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Day 1: Depart USA
Board Air China nonstop flight to Beijing. En route, cross the
International Date Line. (IM)
Day 2: Beijing
Arrive in Beijing
in the afternoon. Meet your local representative and transfer to your
hotel. Relax and enjoy the evening in China’s historic and vibrant
capital city. Beijing
Jiangxi Grand Hotel
Day 3: Beijing
Tour Beijing’s imperial treasures. First, Tiananmen Square, the largest
public square in the world, capable of holding a million people. Stroll across
its vast expanse. An assortment of historical buildings, Communist
monuments and huge museums, including Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum, the
Monument to the People’s Heroes, and the Great Hall of the People – home of
the National People’s Congress, flank the Square. Walk through the Gate of
Heavenly Peace, under the famed portrait of Chairman Mao, to enter the Forbidden City, a 9,999-room compound, where the 24
emperors of the Ming and the Qing Dynasties ruled the Middle Kingdom for
nearly 500 years (1420-1911). Experience the architectural splendor of the
palaces, ceremonial courtyards and private quarters. Lunch at a local
restaurant. Then tour the idyllic Summer Palace,
with its sprawling encampment of temples, pavilions, the marble boat, and
the 728-yard Long Corridor. Enjoy a boat ride on Kunming Lake.
(B, L, D)
Day 4: Beijing
Take a scenic drive through the countryside to reach China’s
most renowned monument – the Great Wall. The ’original’ wall was begun in
the 5th century B.C. to keep out foreign invaders. Construction continued
for centuries, eventually linking up the walls of the former independent
kingdoms. The Great Wall meanders through China’s
northern mountain ranges from the Yellow Sea to the Gobi Desert
– a distance of over 3500 miles! You will have ample time to climb a
section of the Great Wall and to get a sense of the enormity of this
ancient edifice. In the evening, savor a specially prepared meal of Beijing
Duck, cooked to crispy perfection. (B, L, SD)
Day 5: Beijing
Explore Beijing on your own or join our optional tour to experience the
world of Beijing’s
Hutongs, via rickshaw. This network of courtyard homes and narrow lanes
traditionally linked the old city. Tour the maze-like alleyways and
neighborhood residences. See the locals as they go about their daily
activities. Highlights include visits to a local kindergarten, to the
800-year-old Drum
Tower and to a
traditional courtyard style home. This unique tour concludes with a meal
served at the home of a local family. Enjoy the remainder of the day at
leisure. (B)
Day 6: Suzhou
Take a morning flight to Shanghai, then
travel by deluxe motorcoach to the fabled water town of Suzhou. Suzhou
is often referred, by the Chinese, as the “Venice of the East”. It is a
2,500-year-old city renowned the world over for its traditional gardens,
ancient canals and silk worm production. In 1997 Suzhou was designated an UNESCO World
Heritage Site. The construction of the Grand Canal created a means whereby
goods from this region could be transported to the Northern capital, Beijing, a distance
of over 600 miles. With prosperity came prestige as merchants and artisans
plied their trade. Elaborate gardens were built. Visit the Garden of the
Master of Fishing Nets, and experience all of the elements of a classical
Chinese garden. In the afternoon, tour the Silk Spinning Mill, where you
will learn how silk is created from the mulberry-munching silkworms to
produce thread and fine cloth. Marco Polo once reported that so much precious
silk was produced in Suzhou
that every citizen was clothed in it. Enjoy the evening at your leisure.
Suzhou
Central Hotel (B, L, D)
Day 7: Suzhou – Tongli
Today, you will travel to Tongli, another unique water village, in the
region. Reminiscent of scenes from traditional Chinese paintings, it is
complete with canals, arched stone bridges, cobbled lanes, and tile-roofed
wooden houses. Visit a courtyard mansion to learn about the lavish life
style of its residents. Then, learn about traditional Chinese wedding
customs at a local folklore museum. Take an exciting ride on a gondola and
experience the charm of Tongli’s waterways. You will have free time to
browse and buy some local specialties along Old Street, which is lined with Ming
style homes and storefronts. Return to Suzhou in the afternoon for a tour of the
world-acclaimed National Embroidery Research Institute. See magnificently
embroidered silks and watch the artisans at work. The remainder of the day
is at your leisure. (B, L, D)
Day 8: Suzhou – Hangzhou
After breakfast, take a scenic ride to Hangzhou,
one of China’s
premier tourist destinations. An old Chinese saying states, “In heaven
above there is Paradise, on earth there is Suzhou
and Hangzhou”.
Hangzhou
has been the inspiration for poets and artists for centuries. Besides silk,
the region is also a major producer of tea. Take a cruise on the
picturesque West
Lake. Stroll along
the lake’s causeways and immerse yourself in its beauty. Your hotel, the
Lakewiew Hotel, is steps away from the serenity of West Lake.
From this vantage point, you may see the locals practicing their early
morning exercises or taking their evening strolls.
Hangzhou
Wuyang Hotel (B, L, D)
Day 9: Hangzhou – Shanghai
This morning, tour the 1,700-year-old Lingyin
Temple, one of China’s most famous
monasteries. Originally constructed in 326 AD, the present structures
reflect their restoration during the Qing Dynasty. The temple once housed
up to 3,000 monks within its 18 pavilions and 75 temple halls. Another
sacred site is The Peak That Flew from Afar, so aptly named because it
resembles a Holy Mountain in India that was thought to have
been transported to this spot. Tour this site and note that the 380
Buddhist sculptures and inscriptions were carved more than 700 years ago.
No tour to Hangzhou is complete without
going to the world renowned Dragon Well Tea Plantation, where the legendary Longjing
green tea is picked and processed by hand. The first picked tea leaves of
the new harvest were once reserved solely for the Emperor and transported
to him via the Grand Canal. You will learn
about the harvesting, as well as the proper way to brew this healthful
beverage. The Chinese Tea Ceremony will be demonstrated. Sample the
freshness of the tea. Appreciate its “green color, smooth appearance,
fragrant aroma and sweet taste”. Travel by motor coach or train to Shanghai. Check into
your hotel. Shanghai New
Century Hotel (B, L, D)
Day 10: Shanghai
Shanghai, a dynamic metropolis, is China’s
showcase to the world. Begin your tour in the heart of old Shanghai at the 16th century Yu Garden.
This complex, with its classical architectural details, maze of walkways
and reflecting pools, has been a marketplace and social center for over 200
years. Then walk along the Bund, the elegant riverside promenade which symbolized
European and foreign influence and affluence in the 1930s. See the ships
and barges on the Huangpu River, en route to the sea or going upstream to
the interior of China.
The modernistic Oriental Pearl TV tower looms in the background redefining
the skyline. Enjoy a traditional Mongolian BBQ Buffet lunch. In the
afternoon, visit Shanghai Museum, an unique and inspiring piece of
architecture, home to more than 120,000 cultural relics of ancient China,
including a priceless collection of jade, bronze, ceramics, paintings,
furniture, etc. After dinner, attend an unforgettable performance of the
Shanghai Acrobats. (B, SL, D)
Day 11: Shanghai
Today is a free day to explore this vibrant city on your own. You will be
provided with a specially prepared orientation list. You can stroll through
the Old Shanghai bazaar; shop at Nanjing
Road’s emporiums, or enjoy a nostalgic evening
performance by the renowned senior citizen’s Jazz band at the Peace
Hotel. (B)
Day 12: Journey home
Your morning is free to rest, to pack or to do some last minute shopping.
Then transfer to airport for your return flight home. Arrive in U.S.A.
later today. (B)
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