Shanghai! Bright lights, big city!

We finally got to Shanghai and it was almost the end of our trip. Traveling was not quite so tramatic this time. We arrived early in the day and headed downtown. I was immediately impressed by the architecture and energy. Shanghai is very metropolotan and huge and has lots of inviting neighborhoods. We walked -- and scootered down the streets. I had run out of supplies so we steered into a pharmacy and although they didn't have what I needed it was a fascinating stop for the group. We wound our way through the shops and cafes down side alleys to the Yu Garden. This was definitely a cool spot. A beautiful garden scullpted in the middle of this area of town.

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Later we took a nighttime boat ride and got to witness the city lit up. It somewhat reminded me of Vegas but more metropolitan.

Xian and big mounds of dirt

The next morning after slugging down another breakfast of congee and dragonfruit, we headed out to the infamous mounds where a whole army of terra cotta soldiers were unearthed. It was pretty cool actually. I've got bundles of pictures that show these. Here are a few.

Onto Xian-- Touring madness

This is a day I will always recount when someone wants the hear about traveling with a tour group. We woke up early and I joined the others on the top deck where we were docked in Chongqing. I watched them do Tai Chi while photographing the fantastic view of this metropolitan port situated at the northern end of the Yangtze River. After breakfast we left the ship. Our bags and my scooter had already been sent to the airport where we would arrive after our adventures is Chongqing. The first adventure was getting from the boat to the bus. This required getting me up a huge flight of steps that would tire the most hardy traveler. Larry and Patrik, our tour guide, negotiated a price and four men carried me in my lightweight wheelchair up the foreboding incline. Somewhere near the top the carriers started trying to renegotiate the deal. I don't know if they decided I was a heavier load than they anticipated or what but the 100 yuan suddenly didn't seem like enough. Back and forth haggling while I was suspended atop the staircase and eventually they agreed to take me to the top despite Larry's refusal to cave into their demands.
Chongquing
Once we made it to the bus we zigzaged through town to a famous szechuan restaurant where we got to experience some of the best food we'd had yet in China. Then back on the bus and to the zoo to see some of China's dearest inhabitants, now on the verge of extinction, the panda. Unlike in the States there were no long lines and fanfare. Just us and the panda while he enjoyed a lunch of bamboo. Then after a few pictures we were hurried over to the monkey cage, and then to the bengal tiger. At the end of the zoo circuit we stopped at the gallery and Larry purchased some amazing white purple jade statues of quan yin and I stocked up on art supplies.

Back on the bus and we were off to the airport. This time it was an impressive modern airport and we had a much easier time getting through with the scooter. Larry and I scored seats in the bulkhead and shortly after taking off they started a movie (in Chinese) and fed us a meal of some kind of frightening substance. An hour and a half later we were landing in Xian and I was wishing I'd taken more of this opportunity to sleep. Onto the next bus and a new local tour guide spent the entire ride into town telling us of local history, most of which I slept through.
First stop in Xian was at the ancient gate, from which armies would protect the city from invaders. While everyone climbed to the top of the wall, Larry and I waited below. Once everybody had time to circle the wall the climbed back down and into the bus and bedraggled as most of us were beginning to feel it wasn't time to go to our hotel yet. Instead we were of too another culinary treasure of the local, this time it was dumplings. We decided we'd also enjoy some local delights of a potent plum wine and bitter melon beer. But shortly after the flambe finale we sucked up our wine before rushing off to yet another activity. It was on this night that our tour group was to see the "most amazing show that I guarantee you will absolutely love" as Patrik did all he could to convince us that this would be better that relaxing and returning to our hotel.
bitter melon beer
So despite protests of the weary group we left the restaurant and again borded the bus. The dropped our scruffy group at the Vegas-style show and we were escorted to a table at the back of the room where we were offered more alcohol. We propped our heads up and watched as the razzle dazzle unfolded. But no amount of show-stopping glitz would open my eyes further than a slit at this point and I spent the whole show wondering when it was going to be over. On a different day I might have found it to be amuzing but it was all just a little much at this point in my day. I was certainly not alone in my sentiments. Heads laid on the table all around the group as we all were way past being easily amuzed.

Yangzte River, Day 4 ShiBaoZhai!

Early today we went up to the top deck to a spectacular view of the famous Red Pagoda. Too bad I left my camera in the cabin! After breakfast we set out to see this amazing place. It was a huge climb up a hill so I took the easy chair... otherwise known as the sedan chair! After a session of haggling I was carried out of the ship, through the marketplace and eventually with more haggling up to the base of the pagada.




The point of negotiation to get all the way to the top!

A view of our boat from above

No, that's not me waving. I couldn't talk them into taking me up this far.

The resting place at the base of the Pagoda

Yangtze River, Day 3

We awoke early for tai chi and chi gung practice. Besides the teachers we were traveling with the ship's acupuncture doctor also taught tai chi. This is one thing that was much more regular on the ship. There was always a good place to practice.




We were setting off early for an excursion down the Shennong Stream today. This required moving to a smaller boat and then eventually boarding even smaller sanpans to explore the very shallow part of this river. As usual there was always help to get me to the more challenging areas.

China: The Yangtze River, Day 1

Despite the staircase access to any other part of the ship, the cruise felt like the most accessible part of the trip. Here I floated through the beautiful scenery which could be enjoyed by simply stepping out onto my balcony. The help was everywhere when I needed it and often I was carried up or down the staircase. The schedule became much more relaxed and we could spend much of the day doing what we wanted or just resting (which I did often). One of my favorite places on the boat was at the very top. I could sit up there and watch everything float by at 360 degrees.

