ceremony relating to fishermen. There was a lot of chanting that could be heard all around the temple. At the end of the ceremony a large container containing fish was symbolically emptied into an area of the courtyard intended to depict the river and  their release therein to ensure good future stocks of fish. In addition a large polystyrene container was filled with fish and loaded onto the back of a bicycle. This was to be taken to the river where the fish would be released.

This marble reclining Buddha is much larger than the
Jade Buddha and photos are permitted.

In a chamber on an upper floor of the temple there is the statue of the Jade Buddha after which the Temple is named. This Buddha is carved from rare milk white jade. It was brought from Burma, by a Chinese monk,  in the nineteenth century. It is not permitted to take photographs of this statue and security personnel are always on duty in the chamber.

The fine detail carved into this ship
has to be seen to be believed

Now it was time for lunch but en route there was an unscheduled stop. " I thought that you would like to visit this wonderful Jade Museum " said Joe. Of course it was not really a museum at all but one of the many Government Retail Outlets with highly inflated prices for the unwary, offering commission payments to the guides. We were not happy about it  but did not want to create a fuss. This huge carving of a ship was certainly an awesome sight being  approximately three metres in length. We then had to endure a short lecture about how to tell genuine jade from glass or plastic before being asked to make our selected purchases. The staff were keen to explain that we could only guarantee the genuine quality of jade purchased in this Government outlet whilst other traders might try to cheat us with fakes or inferior quality jade. We had to state repeatedly that we were not interested in buying anything. They almost seem to take it as a personal insult that we did not want to buy. It is very hard for some Chinese to comprehend that  Westerners do not all have the same love affair with Jade that the Chinese have. The store was enormous and we were the only potential customers with an abundance of staff in attendance.

For lunch throughout our trip we would be taken  to a suitable restaurant by our guide. Lunch today was to be at a restaurant of one the minority people of China. This minority group came from near to the Thai border. Lunch was excellent including soup, vegetables, rice, delicious fried fish, spicy chicken and sweet and sour pork followed by water melon and oranges. Our lunches would also include a soft drink or beer. We usually had local beer which was lager style and refreshing. There were also performances of traditional dancing during lunch. There was plenty of food and certainly no excuse to leave feeling hungry. The complimentary drink was to vary from place to place and might be a single small glass each, poured from a large bottle, or the whole bottle for each of us. Tea was also usually provided and was very pleasant. Sometimes it was plain green tea and sometimes Jasmine tea.

This was not an establishment only for tourists. There were many Chinese families there. Joe would not be eating at our table but he came over from his own table to check that everything was OK  for us. He looked amazed. " If this is your first time in China how come you can eat so well with chop sticks? "

I explained " We use them at home when I cook Chinese food." This same question was to repeated by several of our guides.

Now, whilst I hope that you are enjoying this meal with us,  I must mention some basics that you need to be aware of if you should ever visit China, namely toilet facilities. In all of the hotels the bathrooms contained traditional western style toilets but this is still not the general situation in China. The majority of the public facilities are delicately known as 'squats'. These involve a porcelain area set into the floor with a hole at the rear and foot places at the front. 'Squat' being a very good description of the position required. Even some major tourist places only offer this facility whilst others may offer one or two western cubicles in addition to the local style. So, it was no great surprise to find that there were only traditional Chinese facilities available here at the restaurant. They really do not present a problem, even if wearing trousers. It is just a matter of knack in achieving the appropriate position. Mick and I were used to this style as there are still many places in France where these exist. The thing that I always forgot was that there is no tissue available in the cubicles. A roll hangs at the main entrance and you are supposed to take some with you as you enter. I always forgot that but, I usually have a tissue or two in my pocket or stuffed down my bra. Not that I really need any extra padding you understand.

A visit to the immensely tall (420.5 meters) Jin Mao Tower was scheduled for the following morning but the forecast was for poor weather. Joe suggested that we make this our next visit following lunch, in order to be able to enjoy the view from the tower. The views from the 88th floor (not the top of the building) are certainly worth the trip up in the speedy elevator. There is a breath taking view at the centre of the tower down into the Atrium, viewing a glimpse of the floors below down to ground level  It is the Chinese way to push and shove so you need to be prepared to use your elbows to get a good view. 

Wonderful view from Jin Mao Tower despite the haze

On purchasing tickets you are given a voucher for 'a free pearl'. As we walked around the viewing platform we were urged not to forget to collect our pearls. Of course, having received them we were then encouraged to have them drilled 'for free' so that we could purchase pendant or earring fittings. We politely declined although I did buy a bookmark made of thin etched metal depicting an image of the tower. We exited the tower and walked through the pedestrian area to find our driver, Mr Dai, waiting for us. Joe had telephoned to tell him that we were on our way.                

