Donna and Jo Ann’s trip to China

We began our trip to China with a direct Air Canada flight from Toronto to Beijing.  Our customized land package was arranged by Compass Holidays in Canada and carried out with precision by their dream team in China, our local guides.

 As we stepped out of the baggage claim area we were met by cheerful Sunny, the first of many of our local guides who would make our Beijing experience stress free and provide us with insight into the many historical sites in Beijing – Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and the Summer Palace.  Everything is on a grand scale in Beijing but sometimes it is the small things that inspire you, like the seniors who gather in the park each morning to sing, dance and exercise.   We spent one day as Beijingers, taking the subway and then a pedi cab through the ancient housing development of the hutongs to have lunch in a local home.  Although we didn’t speak Cantonese and our host didn’t speak English with the help of our guide we learned about her life and realized the similarities of our lives to the life of her family.  No trip to the area would be complete without a visit to the Great Wall, and great it was.  We visited the Mutianyu area of the wall where we took a chair lift to the wall and after a relaxing hike on the wall came down on the toboggan run.  We had a clear day for viewing the spectacular scenery surrounding the ancient wall.

Wanting to experience something a little different we took the overnight train from Beijing to Xian, most famous for the site of the Terracotta Warriors.  We visited the Xian City wall and the Muslim Quarter for some serious shopping.  Shopping in China is a series of offers and counter offers as haggling for the best price is the way of the Chinese merchants in the markets.  Whether you get the best price or not, you will always get a good price as shopping is inexpensive and varied. 

Next stop was Guilin which is surrounding by the beautiful limestone hills or karsts.  We took a wonderful four hour boat trip on the Li River which offered a magnificent view of China’s most famous landscape.   Our destination on the river was Yangshou.  This small town offered great shopping and dining on West Street, the main street.  Our favorite day in China started with a two hour bike ride through the town and into the countryside where we witnessed the rural side of China with the rice paddies and small farms.  Surrounded by the mountains were small patches of farm land still manually farmed by local workers.  It was peaceful and you felt the serenity of the land after the days of being in some of China’s largest cities.  After having a local beer to quench our thirst and a scrumptious lunch we headed on our next adventure of the day, a two hour bamboo raft ride down the Yulong River.  Armed with the water cannons we bought for a few pennies we headed down the river for some relaxation and some fun with our fellow river rafters and the amusing raft drivers. 

On to another river; this time the mighty Yangtze River for our 5 star President Prime cruise through the three gorges, Qutang, Wu and Xiling with their breathtaking beauty.   You could opt for the inclusive tours, some optional tours or even a little relaxation with a Chinese massage.  Who could not help but be tempted into a massage in China – we couldn’t.  We did take the small ‘peapod’ boats down the Shennong Street to the hanging coffins found high on the cliffs.   At the end of the cruise we witnessed the grandeur of the Three Gorges Dam, the largest public works project in China since the Great Wall.

Last stop for us was Shanghai, a glorious mix of old and new.  The Bund, Shanghai’s famous historical waterfront  at night is a sight to behold.  Across the river are the modern towers built quite recently.  The nightlife in Shanghai is nonstop.  Dining and shopping are fantastic.  You can opt for upscale shopping on Nanjing Road or souvenir shopping at the Yu Yuan Market.  My favorite shopping area is Tianzifang in the French Concession, which houses small craft stores, coffee shops and trendy art studios in traditional Shikumen architecture.  If you tire of shopping you can visit the Urban Planning Museum or the Propaganda Museum located.  Don’t miss the Shanghai Acrobatic Show; it’s a must see.

China is an amazing destination.   Whether you are in one of the world’s largest cities, a rural farming community or visiting a remote river city each area have distinctive differences but one thing is always the same;  charming people, wonderful food, comfortable accommodations and sights and sounds that you will remember for the rest of your life.    

Contact Jo Ann from Wesley’s Travel in Whitby and Donna from Bowmanville Travel to plan your dream trip to China.