Hi all!
Here’s my next update of my Imperial Jewels of China tour.
On Thursday we left the Viking Emerald and had an excursion in the morning. We went to the Museum in Wuhan and saw and exhibition of the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng. He had buried a musical instrument with him (which was the size of a small room) and we got to watch a performance of it being played. It sounds pretty good considering it doesn’t look like an instrument at all! We also learnt about all the human sacrifices made for his tomb and all the bronze ware he was buried with.
Then we arrived in Shanghai after a quick flight which is our last stop before we go back to England!
Our first evening was spent enjoying the hotel buffet and then a walk along to the Bund. Seeing it all lit up at night was incredible… and makes you wonder about the electricity bill! It was a spectacular light show and it was only a five minute walk from our hotel.
On Friday morning we embarked on our last day of excursions. We first went to old Shanghai to see the gardens which were so pretty.
It’s impressive that all the original structures of the house are still there and that this was really where the nobility of Shanghai lived for so long.
Then we went to a flea market right next to the gardens. The buildings the markets were in were really striking and make it all the more picturesque as you haggled. I ended up buying so much I may need to buy an extra suitcase for the flight home…
For lunch we went to the Shanghai Carpet factory. We ate Mongolian BBQ and created our own choice of stir-fry and then watched three (very cheerful) chefs cook it on a huge hot plate. I had chicken and beef with the “mild” sauce – which was pretty heavy on the garlic! We then took a tour around the factory and saw how silk carpets were made and how silk embroidery was done. It’s a shame that it seems to be a dying skill in China as the work was fantastic. It’s hard to believe the picture below was been sewn!
We then headed to the Museum of Shanghai. These masks were originally from Tibet and were three times the size of my own head.
After a quick look round the exhibitions it was back to the hotel for a rest before our final excursion, the acrobat show.
I didn’t know what to expect from the show – but I certainly hadn’t expected to see a girl juggle tables with her feet or see eight men in motorbikes whizz around a metal ball cage at the same time! It was a lot of fun.
After that it was time to go back to the hotel and say goodbye to our tour guide. We were all sad to see him go! He’s gone above and beyond what you’d expect from a tour guide. Before he left I asked him to write my name in Chinese and asked what it meant. Apparently Rachael means “intelligent autumn.” My friend Rebecca found out her name meant “intelligent baby” so I was quite happy with my translation!
Once we had said our goodbyes we went to a rooftop bar along the Bund. It was called Rouge and it was a hectic mix of ex-pats and travellers from all over. It had amazing views of the river and the skyline and the drinks were pretty good as well!
Today is our last day in Shanghai. We plan to head back to the markets before going for a final group meal. Then it’s back to England and the real world in the morning.
I’ll be sad to leave china – it really has been the trip of a lifetime!
I would definitely come back and recommend this trip to anyone who wants a really interesting and immersive holiday!
Until next time.
Rach x
Here’s my next update of my Imperial Jewels of China tour.
On Thursday we left the Viking Emerald and had an excursion in the morning. We went to the Museum in Wuhan and saw and exhibition of the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng. He had buried a musical instrument with him (which was the size of a small room) and we got to watch a performance of it being played. It sounds pretty good considering it doesn’t look like an instrument at all! We also learnt about all the human sacrifices made for his tomb and all the bronze ware he was buried with.
Then we arrived in Shanghai after a quick flight which is our last stop before we go back to England!
Our first evening was spent enjoying the hotel buffet and then a walk along to the Bund. Seeing it all lit up at night was incredible… and makes you wonder about the electricity bill! It was a spectacular light show and it was only a five minute walk from our hotel.
On Friday morning we embarked on our last day of excursions. We first went to old Shanghai to see the gardens which were so pretty.
It’s impressive that all the original structures of the house are still there and that this was really where the nobility of Shanghai lived for so long.
Then we went to a flea market right next to the gardens. The buildings the markets were in were really striking and make it all the more picturesque as you haggled. I ended up buying so much I may need to buy an extra suitcase for the flight home…
For lunch we went to the Shanghai Carpet factory. We ate Mongolian BBQ and created our own choice of stir-fry and then watched three (very cheerful) chefs cook it on a huge hot plate. I had chicken and beef with the “mild” sauce – which was pretty heavy on the garlic! We then took a tour around the factory and saw how silk carpets were made and how silk embroidery was done. It’s a shame that it seems to be a dying skill in China as the work was fantastic. It’s hard to believe the picture below was been sewn!
We then headed to the Museum of Shanghai. These masks were originally from Tibet and were three times the size of my own head.
After a quick look round the exhibitions it was back to the hotel for a rest before our final excursion, the acrobat show.
I didn’t know what to expect from the show – but I certainly hadn’t expected to see a girl juggle tables with her feet or see eight men in motorbikes whizz around a metal ball cage at the same time! It was a lot of fun.
After that it was time to go back to the hotel and say goodbye to our tour guide. We were all sad to see him go! He’s gone above and beyond what you’d expect from a tour guide. Before he left I asked him to write my name in Chinese and asked what it meant. Apparently Rachael means “intelligent autumn.” My friend Rebecca found out her name meant “intelligent baby” so I was quite happy with my translation!
Once we had said our goodbyes we went to a rooftop bar along the Bund. It was called Rouge and it was a hectic mix of ex-pats and travellers from all over. It had amazing views of the river and the skyline and the drinks were pretty good as well!
Today is our last day in Shanghai. We plan to head back to the markets before going for a final group meal. Then it’s back to England and the real world in the morning.
I’ll be sad to leave china – it really has been the trip of a lifetime!
I would definitely come back and recommend this trip to anyone who wants a really interesting and immersive holiday!
Until next time.
Rach x
Comment