CHINA

By way of our extraordinarily competent tourguide Xiaoping, EXODUS tours provided us with a trip of a lifetime in CHINA. The unique history / culture, the intriguing people, the sights, sounds, smells and tastes overwhelmed the senses and our spirits during this interactive (and very active!) tour. In total, we covered more than 8000 km of China in 20 days! We travelled by train, cruise ship, plane, rickshaw, gondola, bamboo raft, bicycle, car and foot. Having climbed over 5000 steps, we can attest the strenuous 'athletic' expectations of Xiaoping --- leg cramps woke us up almost every other night!

Our journey began in Beijing where we explored Tiennamen Square, The Forbidden City, The Temple of Heaven and The Summer Palace. We were privileged to be in Beijing during the Para Olympics and were impressed with the caliber of the Olympic venues and organizers' efforts to meet the needs of the special athletes. It was humbling to catch a small glimpse of the lives of our neighbours in the suburb where our hotel was located. Most families have one room homes --- with no washroom facilities. Rather, they must utilize public toilets scattered throughout the community. Body washing seemed to occur by way of buckets / water on the sidewalks. While in Beijin, we spent one day exploring and climbing The Great Wall at Simatai! What a spectacular sight.

Next, we took an overnight train to Xi'an. Xi'an is one of China's former capitals and one of the few cities in China to have retained its city walls. Ann and I walked on top of the wall for an hour while our fellow tour participants chose to cycle the entire 14 km structure. While in Xi'an we visited the Large Wild Goose pagoda and the staggering display of Terracotta Warriors at the famous mausoleum of Emperor Qin.

Subsequently, we boarded another overnight train and proceeded to Chengdu --- the capital of Sichuan Province. There we visited the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base. Did you know that there are only 1000-1500 panda bears remaining in existence? We traveled to Leshan to see the Grand Buddha which stands 71 meters high. We also made our way to Emei where we climbed Mt Emei Shan Peak (one of the 5 most sacred Buddhist mountains). Again, the scenery was beyond description. Buddhist tradition abounds on Mt Emei and we had the fortune to witness monks in 'ritual' walks around the main, prominent Buddha.

It was on to the city of Chongquing (population 30 million!) to board a ship for a 3 day cruise along the Yangtze River. During the cruise, we witnessed stunning, towering cliffs and gorges. We visited the famous three gorges (Qutang, Wu and Xiling). Flooding of the gorges has begun with ~70 meters of water. We learned about the plight of displaced farmers who were relocated by the government in view that their land was lost. We were told by our local guide that young people welcomed the opportunity to relocate and obtain affordable housing (they were offered accommodations at cost) whereas the many elders found the move traumatic and devastating. We had the privilege of attending an information session at the damn and learned about this important project --- undertaken to mitigate the impact of flooding.

After the cruise, we took our third overnight train to Guilin / Yangshuo where we were promised time to relax. Who are we kidding, there was no relaxing!!! Xiaoping organized a bicycle tour to Moon Hill. We cycled for hours in 30-35C heat and then climbed over 800 steps up Moon Hill. We were treated to an amazing, authentic lunch at a local farmer's home. We were also pampered to a bamboo raft cruise down the Li River! We explored various craft markets and vegetable and meat markets too! Like all the days of this EXODUS we were treated to enormous amounts of healthy, tasty cuisine. Xiaoping was generous in his constant attention to detail. After feasting on what seemed to be limitless food and beer, we gladly paid our $4-6 bill! Unbelievable.

We flew from Guilin to Shanghai (a very modern city commonly referred to as the "Paris" of China --- population 12 million) where we enjoyed the fast paced, lit-up (with signage, video screens on buildings, skyscrapers) city!

Next, we traveled to Suzhou where we visited famous gardens and a silk factory. We also had the opportunity to see Tongli, a medieval village criss-crossed by canals and tiny bridges. The houses are rudimentary (over 700 years old) and for the most part, the town has kept its authentic personality! Again, we feasted on a wonderful lunch at one of the local tea houses!

Throughout our trip, we had the pleasure of attending several venues showcasing China's talents including the Beijing Opera, a spectacular Water Show with over 600 artists (this show coreographed by the same man who coreographed the opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics), and another equally amazing Acrobatic show.

China was fascinating to explore. Much to our delight, the country was extremely pristine and it seems that many people are employed to keep it looking nice. We saw numerous street sweepers who used homemade brooms to clean the streets and guard rail washers who polished the roadside crome by hand! The people of China were extremely friendly. They always offered salutations as we walked by. H-E-L-L-O! Frequently, they requested photo ops with us --- making us feel like movie stars!

Regrettably, as in many other countries, there appears to be a trend toward widening disconnect / gaps between the rich and poor. Within cities, millions of people still live in Hutongs (1 room, no water) while their neighbours enjoy the luxuries of worldclass skyscraper dwellings. In Beijing (population 12 million) alone, 4 million own 'power' cars: Mercedes, BMW, Audi etc.

China is a booming country. Construction sites abound. We were told than in many instances, it is a condition of setting up business in China, that companies create accommodations for the people within the community. We learned that schooling is compulsory and government sponsored until Grade 6 while highschool and university are the responsibilty of families. There are over 1000 universities in Beijing alone to accommodate the growing number of students!

We also learned that the one child family policy continues although farming families are permitted more than one child to assist with the physical demands of life on a farm. Our guide explained that most Chinese people support the policy as it is logical given the extreme overcrowding. Many young Chinese couples are opting to have no children due to the (already) high cost of living.

As always, we are grateful to have had the chance to explore another part (albeit small scale) of this great plantet! Our EXODUS friends will forever hold very special places in our hearts. Thank you to Xiaoping, Shelby (New York), Mette (Denmark), Bill and Libby (UK), Barbara and Jim (UK), Heather and Bill (UK), Les and Jill (UK), Joan and Peter (UK)!