Trip Itinerary 2008 (Sample)

Day 1 Departure from Portland airport, arrival next day at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China. We will check into the Zhongxin Zhoudian hotel. After lunch, we will rest for two hours, then head to downtown Shanghai for some shopping and site seeing. In what has been dubbed "China's New York, " Shanghai mixes old Europe with a space-age skyline, all set to an Far Eastern theme. See the Pudong development district and the Pearl TV Tower and you will swear you've gone decades into the future. That evening, we will visit the sparkling charm of Shanghai's famous waterfront - Waitan. Step into the past as you stroll past distinguished British architecture. Afterwards dine on a grand Shanghai-style banquet at one of Shanghai's stately restaurants. Still have energy? Join us to experience the dazzling night life.

Chinese Acrobats

Day 2 The next morning we will visit the Emperor's (Yuyuan) Garden. This 400-year-old garden took 20 years to build and is spectacularly beautiful. We will also visit Cheng Huang Miao temple, the Old Streets of Shanghai and other traditional buildings. For lunch, we will have some Shanghai-style dim sum at one of Shanghai's little hideaways. After lunch, we will head over to the Jade Buddha Temple. This temple features carvings of Buddha set to a dwelling of vibrant colors and intricate artwork. For some more great shopping, we will head over to the world-famous Nanjing Street.

Day 3 From the ultra-modern scenery of Shanghai, we will fly to the ancient city of Xi' an arriving around 10:20 am. Xi' an, also once know as Changan or "Everlasting Peace, was capital to 13 dynasties. After we get settled to the Meilun hotel (a 3-star hotel), we will head out for an afternoon of site seeing. Among the sites, we will visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Built in 652, Big Wild Goose Pagoda contains sutras, or sayings of Buddhism. It is an active shrine and holds great religious historical significance. Next, we will visit the Shaanxi Historical Museum. It houses 113,000 artifacts of Shaanxi province. The museum itself is a physical representation of architecture from the Tang dynasty. The museum is massive and helps paint a picture of Shaanxi's glorious history. After steeping ourselves in Chinese history, we will head back to the hotel for some free time. In the late afternoon, we will have a Xi 'an-style banquet. We will have again some free time and enjoy some of the night life if you choose.

Day 4 That morning, we will visit the world-famous Terra Cotta Soldiers.The Terra Cotta soldiers, statues created during the Qin dynasty, were to accompany the emperor to his afterlife. Discovered in 1974, the site is one of the most significant archeological finds in recent history. Constructed from the earth and the fires of a craftsman's kiln, these figures are now so delicate than even exposure to air can cause damage, making them a challenge to preserve. About 8100 figures have been unearthed so far. After visiting the Terra Cotta soldiers, we will enjoy some shopping and collect some treasures of our own. After which, we will visit the walls of the city. Bygone Chinese cities built massive walls to protect them from marauders, invaders and foreigners. These towering walls survive today and climbing them gives you a spectacular view of the city. After some free time, we will indulge in Chinese dumplings of seafood, meat, and vegetables dumplings.

Day 5 We depart Xi' an and arrive at China's capital, Beijing. We will stay at the Beijing Wushu Academy Hotel. You will have free time all day! Today is a more relaxed schedule to help you catch up on some rest. That night we will meet for dinner of Peking Duck or Beijing Duck. About 800 years old, served at imperial dinners and a delicacy of China's upper crust, this dish grew in popularity over the centuries. The skin of the duck is the true delicacy, with a little bit of meat to complement. You eat it with with a flour pancake, the same pancake you use in mushu pork or chicken, with scallions and a thick sauce. It is a delicious introduction to Beijing.

Day 6 After a morning to yourself, we will get together to go see the Forbidden City at around 2 pm. The Forbidden City or the Palace Museum, is just that, a palace. As you approach the palace buildings, you are flooded by a sense of awe - the buildings stand together in an architectural simplicity that is massive, austere and visually unified. As you approach closer still, they take on a life of their own. Your first impression of austerity and unity belies the ornate complexity and individuality of each structure. Each building was designed for a specific purpose - from important life events like marriages and coronations to more daily activities like banquets and sleeping quarters. In its day, the Forbidden City would hold up to a million people. Just outside of the Forbidden City, we will explore the authentic taste of Chinese tea at a traditional Chinese tea house. Proper tea-drinking in China is a ceremonious enterprise that you can participate in. That night we will watch the amazing Chinese acrobats perform mind-bending feats and finish with a Ke-style dinner.

The Forbidden City

Day 7 We will venture out to the Temple of the Azure Clouds. This temple was built in 1366 and was once a convent. Now it is beautiful Buddhist temple surrounded by stunning gardens. Next we will journey to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, so named because of a large statue of the Buddha lying on his side. For dinner we will sit down to a lamb feast traditional in the far western reaches of China (province of Xinjiang). We will have vegetable dishes available if you are a vegetarian.

Day 8 For lunch, we will go out for dim sum. That afternoon we will head out to a hutong, which is a traditional-style Chinese neighborhood. Next we will visit Queen's Garden. For dinner we will drop in to the Nine-headed Bird Restaurant, which features Hubei-style cuisine. After dinner we will take a break and then board a sleeper train to Zhengzhou at 10:30 pm.

Day 9 We will arrive at Zhengzhou at 7 am and check in at a 4-star hotel. After a bite to eat we will head out to the massive Yellow River, named because of the tons and tons of yellow earth that it carries. After a cruise down the river, we will visit Kai Feng, a city with a history that goes back over 2300 years and one of the seven ancient capitals of China. We will visit Dragon Pavilion and the Steel Tower. We'll get some shopping done in Kaifeng's traditional markets, check out some night life then turn in for the night.