We were then whisked off to Yu Garden. This is reputedly one of the most beautiful gardens in China. It is approached by way of the Yuyuan Market area. A bustling area of shops, stalls and street entertainers. The buildings may look ancient but in fact they are relatively recently built. We were scheduled to have time to browse here later. As you pass through this market area you suddenly arrive at a wall with a discreet entry point. This is the entrance to the garden.

Pan Yunduan created this garden to be a peaceful place of seclusion and tribute to his parents. His father Pan En was a State Minister.   Pan Yunduan first developed the idea of the garden in 1559 but it was 1577 before work started because he was appointed Governor of Sichuan Province, which obviously took precedence. It was to prove to be a 'money pit' and resulted in the family ultimately  losing their fortune. The garden passed down through the family to the grand daughter's husband  but gradually fell into decline. During the 18C the garden underwent restoration and was opened to the public. Once again the garden fell into disuse but was restored and reopened to the public in 1961, although the present garden is not entirely the size of original, which was considerably larger. The famous Huxingting Tea House,  reached by a zig zag bridge to prevent demons from gaining access, was used by troops in various wars including the Opium Wars and the Japanese invasion of China. More recent visitors to the Tea House include Bill Clinton. The point of the zig zag bridge is that demons are only supposed to be able to travel in straight lines and therefore could not enter here.

A Moon Gate within the garden. Touch it for luck.

Bronze dragons like this mount the walls and gateways

Touching the highest point of the Moon Gate is considered good luck. People would touch as high as they could reach. There was a lot of moisture in the air when we visited and the path through this gate was extremely slippery, hence the notice.

More typical statues on rooftops or gates

Dragons  are typical of the bronze adornments on roofs and gateways. There are two of these magnificent, large dragons here. One facing the left and one facing the right.

This is another typical example of roof adornment. We would many examples of these adornments throughout China.

One of the many rock grottoes

Classic buildings and rock formations are found everywhere within the garden.

Koi are in abundance in the many pools within the garden. Most are large and all are friendly and come to meet you in the hope of a tidbit. There are also small turtles (or maybe terrapins) but the photo I took did not show them too well.

The centre stone of this group is known as the Jade Stone. These stones are rare and greatly revered throughout China. The more holes that are naturally formed within the stone - the greater the stone is revered. The story goes that this stone was destined for the Emperor in Beijing but, the Court was told that the ship carrying the stone had sunk. This enabled the stone to be diverted  to Yu Garden. Rather a dodgy ruse, I would have thought, during times when the will of the Emperor was sacred and an individuals life could be extinguished with a click of the finger or nod of the head.

The magnificent Jade Rock

The Yu Garden is a haven of   peace and tranquility in this   bustling, modern city. Once  inside it   is

possible simply to  forget the vibrant life  existing outside of  these walls. I have  to confess that I did

not  think  that I  would want to  return to  Shanghai if I ever visit  China again.  Although I spent my

youth in the  Greater London area, I am a country  girl at heart. but, actually there are a lot of reasons

why I would consider returning to Shanghai. There still seem to be plenty of interesting things to see within the city and the surrounding area.


We left the garden by a different gate and started to make our way through the shopping area. I was expecting to browse a little as the opportunity to shop here was an itemised part of our itinerary, but Joe was bustling us along. Well, we had brought forward the trip to the tower so I assumed that was why we did not have time for shopping as we were going out to the Acrobat Show in the evening and would want to shower and get ready for that.  Oh well, there would be plenty of other opportunities for shopping.  This was only our first day after all. 

I did see a window display of costume dolls. I stopped to look for the entrance into a shop but there did not seem to be one - simply this display window. I have collected dolls in National Costume since I was a child and it was my intention to buy at least one doll in ethnic costume whilst in China. If I had seen the actual shop that was selling these Joe would have had to wait.

As we left the garden Joe had suggested that we might appreciate a refreshing cup of tea. To be honest that did seem a good idea as it seemed a long time since our drink at lunchtime. We assumed that we were going to local cafe or tea house. Instead we met Mr Dai and were whisked away. It was obvious as soon as we arrived that this was no cafe despite the name, Shanghai Honghong Teahouse. The reception group at the door gave it away at once. We were greeted with smiles by the large number of staff once again with no customers. We were ushered upstairs for the 'tea ceremony'. Hmmmmmm!! There were many low tables set out with tea making equipment, all empty at the time. Joe went off somewhere whilst we were sat at the table to experience the 'Wonderful Chinese tea ceremony'.

The table prepared for 'the ceremony' A dozen or so people
can be seated for each 'performance'.

What actually happened was that the young woman brewed small amounts of 6  different teas for us to try - a few sips of each rather than the promised 'refreshing cup of tea'. With each different tea we received a lecture about the benefits. This one for longevity, this one for circulation problems, this one to prevent cancer etc. During the course of the sales pitch there were a few gimmicks. Hot water poured over a ceramic frog caused it to change colour - apparently a sign of good luck. A mug changed colour when hot water was poured into it. Mick and I are by profession ceramicists but neither of us have ever seen a glaze that reacts in this way. I wonder what the secret is.  During our sampling session a small group arrived and were ushered to tables for the wonderful tea ceremony experience. Can you see my tongue stuck firmly in my cheek as I say that?

