Guangzhou
Guangzhou meant a couple of peaceful days with the Monsons. The city was such a contrast to Xi'an with its sparkling, clean skyscrapers and modern facade. I suppose it must have its funny little markets and dumpy areas, but we didn't see much of them. It was the city where the recent Asian Games were held and China is very big on face lifts for areas ready to be exposed to the world. Our visit included seeing friends (other CTP teachers) at Church and then joining them at lunch, exploring the pearl market (with its shops and shops and shops! and bags and bags of pearls. Our charming hosts at our shop, recommended to us by a friend, were a mother and son who strung the pearls we selected, while we waited).
We also enjoyed a ride on the Pearl River seeing the old colonial buildings from bygone eras when foreigners had control of Canton--now Guangzhou--and walked and talked (and ate raw sugar cane). One of our favorite views was of the kindergarteners all lined up waiting for their parents--or grandparents--to come collect them. It was a very nice beginning to the rest of the trip.
Shenzhen
Leaving Guangzhou, we traveled by train to Shenzhen where we joined our tour group at the Century Plaza Hotel before boarding our bus for a visit to Splendid China and the Chinese Cultural Center--China's version of the PCC in Hawaii.
Splendid China was a series of miniatures of China's most famous sites. Set in a beautiful park, the displays were really lovely. The Cultural Center consisted of "villages" of the different ethnic groups in China. In them they performed their native dances, songs, crafts, and costumes. It was all a delight to see--the Mongol attacks and the Tibetan dances were especially wonderful.
Hong Kong CTP Seminar
After seeing the Center we climbed on our bus and headed for the border to cross over into Hong Kong. It seemed so strange to have a major immigration check point to go from one economic zone to another. Arriving in Hong Kong we all checked into the Salisbury YMCA with its wonderful location, rooms, and swimming pools. It doesn't sound very posh but it was lovely. Over the next couple of days we enjoyed our seminar with the CTP teachers where we shared teaching ideas we'd found successful last term. We also had the thrill of attending the Hong Kong Temple. After the famine of five months with no temple visits, that was a treat!
Sunday we had our District Conference and John and Dave were set apart for their new callings in the branch presidency in Xi'an, as was another of the teachers, as part of Guangzhou's branch presidency. The meetings were wonderful including as they did the area presidency.
After our meetings we left on the bus for the airport and our flights to Guilin--and the beginning of our South West China trip.
Guilin and Yangshou
The evening we arrived we went out on boats and watched the cormorants catching fish for their owners.
The next day we took a cruise down the Li River, the connecting waterway between Guilin and Yangshuo. A thousand years ago a poet wrote of the scenery in this area: “The river forms a green gauze belt, the mountains are like blue jade hairpins.” Perhaps it is not exactly that but we saw extraordinary limestone peaks, sprays of bamboo along the riverbanks, cormorant fisherman in small boats, and picturesque villages. In Yangshuo we had fun scouting the street markets.
In Guilin we also visited Reed Flute Cave, 240 meters underground and filled with exotic rock formations and fantastic shapes lit by colored lights. The Crystal palace of the Dragon King, a grotto in the center of the cave, can hold more than a 1000 people.
We left Guilin for Kunming and there saw the Stone Forest, a massive collection of limestone pillars eroded by wind and rain to shape fanciful forms before leaving later in the day for Lijiang.
We loved our leisurely stroll around Black Dragon Pool Park before exploring Lijiang`s Old Town--a delightful maze of cobbled streets, rickety old wooden buildings, gushing canals, bustling street markets tended by merchants in traditional Naxi costumes.
Our next adventure was to travel to Dali by bus. This historic city is set against a stunning backdrop, Erhai Lake with the imposing Cangshan mountain range (part of the Himalayas) behind it. Upon arrival in Dali, we enjoyed the dancing and singing of the Bai Minority House. Dali's houses were painted and decorated in a very different manner than any we had seen. While in Dali we also visited the famous three-pagodas Temple and the city tour at the old town where we spent hours shopping.
In the morning we flew back to Kunming where The Monsons, Dahls, and we stayed for a night before leaving Monday morning, use to Shenzhen, the rest to Guangzhou.
