China Tour, 2014.
China, officially known as the People's Republic of China, is a vast and diverse country located in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with over 1.4 billion people. The country boasts a diverse landscape that includes mountains, plateaus, deserts, and rivers. The Himalayas, including Mount Everest, form its southwestern border.
China has one of the world's oldest continuous civilisations, with a history spanning over 5,000 years. The country was ruled by various dynasties, including the Qin, Han, Tang, and Ming, each leaving a lasting impact on Chinese culture and society.
Mandarin Chinese is the official language, but there are many regional languages and dialects. Chinese cuisine is incredibly diverse, with regional specialities such as Sichuan's spicy dishes, Cantonese dim sum, and Beijing's Peking duck.
China has experienced rapid economic growth over the past few decades, becoming the world's second-largest economy. Key industries include manufacturing, technology, and agriculture. China is a global leader in the production of electronics, textiles, and machinery. China is at the forefront of technological innovation, with advancements in areas such as artificial intelligence, 5G, and renewable energy.
China is a single-party state governed by the Communist Party of China. The President of China is the head of state, and the Premier is the head of government.
In 2014, I went on an escorted tour of China. I had always wanted to walk on the Great Wall of China, and this holiday made it possible for me to cross this off my bucket list. It was my first time in China or Asia, and I had a great time. These stories are all about my travels to China, the places I visited, the things I saw, and the people I met there.
We arrived in Beijing at about 6:50 am, and getting through immigration was easy. This was a vast but very well-run airport.
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- Written by: Alan Morris
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Today was why I came to China. I wanted to walk on the Great Wall of China and cross this off my bucket list.
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- Written by: Alan Morris
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Today, we visited many exciting places in Beijing. It was like walking through the pages of a history book.
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Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province in China, is a city rich in history and culture. Known as one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, Xi'an has been the capital for several of the most important dynasties in Chinese history, including the Western Zhou, Western Han, Sui, Northern Zhou, and Tang.
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- Written by: Alan Morris
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Today, we went to see The Terracotta Warriors and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda.
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Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province in China, is a city known for its rich cultural heritage, spicy cuisine, and adorable giant pandas. It was the third major city I visited on my trip to China.
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Today, we went to see the Giant Leshan Buddha and this evening, we went to see the Sichuan Opera and Folk Art show.
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Before we moved on to Shanghai, we would be visiting the Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Centre. I think everyone on the trip has been looking forward to this visit.
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Shanghai is the fastest-developing city in China, and today, we went on a sightseeing tour of the city.
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Today, we had the morning at leisure in Shanghai before going on a cruise along the Huangpu River to view the Shanghai skyline from the river. After this, we went to Nanjing Road for some retail therapy.
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Today, we travelled all day. We went by coach, plane, train, and coach again. We eventually arrived in Yichang to board our cruise ship to go up the Yangtze River.
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I woke early this morning to find we had moved overnight and were docked further up the Yangtze River. At around 6:45 am, I went to the Yangtze Club on deck 5, where I had tea with Branwen, our fantastic tour rep. At 7:00 am, I went to deck 6 for breakfast in the restaurant.
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I woke up early this morning. I took a shower and then went for a cup of tea at the Yangtze Club. I had a cup of black tea and watched a few people who had come to join the ship doctor for a session of Tai Chi.
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I was up early today, and after a shower, I went for tea in the Yangtze Club and watched Dr Hu and a few passengers go through their Tai Chi routine. At about 7:30 am, I went for breakfast and met the rest of the other VIP passengers before we all went our separate ways for the day.
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I woke up early and had a cup of tea around 6:30 in the Yangtze Bar before going for breakfast. I saw Selina, our waitress before she left. I thanked her for looking after me and then went for breakfast.
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We eventually arrived in Beijing and then got held up waiting for our shuttle from the internal terminal to the international terminal at the airport. By the time we got to our gate, the flight was already boarding, and it was not long before we were airborne and on our way home.
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- Written by: Alan Morris
- Category: China Tour, 2014.
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