Our trip through China was simply perfect. In fact, it's probably one of the Top Ten trips we've ever taken anywhere. China is a dazzling combination of the past and the future —the energy is palpable, the rush to modernization dramatic, and the results impressive indeed. I won't burden you with too many details, but will try at least to provide some of the highlights of a 6-day trip that took us from Hong Kong to Xi'an, then to Beijing and back to the ship in Shanghai. Two blog entries.
The ship sails into Hong Kong harbor, and all eyes move upwards. It's a vertical city, chock-a-block with ultra-modern high-rise buildings, bustling with commercial life and clearly a focal point for the economies of Southeast Asia. It's officially "China," but it's not -- different currency, different government, different passport permissions, at least for the time being.
We flew off immediately for Xi'an, the heart of ancient China and the site of the discovery of the now-famous Xi'an Terra Cotta Warriors in 1974 by Yang Xinman, who now sits in the gift shop and signs books!
The food was glorious (dim sum, Peking Duck, noodles), abundant, and fun: after all, any culture that eats dumplings for breakfast can't be all bad. (But here's a dilemna: when you want Chinese food in China, do you just ask for "food"?).
In Xi'an we not only enjoyed the warriors but also a calligraphy lesson and an exquisite performance of traditional singers and dancers at the Tang Dynasty Show.
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