Reflections

I decided to do this blog as a way to pass the time during the covid19 pandemic.  The trip took place in 2007.  It is 2020 now.  Luckily I'm a picture taker and saver of tickets, brochures, etc. so it wasn't impossible to do this blog.  I only started keeping detailed journals of our trips in 2014.

A trip to China had long been a dream of mine but no one really seemed to be as interested in visiting this country as I was.  After my husband Richard retired late 2006 he suggested a trip to China!

We went with an agency since the language is so difficult and the country is so vast.  China Spree offered several tours.  The one I chose for us was 21 day China Panorama.  It included round trip airfare from San Francisco, all hotels, most meals, lots of excursions.  This agency more than delivered.  Every detail was taken care of by the agency to make this an awesome trip.  We truly were amazed at everything we saw and did for the price of this trip.  They even had you fill out an evaluation form as a way of getting feedback on the positives and negatives so they could make future trips even better.

If I had to do anything different I think I would have tried to curtail my souvenir buying!  I bought Chinese tea, snuff bottles, a dragon kite, lots of jade, China Sea pearl jewelry, lacquerware, Chinese tassels, name chops, Chinese silk items, T shirts, Buddha incense burner, souvenir baseball style hats, chopsticks, fans, souvenir coffee mug, a beautiful silk jacket......  I bought lots of things for family and friends but also quite a few for myself and my husband.  Here's a few pictures.

Originally this was earring, bracelet, necklace but I had my jeweler restring the necklace making it longer with the pearls from the bracelet.  

The Chinese fans came in boxes

On every trip I try to get a coffee mug, a pin, and a magnet

This is my pure silk top.  It feels so good!

Always get hats for the guys.  This one is for my husband.

 I got the girls the lacquerware and one for myself.  The box is red-for good luck.

Hong Kong T shirt

Silk shirt for my husband

I absolutely love this jacket!

Another T shirt-this one is from Beijing bought at the 2008 Olympics store by the Great Wall at Badaling

All my Chinese tassels hanging over my kitchen sink

Name chop

Ink for the name chop

One set of chopsticks.  I bought several for gifts.

A set of Mao playing cards!

I bought myself 2 sets of jade earrings and a jade charm that I put on a thin gold chain

China was such a beautiful country, full of contrasts between ancient and modern.  The Great Wall, Shanghai's Pudong.  It was a dream come true for me.  We also were very lucky with our traveling companions.  Such a nice group-Frank, Cherie and Kevin, Joyce and Jim.  I am Facebook friends with Cherie and I keep in touch with Frank via e mail.

The only big negative of the entire trip for me was the food.  Chinese food is not like Chinese food you get here.  It's been Americanized here.  I did love the duck dinner, the dumpling dinner, and the Mongolian  lunch.

The other thing you need to be prepared for are very long days-mostly 12 hours.  Lots of our hotels had pools but we didn't get to use them much at all.  Also you need to be fit as there is a lot of walking and that uphill climb at the Dragon Spine Rice Terraces was no picnic.

But the scenery is breathtaking.  The places you visit have so much history.  China is so much more than the Great Wall.

Hope you will enjoy this blog with pictures that can take you along on our trip to China as it was back in 2007.