Sunday in Kunming was very special since we were able to tune in through Skype to the Beijing virtual branch's meetings before having our own little sacrament service. Erin Gillie, a young student studying in Kunming joined us for it. She had visited in our branch in Xi'an earlier in the month and was thrilled to be able to partake of the Sacrament again. She is the only ex-pat member in Kunming so has only rare opportunity to do so. Afterwards we went to lunch and then walked in a park. A fun day--until the last hour when we discovered that my camera had been stolen. It was a shame since I had not been downloading my pictures each day. So not only was the camera gone but also the pictures of the whole trip. Fortunately we were able to retrieve a few from fellow travelers. But it was a disappointment.
Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Macau
Monday morning took us back to the airport for our flight to Shenzhen. We were now on our own since the tour was over and we were heading back to Hong Kong for a week's visit with old friends of John's from Long Beach--Cheryl and Tony Ferguson.
John and Cheryl's dads had both served as bishops one after another in the Long Beach ward. The Fergusons had been living in Hong Kong for some 10 years and had invited us to come stay with them on our way to China but we were unable to do so. We were delighted to have the opportunity to go see them. Getting there, however, was a bit of a challenge.
We didn't realize that our flight had a touch down at a tiny little village called Ling Ling so when we landed we disembarked and waited with the other passengers for our luggage. It never came. We were a bit concerned about how in the world we were going to get to Hong Kong since we assumed we had landed at an old Shenzhen airport--there was nothing there. It was the most dilapidated excuse for an airport we'd ever seen. Something that looked as if a flight would only come in once a month! Finally I asked someone who looked like he might be in charge how we get to Hong Kong. He looked startled and said "Shenzhen?" to which we nodded. He radioed out to the plane to hold up and rushed us through a quick security check and then a forced march out to the plane, where we found the door already closed. Fortunately they opened it for us and re reboarded for the flight to Shenzhen. We were very grateful not to be stuck in Ling Ling. We may still be there. It looked as if there was no chance of a hotel of any kind. It was a very close call!
What a delightful warm welcome we had in Hong Kong. It was just like being with family. Our first stop the next morning was for Cheryl to take us to where we could buy a new camera. We bought an Olympus and hoped it would fare better for us! We stayed at Ferguson's mid-levels apartment on Robinson Road and during the day took a BIG BUS tour of Hong Kong with Brannock and LaVonne Riggs, two teachers from Hangzhou who were also back to Hong Kong for a week, staying with LaVonne's brother, Elder Carlos Pratt. We had a great time with them. We also got to attend the temple again.
The trip to Macau was quite an adventure. Tony Ferguson was leading the way and reminded both me and John so much of my dad's enthusiasm and interest in everything. We went to the museum and to lunch on the revolving tower, while bungy jumpers flew off the roof before our eyes. Pretty amazing!
Xiamen and Gulangyu
After a delightful week with the Fergusons, including a fun visit by hydrofoil to Macau we flew to Xiamen, took an airport bus to the ferry and headed for our final stop before going home--four peaceful days in Gulangyu--Piano Island. We were ready for a leisurely time. It had been a fun but tiring trip, especially for John. Both of us were very tired of all our luggage. In fact we were just very tired period!
The island is dubbed Piano Island because it has had several notable Chinese pianists who lived there and boasts a wonderful piano museum. We went to the museum and walked the old town's streets that were fun to putter around in.
The museum was an amazing setting, perched as it was on the side of a mountain. The buildings were lovely and we loved browsing through seeing all the old pianos--even an early Steinway or two.
One of my students from Xiamen told me the best thing to do in Gulangya was to wander the streets and get lost in them. That was good advice and I did just that several times. We had wonderful weather until the morning we headed home when it was chilly again but we enjoyed our days.
Return to Xi'an
Friday, February 11, we caught the ferry to Xiamen then took a taxi back to the airport for our homeward bound flight. We were both excited to be going "home"! Even though home for now is grey ole Xi'an. It is still home. It is always fun to travel, but going home is the best.
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