The jasmine tea ball unfurling into a flower. You can see
another tea ball to the right of the jug.

One fascinating feature of the demonstration was seeing jasmine tea made from a large tea ball. When the hot water is poured onto the tea ball it unfurls into a lovely flower, so of course you have to buy the correct glass jug in order to appreciate this experience.

Needless to say we were then ushered downstairs to the official Government Retail Outlet - quality guaranteed!  I really do object to the pressure that is used to 'encourage' you to purchase. 'Which was your favourite tea?  Oh here is a box of that and what else do you want to buy? If you buy 5 boxes we give you another for free'.  Each box contained two normal size packets of tea. Having been given only sips of the different teas it was hard to consider which one was any better the the others. We do both enjoy jasmine tea and so Mick said to me that he might consider buying some. Quick as a flash a box was taken from the shelf by the sales girl with the demand for us to choose the other 4 teas to qualify for our free gift.

It was at this point that I pointed out the price to Mick. 'Are you really serious about paying that for two packets of tea?'  It was our first day in China and Mick had completely misread the price thinking that it was 32 RMB and not 320 RMB. There are 8 RMB to the Euro. Work it out for yourself. In fact, the price was written in such a way that it was (intentionally) easily misread. Think how much you would be spending to get your free gift. There was another couple in the shop who were also trying to fend off the demands for a purchase.

Joe had now rejoined us. 'Are you ready to pay and leave or do you want to buy more?' I replied 'Actually, we don't want to buy anything. Mick misread the price. We are not prepared to pay that for tea, no matter how high the quality is'. A loud, animated conversation ensued between Joe and the sales girl. She was not at all happy that we would not, after all, be buying anything.

Joe also became a little angry and asked 'Isn't your health and well being important enough to pay this price for this very special  tea?' Let's face it two packets of tea were not exactly going to be a life changing experience. I gave Joe one of my looks. You must know the one. At thirty paces it would cause a rottweiler or pit bull to turn tail and run away in fear. 'Don't try to pressurise me Joe because it simply won't work'. After another heated discussion between Joe and the sales girl we left to return to our hotel.

We had discovered that in China people seem to dine rather earlier than we were used to doing. So, what to do for our evening meal. Opposite our hotel we had noticed a very nice looking restaurant, Merrylin, but it did look as if it might be rather expensive. As we would not be home from the show until after 9pm we decided that a snack in our room would be best for the night. After all we had already had a large breakfast and lunch and we are simply not used to  eating three large meals in a day. Just along the road from our hotel we had noted the Paris Baguette Company - I kid you not. We would later discover that this company could be found at a number of locations in China. So, we purchased some lovely filled baguettes, crisps and cake for our evening picnic in our room. We had already bought some local beer and put it in the fridge.

Whilst I was showering the telephone rang. Mick answered, wondering who on earth would be calling us. It was Joe. He apologised that he would be unable to accompany us to the show. An emergency had arisen. A colleague en route to the airport to meet guests had been involved in a road accident and was now in hospital. Joe was currently en route to meet the clients and escort them to their hotel. Mr Dai would meet us and take care of us for the evening. Mr Dai is an absolutely charming man but speaks no English. It was no problem. With his huge, beaming smile and universal signs he drove us to the theatre, collected our tickets and guided us to our seats, indicating that he would return to collect us after the show.

The show was really good. Many of the performers were young and included some children. Hard to tell their ages in costume and make up but maybe around 10 or 12 years old for some. Swathes of silk hung from the ceiling and young women performed ballet style movements from their positions, suspended high above the stage. Unfortunately, taking photos or video is forbidden but of course there are images that have found their way onto YouTube via smart phones. In addition there are official still photos on the web. Try Googling and see what you can find. Apparantly there are several shows at different locations in Shanghai. The one that we saw was at the Shanghai Circus Theatre.

 

The finale was absolutely magnificent. Indeed, Mr Dai had returned to sit beside us in order to see this finale. Those of us 'of a certain age' will remember The Wall of Death that used to feature at fun fairs and travelling shows. This was not a wall but a 'Ball of Death'. Unbelievably breathtaking. We were completely transfixed throughout the performance.  There are a number of clips of this and similar performances on YouTube. This is a link to one but, regrettably, no video clip can do real justice to the show. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVXhTiYJCVQ

Then, back to our hotel for our picnic supper and a well deserved nights sleep. The Merrylin restaurant was indeed closing by the time we returned.

Shanghai - Monday 9th April

So, our final day in Shanghai was here. Was it really only two days since we had arrived?  We had intended to chat with Joe the previous night about visiting an alternative to our itinerary today. After all we had already been to Jin Mao Tower and we had already walked along the Nanjing road. When Joe arrived the first thing we did was to ask about his colleague. Joe was visibly distressed when he advised us that his colleague had died and the driver was in hospital.

