A brief tour of China
Suzhou | Nanjing | Shanghai
Recently I was lucky enough to join a group of travel professionals on an intensive 5 day tour of China, hosted by MW Tours.
Below is the map of our itinerary.
These types of industry trips provide a thorough overview of the destinations visited. This ensures that delegates can confidently assist their clients by referring to personal experiences gained from the tour.
Getting there
Our tour commenced on board China Eastern Airlines flight MU752 direct from Cairns to Shanghai. The flight departed early. Typical of any inaugural seasonal flight, there weren't that many passengers onboard. We were lucky to be allocated a row of centre seats each. This meant we could stretch out, and those who wanted to could lay down & sleep.
The flight time was approximately 9 hours.
Arriving Shanghai
The aircraft arrival bay was off terminus. This meant we had to board a waiting bus to take us to the gate. The weather was slightly different to the humidity we had left behind! On went the cold weather gear; the beanie, gloves, scarf & jacket! The average temperatures during our stay hovered between 0°C at night & 8°C during the day.
After passing through immigration we collected our bags, breezed through customs & met our tour guide Maggie & photographer, April, who were to be with us for the rest of the tour. The bus collected us and we headed off on our adventure through China!
On the road to Suzhou
On the way to Suzhou we stopped for dinner. Our first taste of "real" Chinese food! It was delicious! We had a smorgasbord of choice. As a vegan I thought I'd have some difficulties finding enough to eat. I needn't have worried. Maggie ensured there was enough food for everyone.
After dinner we boarded the bus for the 2 hour drive to Suzhou. We arrived around midnight. It was cold on that bus, let me tell you!! We stayed at the Holiday Inn Huirong Plaza. It was a beautiful hotel, very comfortable rooms with an elegant, modern design.
6,211 steps.
Suzhou tour in China
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The first day of our itinerary included a Suzhou tour.
Suzhou is a city in the Jiangsu province, located about 100kms northwest of Shanghai. It is the second largest city in the province after the capital Nanjing.
The Lingering Gardens
Our day of sightseeing began at the Lingering Gardens.
This beautiful, peaceful garden is well worth a visit. All stately gardens in China form part of the house. Each room of the house is separated by some part of the garden. To maintain the Feng Shui the main living areas of the house face onto particular parts of the garden, one for each season. The image above shows the view the inhabitants can enjoy in Spring time as they look out over the pond to the Wisteria vines hanging from the pergola in full bloom.
The garden includes the Cloud-capped Peak, the tallest one-piece limestone rock in Suzhou. The design of the rock ensures that water can flow from the top to the bottom without pooling in any crack or crevice. Other features include the Moon Gate & the Bonsai gardens.
Formal Entertainment Room
Cloud-capped peak
Moon gate
Bonsai Garden
Bridge Walk
The Grand Canal
After the Lingering Gardens we headed to the Grand Canal for a boat cruise followed by lunch. The canal runs from Beijing to Zhejiang province and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is approximately 1,700kms long, 6 metres deep, is completely man made, and took half a century to build.
Grand Canal Suzhou
Grand Canal Suzhou
Grand Canal Suzhou
Grand Canal Suzhou
We enjoyed a delicious lunch comprising traditional Chinese dishes and there was plenty of choice for the vegan amongst us (me!). The lotus root drizzled with honey was a tasty treat!
Grand Canal Suzhou
Grand Canal Suzhou
Grand Canal Suzhou
Lotus Root with honey
Silk Factory
After lunch we went to the Suzhou No. 1 Silk Factory. Here we learnt about silk production, from extracting the silk through to reeling & weaving it. There was also a shop offering silk products made on the premises.
Silk Extraction
Silk Reeling
Silk Quilt Making
Silk Weaving
Pingjiang Road
The final stop for the day was the Pingjiang Road historical block. This runs along the Pingjiang River for about 1.5kms. The street is 800 years old and is lined with houses on one side and a collection of tea-houses and small shops on the other.
We returned to the hotel feeling somewhat exhausted. Some of our party decided to hit the shops. Later we had dinner in the restaurant at the hotel. After dinner we had a couple of drinks in the bar and retired for the evening. Tomorrow we head for Nanjing!
11,894 steps.
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This morning we departed Suzhou heading for our Nanjing City tour.
The road trip usually takes about 3 hours by bus. We were delayed a further hour due to an accident on the freeway.
Niushoushan Cultural Park
After lunch in Nanjing we headed to the Niushoushan Cultural Park.
The park is host to the Usnisa Hall and Usnisa Worshipping Palace. The buildings have recently been completed. There are above ground and subterranean floors that contain significant religious relics & artwork.
It is purported that a skull bone of the Buddha was found inside a gold casket in a crypt beneath the Buddhist temple.
Within the park is a temple housing the monks’ living quarters & a pagoda.