Chinese food is amazingly diverse and can vary greatly from region to region

Day 10 We will enter a Shaolin Temple and witness a performance by the monks who practice this ancient form of martial arts. After which you will have the opportunity to have your fortune told. We will visit the Pagoda Forest, under which each tower is buried a headmaster. Next we will go to visit Longmenshiku, where they carved statues of Buddha out of the rock. For dinner, we will savor a Luo Yang - style dinner. We then head back to Beijing on a 7pm sleeper train.

Day 11 Free time in the morning. In the afternoon, we will explore the Hong Bridge market. Next, we will visit the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven features symmetrically round structures in harmony with a rectangular enclosure. As the emperor is a human conduit between Heaven and Earth, so does the Temple of Heaven represent the relationship between heaven and earth. In the evening, we will enjoy Beijing Opera, which features singing, dancing and drama in richly colorful masks and costumes.

Beijing Opera blends vibrant colors, sophisticated movement
and climatic sound to bring ancient stories to life.

Day 12 We have time to ourselves in the morning. After lunch , we will tour Yonghe Palace. Built around 1694, this beautiful palace is the best preserved lamasery, or monastery for Tibetan monks in China. Next we will visit the Tomb of Confucius and the Temple of Earth. Dinner will feature the very tasty dishes from southern China - Cantonese style.

Day 13 Today is more relaxed. In the morning, we will have time to catch up on some rest. Then more shopping! Dinner will be Shanxi-style.

Whatever your shopping preferences, China's got it!

Day 14 Dim sum for breakfast, and make sure you eat plenty, because today we will visit one of the most recognized icons of China - the Great Wall. One of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China can be seen from space. It stretches almost four thousand miles. If you could stretch the Wall from Seattle, Washington to Key West, Florida, there still would be several hundred miles left over. Originally built to keep out nomadic tribes, the Chinese started construction from the third century B.C. Over the centuries, the Wall has been repaired, renovated and connected to other parts of the Wall. Next we will visit the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace was built for the Emperors as a retreat. It is a stunning display of landscaping, gardening and also represents the harmony between people and nature. After a long day, we will hit either Pizza Hut or TGI Friday's for dinner then check out the local bar scene.

The Great Wall of China

Day 15 From Beijing, we will depart to Chengde to the Imperial Summer Villa, a world heritage site that is host to breathtaking natural scenery. Like the Summer Palace, it is a retreat for the Emperors of China. The largest imperial garden in China, it is settled in the mountains and actually houses a palace within its boundaries. We will check into a hotel right across street from Summer villa by 11:15, dinner at a local restaurant..

Day 16 We will visit a Tibetan Buddhist Temple. We will also visit Putuo Zongcheng Temple, a mini replica of Potala Palace of Lhasa. Though the temple is on a smaller scale, it is by no means small. We will also visit Puning Temple, a massive site that features towering halls and a huge wooden Buddha statue.

Day 17 Go shopping, check out the local scene. We will then visit a curious location called Sledgehammer Peak. It has various names, because of its odd shape. Surrounded by a stunning view of flat rock, piled onto each other like pancakes is an anomaly - a rock formation that looks like a thumb jutting up from the flatness around it. It can be seen for miles from the city of Chengde, and likewise, you can see for miles after climbing to the top of this curious creation. After a good hike up and down Sledgehammer Mountain, we will board a train at 2:20pm and head back to Beijing. For dinner that night, we will feast on Korean barbecue and sing our hearts out with a favorite East Asian pastime - karaoke.

Day 18 After some rest . We will visit Tiananmen Square, the largest public square on earth. Tiananmen Square is located across the street from the Forbidden City, near the gate that bears its name Tiananmen Gate. Tiananmen means Heavenly Peace Gate. It is the center of political activity. For decades before the infamous protest of 1989, Tiananmen Square was the center of protests, political events, and rallies. It is certainly a central location for politics.On one side there is by the Great Hall of the People, a building where Chinese government members host high-level meetings and delegations. Mao's mausoleum, which holds Chairman Mao's preserved body is on another side of the square. There is also the Monument to the People's Heroes - a statue that celebrates the workers, laborers and farmers of China. Finally, there is a flag-raising and lowering ceremony daily. Thousands of people visit the square each day, and it is daily scenery for tens of thousands on the morning commute. Nowadays, people placidly fly kites in the summer and snap pictures and play in the snow in the winter. Right next to Tiananmen Square is the National Museum of China or the Beijing Historical Museum, where we will spend some time taking in the local exhibits. That night, we will check out some of the local dance clubs.

Day 19 That afternoon we will visit the the antique market. This unique market features an interesting array of art, carvings, and statues. That night, we will kick back the Hard Rock Cafe and the famous Sanlitun bar district! Sanlitun is a favorite with the local expats. It is a great place to meet people who live and work in Beijing.

Day 20 We will visit White Cloud Temple. This Daoist temple was originally built in 754. But it was destroyed. Kublai Khan had it rebuilt and appointed a high Daoist priest to oversee it for China. Since then, it is the center of Daoist activity. The stunning, vibrant color, intricate carvings and beautiful artwork belie its simple name. For some more shopping fun, we will head over to the White Peacock Art Shopping Center, followed by a taste of the night life.

Day 21 On our last day, we will have free time all day to do all the things you can fit in. Then we will have a farewell dinner called "108 dishes." This feast is customary for the emperors of China. It is a perfect sendoff for such distinguished guests!

Day 22 Departure back to the U.S.

We will be visiting many more places not listed here and this plan is subject to change. You can choose to participate or sit out on some of these activities. Whatever we do, we will have a lot of fun!