Huge bronze water buffalo on Bund recalling the days before
this area was commercialised

Our schedule would take us the The Bund area and, whilst en route, we broached the subject of changing the remainder of our morning. There is apparently a good Aquarium in Shanghai but, we would have been happy to return to Yuyuan  Market to browse the shops and visit the Temple of the Town God.  Joe was not really listening. He was obviously distracted by his distress. The promenade along the Bund was quite chilly with wind blowing and rain threatening. Despite that there were a number of people strolling, several practising Tai Chi and some attempting to fly kites despite the weather. In days gone by this area had been the heart of this bustling port and in earlier times had been farmland. The huge statue of the water buffalo is a reminder of those days.

The male lion with mouth open, roaring.

Joe took us across the road to enter a branch of the Bank of Shanghai. This building dates back to the 1920's and was originally the headquarters of HSBC.  The entrance is guarded by two large bronze lions. One male and one female. These are intended to guard and protect the wealth within.

The benign female lion with mouth closed.

Inside the lobby, just below the ceiling, there are a series of huge murals depicting major capitals of the era. These are stunning but we were told that no photography is allowed. Whilst we stood, with necks tilted backwards gazing at these murals, a party of suited orientals were being ushered through the lobby by a suited bank official. Obviously the same rules did not apply as they passed snap, snap, snapping as they went. Inside the main hall of the bank there are enormous marble columns, absolutely stunning. The whole building really is a magnificent sight. So sad that I cannot share it with you.

From here we took a short walk to the Fairmont Peace Hotel. On entering, past the uniformed doorman who smiles a pleasant greeting,  the Art Deco magnificence of the lobby becomes apparent. I happen to love Art Deco and it was a pleasure to spend a few minutes in the lobby area here. Walking on into the second, circular, lobby area there are magnificent murals in relief  'white metal' depicting Shanghai in the early twentieth century.  A popular feature at this hotel is the 1920's style Jazz Bar. The hotel had been built in the 1920's by Sir Victor Sassoon, a British Jew with  Iraqi  origins  whose family had major businesses in  Asia and India. When the hotel was built it was the first 'sky scraper' in Shanghai.

These vehicles, often very colourful, can be seen all over China. Many have motors but others are purely peddle power. Most are used as a taxi service but some are used to transport a variety of goods.

Mr Dai met us once again with his very comfortable  'people mover' and we were off once again.  We travelled for ten minutes or so and we were not at all happy when we arrived at our destination. This was the Shanghai Silk Museum. Once again, an excuse for a Government Retail Outlet - quality guaranteed.  The reason that I was so annoyed about this was that it had been a suggestion on the original itinerary suggested by Andy. I had this visit removed as we simply did not want to be told how silk is produced. We possibly know as much about silk production as the young lady that was telling us all about it. This part of France used to be a major silk producing area. During periods of religious persecution Huguenot silk weavers fled to England. So, we have been to many museums both in UK and here in France. Been there, heard the lecture, bought the T-shirt etc. So, we tried to smile sweetly while the young lady gave us her rehearsed speech. During this speech she produced leaves,  'These are very special and very important in China.'  'Yes' we said, 'Mulberry leaves.'  She seemed surprised that we recognised the leaves but she looked completely confused when we said that we had two mulberry trees in our garden at home.


Then, of course, we were forced to mount the stairs to visit the official shop. Not a soul there except for the hoards of bored looking staff. Yes, there were many lovely items there but we did not want them. I was not tempted to buy a scarf that would have lived for the next twenty years in my drawer, unworn. Silk quilts were being thrust at us with the offer that 'You don't need to carry it. We can ship to USA'.   My sarcasm was lost on them when I replied 'Well, you can if you like but we don't live there'. So many of the Chinese  seem to assume that every Westerner is an American.

There was yet another discussion between Joe and a member of staff before we left. No doubt complaining about the fact that we had failed to buy anything.

So, back we went for the unwanted walk down Nanjing Road and on to lunch. Suddenly we realised that we were approaching our hotel. Imagine our delighted surprise when entered the Merrylin. It was full of extremely well dressed business people and looked very posh.

The thousands of suspended lights change colour
throughout the meal.

Our table was on the right. The last one in the row towards the rear.

Joe said that he would order some local specialities for us. He ordered a veritable banquet. The soup was absolutely delicious. A slightly glutinous consomme style containing tiny noodle style dumplings. There was a slight hint of sweetness. We were presented with a huge terrine of soup and although we had several portions there still seemed to be a lot wasted.  Then a variety of dishes were served. Joe had ordered a crisp stuffed pancake, seen on the left, that he jokingly referred to as Shanghai pizza and crab dumplings with dipping sauce. Those crab dumplings in the bamboo basket were delicious.