Niushou Mountain
Niushou Mountain
Lying Buddha
Silk Tapestry
Niushou Mountain
Usnisa Pagoda
Jiangnan Examination Hall
The Jiangnan Examination Hall was used for both provincial & metropolitan level examinations.
There were 3 exams held over 3 days each (9 days in total): the Shengyuan (entry level); Juren (qualified graduate), &; Jinshi (advanced scholar) exams.
During the examinations candidates were confined to a small room which had walls and a roof but no door. Candidates were body searched before being allowed to enter, to ensure they had not hidden any material that might allow them to cheat the exams. They had to eat & sleep in the cell during the examination period.
Confucius Temple
Jiangnan Examination Hall
Jiangnan Examination Hall
Confucius Temple
Jiangnan Examination Hall
During the Tongzhi Period 1861-1875 there were 20,644 examination rooms. In 1905, the imperial examination system was abolished and the Jiangnan Examination Hall became redundant. A large part of the complex was demolished as a result.
Following our tour of the Jiangnan Examination Hall we found our way to the Qin Huai River district for a lovely meal followed by an evening boat cruise.
Qin Huai River district
Qin Huai River boat cruise
Qin Huai River district
At the end of the night we checked into the Hilton Nanjing Riverside. It was another beautiful hotel in a great location. The rooms were a good size, the bed was comfortable, and the building had a swish modern design.
Hilton Nanjing Riverside
Hilton Nanjing Riverside
Hilton Nanjing Riverside
10,157 steps.
Dr Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum
Dr Sun Yat-sen is considered to be the “Father of Modern China”. He brought about the fall of the imperial Qing government, thereby ending the monarchy and founding the Republic of China.
His resting place is situated at the foot of the Purple Mountain. It took 3 years to build and was completed in 1929. At the entrance to the mausoleum is a staircase consisting of 392 stairs that lead to the vault. The stairs get steeper the higher you climb. Needless to say, we were all feeling a bit warmer & a little worn out by the time we reached the top (hence the missing beanie in the pics below!).
Dr Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum
Dr Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum
The Presidential Palace
The Presidential Palace is often referred to as Nanjing’s version of the Forbidden City in Beijing. It was home to emperors and political leaders, including Dr. Sat Yun-Sen. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) it functioned as a royal palace.
Presidential Palace
Presidential Palace
Presidential Palace
Presidential Palace
Alongside the Presidential Palace is the 1912 Bar Street. This is a popular, trendy area full of old buildings that have been turned into restaurants & bars. There are also markets in the street that sell local nic-nacs.
Nanjing 1912 Pub Street
Nanjing 1912 Pub Street
City Walls
Our final stop for the day was at the Taicheng City Walls overlooking the Xuanwu Lake. The lake was named for a black dragon, believed to be a water god by Chinese Taoists.
The City Wall comprises four parts: the Outer City; Inner City; Imperial City, and; Palace City. It was originally 35 kilometres long, but today only 21kms of the wall remain. The height is between 14 & 21 metres with a footing width of 14 metres. The wall is built from over 350 million bricks.
Taicheng City Walls
Taicheng City Walls
Taicheng City Walls
Taicheng City Walls
We returned to the 1912 Street for a Maan coffee. While we were there a reporter from the Chinese press came to interview us! Afterwards the bus dropped some of the group back at the Qin Huai River precinct to continue their shopping expedition, while a couple of us returned to the Hotel for a well deserved drink at the bar!
15,517 steps.
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Today was the final day of our quick tour of China, last stop Shanghai! The trip from Nanjing takes about 1.5 hours on the high speed train.
Communist Museum
On arrival in Shanghai the coach took us to the Site of the First National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party which occurred in July 1921. It is now a museum that combines exhibits on the history of China, Shanghai, and the events involved in the formation of the Chinese Communist Party. The museum is located in Xintiandi, a trendy shopping, eating and entertainment district of Shanghai.
Chinese Communist Museum
Chinese Communist Museum
Xintiandi Shanghai
Yuyuan Old Street Markets
After a very tasty lunch we went to Yuyuan Old Street Markets and spent a couple of hours walking around, bartering & shopping.
Our tour guide Maggie had taught us a very important phrase: Tài guìle = It’s too expensive!
Yuyuan Old Street Markets Shanghai
Yuyuan Old Street Markets Shanghai
Yuyuan Old Street Markets Shanghai
Our China tour drew to a close as we boarded the bus to Pudong for our 9 hour flight home. We watched as Shanghai’s skyline disappeared as we rode the amazing multi-layered road system.
Shanghai
Shanghai
14,700 steps.
We were exhausted from the intensive 5 day tour of this amazing country!
I would have no hesitation in recommending a visit to China on an MW Tour. The food was great, accommodation standard excellent, and the guides were top value. Go & experience it for yourself, you won’t be sorry.
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