The first day we set off early on a side trip to see the imfamous Three Gorges Dam up close. The Chinese government has built this dam to provide a much-needed energy source but in the process are wiping out all of the towns and civilizations that lived near the bottom of the river. In fact, once the Dam is completed in 2009, everything 175 meters from the bottom will be submerged. The government is spending a huge sum of money to relocate all the people who lived in these areas and rebuild town that are lost. It's very contriversial and is changing the ancient landscape forever. I have to admit it is better than burning coal which has been their main source of energy. The air in China can sometimes be extremely thick.



Our ship went through the locks and it took about three hours and provided some unusual views.


A tight fit!

The Joys of Travel

After a late night flight into Wuhan and a bus ride to Yichang we finally arrived at the cruise ship. It had been an epic day of travel. Our plane was delayed which was lucky because our experience at the airport was anything but smooth. When I arrived on my scooter, ready to board as I have dozens of times, the airline looked at me as though I had just arrived riding a Harley. All the convincing our guide gave them in didn't seem to make a difference but eventually he got them to aggree if I took off all of my batteries and wrapped them up separately. I thought Patrik, our guide was going to have a nervous breakdown but we all made it to the gate in time and I even managed to get a bulkhead seat so I could sleep as much as possible. Of course it wasn't long after take-off that they were serving some kind of meal and ruining my chances of good sleep. The airport in Wuhan was something from around fifties, with alot of the very dated space age architecture that was like an old bachelor pad that hadn't been touched since about the same era. The help arrived quickly with the wheelchair and whisked me off to an elevator that didn't seem to work. Larry was ready to take me down the stairs and I wasn't feeling at all in shape for this, but at the last minute it miraculously started to function again. We got in and rode this little rocket down to the first floor. By the time we got to baggage I decided I better use the restroom before getting on another bus. This turned out to be a big mistake. The attendant wheeled me into a dimly-lit wretched smelling room. I spied all the porcelen holes behind half-height doors with the sound of running water echoing throughout the room. She wheeled me to the western style toilet. I ventured in and lowered myself down to a resounding splash! I screamed and melted into an ugly American. With no toilet paper in sight, she wheeled me back out and I got onto the bus with a wet ass.

Just before midnight we arrived at the ship. I had slept most of the bus ride and was roused up with discussions on how I was going to get down to the ship. It was decided that we would pay the porters to carry me down in my wheelchair. So down I went carried like royalty to the ship on what looked like a mountain of stairs. My scooter was carried in pieces and stored separately on the ship. Up one more flight of stairs to our room.

Despite the staircase access to any other part of the ship, the cruise felt like the most accessible part of the trip. Here I floated through the beautiful scenery which could be enjoyed by simply stepping out onto my balcony. The help was everywhere when I needed it and often I was carried up or down the staircase. The schedule became much more relaxed and we could spend much of the day doing what we wanted or just resting (which I did often). One of my favorite places on the boat was at the very top. I could sit up there and watch everything float by at 360 degrees.

Beijing, Day 3

On the last day in Beijing we got up early, Larry practiced Tai Chi in the Black Bamboo Garden and I went swimming. We packed our bags and took some extra time to walk over to the Garden. The park was accessible but we were stopped at the gate and not allowed to enter. Apparently my hotrod looked a little too much like a motorcycle or bicycle and the wouldn't let me in. I was ready to get arrested but Larry didn't we had time to get arrested since our bus was leaving in an hour.

We hopped on the bus and headed for the Summer Palace. This is a beautiful place the emporer and his family would go during the hot summer days. It is set on a lake. We took the scooter and they tried to keep us out again but someone to argue in Chinese and eventually they allowed us in. Some strongarming was required here as well. We wound around the lake and took a really cool looking boat arcoss the lake that looked like a dragon.





This boat is made of marble! Made by the navy to demonstrate... something.

We got off on the other side and onto to the bus and across town to the Temple of Heaven. It is here where people go to socialize, play music and cards. My favorite part was hearing some of the local musicians. We never would have time for this if our plane hadn't been delayed!

China, Beijing, Day 2

The next morning we visited the Ming Tombs which I had to experience from the courtyard.


This trip was followed by a trip to the Great Wall which was a harrowing climb to the top. I was unable to convince my group of strong men to carry me to the top of this staircase but the stories when they got back told me that it was no small feat for the well-abled.




A day off from the tourgroup allowed us to get some special teachings from great Chi Gung healers. One of the healers was an old lady from rural China. She performed a Chi generating exercise that had everybody tingling. Larry's hands swelled up. This was a common side effect of intense chi through the body.

Besides this Larry and I mostly took it easy except for discovering some tunnels that I could cross the street safely through (only after playing chicken with the cars up top). In the tunnels I got a lesson on how to play to bamboo flute gourd for the price of the instrument.

China: Beijing, Day 1

This adventure I am doing in Tour Group style with Larry and his Tai Chi comrades. We arrived at a very fancy Hotel Nikko. Kind of funny to be at a Japanese hotel in China. The very next morning our bus set off to Tianamen Square. Beijing has created passageways and bridges for the bicylces and pedestrians to get across the streets. The only problem with this is that many of these passageways require navigating stairs. By the advice of our tourguide I my lightweight wheelchair. This was good because with the help of our team of tai chi strongmen I could be carried wheelchair and all like ancient royalty. So into the Forbidden City we traveled, exploring the world once only reserved for the emporer's family.




The cobblestone was a nightmare for the wheelchair. Eventually Larry abandoned it and resorted to piggyback style. In the background you can see where the Forbidden City is getting a face-lift.

Later that afternoon we were treated to Chinese acrobats and dinner. They definitely keep us busy!