The main dishes of our meal.

There was also a spicy beef dish and green beans with garlic that  was heavenly. On top of the green beans were what appeared to be fried garlic flowers that seemed to open and close with heat of the beans. We shared a large bottle of beer but Joe later said that he had ordered two bottles. 'I'll get it for you now'. 'Oh, no thank you we are leaving in a minute aren't we?' 'I know that the English can drink beer quickly'.  'Maybe, but we have to sit on a plane for two hours this afternoon'. Joe had certainly redeemed himself a little with this meal.

As Mr Dai pulled away from the restaurant the forecast rain began. No matter.  How nice of it to hold off until now. 

We should have been flying with China Airline but there had been a change although departure would be at the same time. Now we would travel by Xiamen. As we had never heard of that airline we wondered what the experience would be like. There was a small hiccup at check in desk when we were told that our suitcases had been diverted to be opened. Joe looked a little worried and asked if we had packed something forbidden. It turned out to be my suitcase that the officer wanted to check. She pointed to my make up bag. 'What is that?'  I indicated my face and was about open the bag for inspection when she waved me away. 'No need, thank you'.  I wonder what they thought was in there.

When we had arrived on Saturday we had some impression of the size of the airport but not much else. Now, we were struck by the vast open spaces that appeared to be comparatively empty of passengers. Yet, the arrival and departure boards listed an enormous number of international and internal flights. We mentioned this to Joe and he said that it was the policy of the Government to 'build for the future'. After all, China is anticipating that tourist numbers will rise considerably in the forthcoming years. Now it was time to say farewell and we passed through security to air side.

We passed through huge empty halls on the way to our departure gate. There was a vast selection of stores, cafes and restaurants. There had also been plenty to choose from on land side. There were plenty of  toilet facilities at frequent intervals and an enormous number of public seating provided, many in areas with TV screens playing. In addition there were exclusive lounges for the up market passengers. There were also plenty of water dispensers providing both hot and cold drinking water. Cleaning staff were everywhere and included several women with cloths and sprays whose sole purpose seemed to be to find and instantly remove any small dirty spots on the carpet.

As we watched flights being called it appeared that most flights would be full. It seemed that the airport only looked empty because it was so huge.

Our flight was called on time and the small aircraft was surprisingly comfortable - and full. We might have been the only western passengers on this flight. We departed at 4:30 and would arrive in two hours. Shortly after take off we were served with a pleasant hot meal and a soft drink. I don't think that any of the internal flights in China have any alcohol on board.

It had been raining quite heavily when we took off and there was considerable turbulence during the flight. We landed at the smallish rural airport of Yichang  where we were met by our guide and driver to be escorted to the cruise ship. I must apologise that I cannot remember the name of this guide but we were only in his company for the forty minute drive to the ship. He seemed very relieved to meet us and explained that he had been worried that the airport would be closed whilst we were in flight. The airport is surrounded by mountains and so is closed if a storm hits. Our guide had been closely watching the skies whilst we had been experiencing the turbulence.

We arrived in darkness and, almost before they had been unloaded from the car, a porter had loaded our cases onto a pole that he slung across his shoulder and was off down the hill in a flash. We were expecting to pay him the usual 10 RMB per case but, he had already unloaded them on board and disappeared by the time we ourselves boarded. As we boarded there a few local traders offering to sell wine, beer, snacks and souvenirs with the advice that everything was 'Cheaper! Cheaper!'.

We were guided into the dining room, where we were immediately served with tea, whilst our guide went to collect our cabin information after which he bid us goodbye. Some sort of introduction was being given to a group of Germans. We hoped that there would be other native English speakers on board with us. Before he left our guide had told us that our cases were already being taken to our cabin and we could go up when we were ready.

Our comfortable cabin with balcony

Our cabin was just as we had imagined. Small but with everything we needed including a neat shower room  and a balcony just large enough to sit out. We were a little surprised to find twin beds as we had been assured that a double king size had been booked. So, before we did anything else Mick popped down to reception to query that. Almost before he had returned himself, two members of housekeeping staff had arrived to move the furniture to create a double, with appropriate double sized bed linen. We were impressed by the speed of the service.

The Observation Lounge and Bar taken early in the morning

No meal would be provided on board until breakfast the following morning and so we were grateful for the large lunch that Joe had ordered for us and the in flight meal. We were certainly not hungry but, I had a secret store of KitKat bars for emergencies.  After a quick freshen up and change of clothes we joined the other passengers in the lounge bar for a briefing from Howard, the Cruise Manager. Complimentary nibbles were provided with the beers that we ordered. The obligatory safety procedures were explained and then some general information about the cruise schedule and activities. It turned out that everything required to be spoken in English, German and Chinese. In fact, we were a little surprised at just how many Chinese tourists there were on board. The following morning we would depart at 7am. It was suggested that we might like to view the departure from the deck before breakfast. The cruise fee included several onshore tours but we were invited to book an additional tour in the morning to Dragon Valley. This was a newly created tourist area recreating the older, traditional style of life in the region. A video of this had been playing in our cabins and the price seemed reasonable so we decided to book. After all, we were here to see things not just sit in our cabin.

