China-2010

For the complete story: see the Tip Journal in (PDF) 7 Pages

IMPERIAL JEWELS OF CHINA
A Viking Cruisetour
Beijing to Shanghai
1-14 October 2010
Chuck, Laveta, Jim, Carol

Departing San Francisco and in route. The trip began in University Place, WA USA (Seattle)

Our hotel in Beijing: the Ritz Carlton located in the Financial District

Views of and from our rooms

Walking around the Financial District , "Financial Street" on a Sunday morning

Charles Wang: our Viking Tour Guide

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Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

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Leaving The Forbidden city and lunch

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The Summer Palace

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The Great Wall

"Everyone has an obligation to present authentic personal information"

Roadside Census promotion sign on the way to the Great Wall
(taken through the bus window)

Far right: The group photo of us and our bus-mates at the Great Wall

"Serial Downgrades" and the dreaded "Black Spot"

The Sacred Way to the Ming Tombs

Peking Duck and the Peking Opera
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Lindgang Hutong We were the guest of a local resident- who dyed her dog's ears orange.
Hutongs are very old communities with narrow streets. Beijing is trying to preserve some of them.

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Beijing Airport & arrival in the city of Xi'an. Lots of construction and dirty air.

    From the Tang Dynasty Dinner and Show, which was just outstanding!

The Kempinski , our hotel in Xian

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The Terra Cotta Army Museum, Xi'an

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The smoggy city of Chongqing (metropolitan area population ~31 million) where we boarded our river boat.

The Viking Century Sun

Counterfeit Jack Daniels. It tasted kind'a like whiskey

Ivy- our server on the Century Sun

On the Yangtze

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Shibaozhi Pagoda and Temple

We walked from the boat through part of the town to the pagoda.

A pedestrian bridge leads to the pagoda

Shibaozhi temple from the top of the pagoda and inside

Local card game near the temple

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On of many contracted boats skimming junk from the Yangtze

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The Three Gorges (Qutang, Wo & Xiling)

The Hanging Coffins

Last lock on the river at the city of Yi' Chang. Note the drop!

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The city of Jinzhou and the small town Viking sponsored elementary school 40 minutes from the city.

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Captain's Dinner

Arrival in Wuhan

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Hubei Provincial Museum A simply marvelous place!