After chatting with a few of our fellow passengers whilst enjoying a beer.....or two, we retired to our cabin where we slept like contented babes. It had been a long day and our river adventure would have an early start the following morning.

Yangtse Cruise - Tuesday 10th April

We woke bright and early feeling fresh and ready for anything that the day would hold. The crew were preparing for departure and we went up to the top deck to watch the proceedings before venturing down for breakfast. The cruise manager, Howard, had suggested the previous evening that passengers might like to watch the departure before breakfast as the scenery on this first leg of our journey would be interesting.

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We looked down at the ramshackle quay from which we had boarded last night.  Perhaps it was just as well that it had been dark and we saw nothing but the traders and the welcoming group of crew members. In the cold light of morning it all looked a bit rickety. We were swathed in damp morning mist and many of our views today would be through mizzle  (misty drizzle)

Our excursion today would depart at 9am so we would not be going too far along the river this morning. Time to go down to the restaurant and have a good breakfast. As with almost every breakfast in China it was buffet style. A wide selection of Western and Chinese dishes and fruit.

Shortly after we set sail we arrived in  the dining room to have breakfast. We found that our table was one of the first as we entered the dining room so, we put down our backpacks and went to collect our breakfast. We tended to have a western style start to the day throughout our holiday. Although I would often add some wonderful steamed buns to my bacon and egg. We did not find any fried eggs, just as we had failed in Shanghai but, there was a very good selection to choose from. We had just settled in our place when our table mates started to arrive. We could see that they were not Chinese but we had no idea what their native language was - maybe German? So, we smiled and mumbled a greeting. The chap opposite me leaned back in his seat and demanded  'Are you Poms?' So, now we knew that these were Australians. 'Yup!' We said.  'So am I' said the guy who introduced himself as Alan, a Pom who had emigrated to Oz a lifetime before.  From these new friends we learnt that for fried eggs we had to ask the grill chef who was stationed right by our table and was making omelets to order. We would know what to do in the future.

All of our table mates were Australian and they were all part of the same tour. We were actually the only English on board and also the only independent travellers, commonly known on the excursion lists by our cabin number - 425. There were a few other Australians who were associated with different tours to our table mates, quite a few Americans, a large contingent of German speakers and many, many Chinese. One of the Officers on board was himself German, Kristoff. He had worked in China for twenty years or more and was fluent in Chinese and English in addition to his mother tongue.

We seemed to hit it off with our table mates right away. It helped to share the same  sense of humour. Kerry and Daphne and Alan (the Pom) and Marylyn ( known to her friends as Maz ) were long standing friends from Sydney. Kate and her young daughter Michelle were also, I think,  from Sydney,  and Allan and June were from Perth. It turned out that we had all booked to take the Dragon Valley excursion that morning. Comfortable flat shoes had been recommended as a longish walk would be involved and the paths might be slippery.

The entrance to Dragon Valley viewed as we docked.

By the time we had finished breakfast we had docked and the guides had boarded to take us on our way. Each guide took a smallish group and our table were all together, all being English speakers. Our very attractive guide was absolutely delightful. She entertained us with  traditional local songs and told us a little about the  culture and old lifestyle of the area. I never saw her without a smile or a giggle on her lips. All of the guides were dressed in a uniform based upon traditional local clothes.

The valley was one of the newer 'attractions' along the river. Whilst the wonderful valley scenery was totally natural everything else had been artificially created to give the visitor an idea of how life had been in earlier times. The walk to the end of the valley and back would take about two and a half hours but that would include many stops for photo opportunities.

The 'sleepy' harbour

Any moment you expect the crew to arrive and set sail

The walk was very pleasant and the mist was clearing. In fact, although a little damp, it was a lovely morning, made all the better because of the very enjoyable company that we found ourselves sharing.

'Ancient' rock paintings

No comment!!

We passed a number of drawings on the rock face and a series of statues, some rather comical. Mick thought that I might have been the body model for two of them. Sadly, I think that gravity has taken it's toll over the years. Actually, to be honest, I don't think that there was ever a time when gravity did not play it's part. The 'ancient' statues were mostly fibre glass and the rock paintings probably owed a lot to acrylic but, none of the guides tried to imply that these were old and even joked about how new they were. 

Hear No Evil, See No Evil?

A good stride is needed to step from stone to stone

We crossed this part of the river by stepping stones. No particular problem for the able bodied but I could see that these might present a problem for anyone with a disability.

Looking back towards the stepping stones

At every step of the way there was a new view and photo opportunity.  We tried to make the most of it.

Cormorant Fishing Boat

Traditional Chinese music

Family San pan

All along the way we would come across groups in traditional costume acting the parts of villagers. A young woman playing a traditional Chinese instrument, a flautist, cormorant fishing boats, women doing the washing and even a village wedding.  As each group of visitors approached the 'villagers' would play their parts.

Flautist

It didn't matter that these were staged performances, isn't every type of 'theme park' experience in the West staged in the same way. It really was a very pleasant morning and we were so glad that we had decided to take the excursion.

A woman's work is never done

We had a wee chuckle at all of the performers who would relax a little between the visiting groups and, as we approached, we could sense them saying to each other, 'Quick, look busy, here comes another lot.'

One of the local residents

Who do you think you're looking at Mate?

There is a tribe of wild monkeys living in the valley.  They stay mainly in one area but scamper across the rocks and seem to be perfectly happy in this environment. They do come right down to meet the visitors so there are many photo opportunities but, always remember that these cute creatures are wild animals and so could do you a nasty mischief if provoked. Keep a tight grip on your bags and cameras. They probably knew the The Artful Dodger.

At the heart of the valley there are beautiful waterfalls. These are the Dragon's Tears. The legend tells of how a dragon came to the valley and fell in love with a beautiful young woman from the village. His love was not returned and the waterfalls represent the tears of the distraught, lovestruck, dragon.

Coffins in a cliff niche

It was traditional throughout the region to 'bury' the dead in coffins set in niche in the cliff face. In this valley the practice has been recreated for the benefit of the visitor but throughout the cruise it is still possible to see the real thing, although you often have to look very carefully up at the cliff face. 

At the far end of the valley there is a re-enactment of a traditional wedding but we were not able to get a clear view of all of the performance due to the huge numbers of Chinese tourists. Our guide was most apologetic. It was not possible to wait for the next performance as we had to start to retrace our steps and return to the ship for lunch.

Our ship Century Star is the large white ship with a few
others having joined her to enjoy this excursion.

As we made our way back on board members of the crew were there to greet us and welcome us back. As we entered the lobby area we were given refreshing towels and tea. This would be the norm after every excursion.  

And so...... to lunch. Lunch and dinner would be similar meals, buffet style. There was always a large selection of dishes with a good mix of Chinese and Western styles together with two different soup choices, a salad bar and two grill chefs just inside the dining room. The chef close by our table usually had a pasta dish to offer and I kept forgetting that the chef on the other side had a different choice. The one time that I remembered, he was serving  delicious roast goose. Being buffet style it was possible to return to the servery several times if you  were still hungry or particularly enjoyed a dish, so there really was no point in piling the plate so high that it was difficult to carry. Needless to say there were many who did carry plates that were almost over flowing. The Chinese do not often eat desserts but the chefs made a valiant effort to provide a good selection. A wide assortment of bite size apple tart and many flavours of cheesecake  or fruity dainties was the norm. There was always fresh fruit and a hot choice.  However, there was one small problem.

Our UK friends will remember the early days of the package holiday when it seemed that certain groups of European tourists went down to the pool side at 2 or 3am to place towels on all of the sunbeds in order to reserve them for the day. I am sorry to say that we had the same situation on board. While most people were still enjoying their soup, one particular group were emptying the dessert table before they had even started to eat anything at all, leaving precious little for the rest of us. Such a shame but, these things seem to happen everywhere.

The view as we docked to visit the Dam

Right after lunch we would be leaving for the afternoon excursion. This was a trip to view the Three Gorges Dam and, I have to be perfectly honest, this was the part of the cruise that I was least looking forward to. It turned out that I was in for a surprise.  We disembarked close to the impressive traditional gate  through which the village could be entered and took a short walk through the usual market stalls to our coaches. This market did have items for the tourist but was also obviously supplying the locals with fruit, vegetables etc. and tasty hot  snacks. The trip to the Dam would take roughly half an hour.

The Dam is under the control of the Army. The procedure on arrival is very strict. Everyone disembarks the coaches and must go through an airport style security screening. Bags may  taken into the complex but must not contain alcohol or other combustible materials, cigarette lighters and so forth and they must pass through an x-ray screen. The reason for this and the Army presence is the terrible destruction that could occur in the event of any terrorist attack causing a breach in the Dam. It doesn't bear thinking about. 

I have to hold up my hand and admit that the sight of this great feat of engineering is certainly impressive. A short talk is given to each group of visitors about the building project and the benefits to the area and the local people. Huge panoramic photos are unfurled on the ground to show the vast area affected by the Dam. There was a slight drizzle when we first arrived so part of the Dam was shrouded in mist.

 

A large diorama shows the full layout of the Dam.  From this hall one passes into the sales area. Not all souvenirs though. There was a vast assortment of packaged Chinese food on sale here. It seemed rather a strange thing to be selling in a place like this. I did buy a fridge magnet from here to add to my slowly growing collection and I was very surprised to find that haggling was the expected norm in here just as it was in the markets. I had assumed that in here the prices would be fixed.

The future viewing area

Close up of the bronze relief



There is still work continuing although the Dam is now functioning but, the work force is far smaller than during the peak of the building when many thousands lived and worked on the site. The views from the new visitors centgre will be fantastic.

Garden areas are being beautifully landscaped and a new visitors viewing area is under construction.

Part of a series of locks.

We would be making our own way through these vast locks later in the day.

Even here there are gardens to  gladden the eye.

A consignment of new cars pass through the locks

We were on a strict schedule to return to our ship as she would have to take her place in a queue to pass through the locks. We did make a small purchase before boarding, a pack of six beers for which we haggled for a very good price. We put them into the fridge in our cabin just in case we fancied one later.

Our final view of the magnificent entrance to the village

It was tea time when we were back on board. The sun was now shining and we took our place on the sundeck with beverages, cookies and cakes and our e-readers.  A short way along the river we halted to await instructions about the time that we commence our progression through the locks. The passage might take up to 5 hours.

Time to explore a little before we prepared for our evening meal. In the lobby the official photographer had his stand. Here he would show the photographs that he taken during the day and clips from the official video. We had decided that we would buy a photo of us if we saw a nice one but, in actual fact we never really had the opportunity to have a good look at many as there were always crowds of Chinese, Germans or Americans around this table.

Also in the lobby there was a small souvenir stall. A pleasant selection including silk scarves, some jewellery, guide books and a few costume dolls. Although I did want to buy a doll, as I have collected National Costume Dolls since I was a small child, these were all in 'Court' dress. I really wanted a doll in the costume of one of the ethnic tribes.

On Deck 4, close to the bar, there were more items for sale. Here a shop was dedicated to pearls, jade and art work. I was hoping to buy  some jade jewellery but unfortunately all of the ear rings were set in silver. I can only wear silver for a few hours before my ears start to burn. I would have to keep looking.  On board there was an artisan painter / calligrapher who had his own working and sales area within the ship's gym. In addition there was another artisan whose speciality was painting on the inside of small glass bottles ( snuff bottles ) with a special tiny curved tip brush. He also  took commissions from the passengers who might provide him with a photograph of their grand children or whatever. His skill was absolutely amazing. In addition, there was a masseur and a beautician available. Naturally, the ship had a doctor on board in case of emergency. On one occasion  he would give a talk about  Chinese Medicine. One lucky lady would receive a soothing neck massage when the masseur introduced himself to the passengers.

This ship had been in commission for ten years but it was in magnificent condition. These glorious suspended lights adorned the centre of the stairwell.

We had been told to listen for an announcement regarding the time that we would start our passage through the locks. It was anticipated that we would enter the first lock  round dinner time and make a slow progression of up to 5 hours. Before dinner we would attend the Captain's welcome cocktail party and after dinner the staff would be performing their show. 

        There is room for more than one ship at time in the lock.

The long wait for the lock to fill.

We would pop up to the top deck to view our progress in between events, starting with a quick look just before the Captain's party.

The cocktail party was lovely. The Captain, his officers and senior members of staff were dressed in pristine 'whites'. All formerly greeting each passenger as we entered the bar area. Drinks and snack were being served. Whilst we sat to finish our drinks Howard, the cruise host, introduced the Captain and these key staff members. Toasts were made as the Captain passed through the throng to greet everyone with smiles. He did not speak any English.

" Hi, I'm Minny. How are you? "

A quick look up top before we went down for dinner and then, after dinner, there was time to go up top to see how we were progressing through the locks. There was a bar up on this top deck so refreshments were available if required. Then, back down to the lounge bar to watch the staff show where the few young passengers had not been forgotten.

Bearing in mind that these were amateur performers, the show was very enjoyable.

The young performers had a variety of routines and many costumes. The whole performance was very enjoyable. Waiters passed through the tables to take orders during the performance. The show ended with the crew in evening dress encouraging the tourists to dance with them.

Then, once again, up to the top deck via our cabin to collect jackets as it was now rather chilly.  You might think that it would be very boring just standing waiting while each lock filled in order to progress to the next level but, we were all fascinated. In each lock there was room for two ships side by side.

His camera is bigger and a lot more expensive than mine.



Preparing to pass through to the next level.

As the evening wore on it became quite chilly and drizzly and so we retired to our cabin to sit and enjoy one of our recently purchased beers rather than using the top deck bar on this occasion.. We would return to the top deck shortly before the anticipated time to pass through the last lock.





It was very strange to be sitting on our wee balcony sipping a cold beer, with the walls of the lock within touching distance, whilst the ship was so obviously being carried upward by the rising water level.

The final lock gate opens and many people have returned to the top deck to watch the opening of these final great doors

And so to open water again leaving the magnificent locks behind us. Oh well, that's that then. Might as well go off to bed now or.....maybe we had better pass by the bar first, just to be sociable you understand.