Category Archives: China Trip 2010
Somewhere over the China Sea
Somewhere over the China Sea  We left the hotel at 7 am. Given we were under the flight path we didn’t have far to go but the hotel buses weren’t quite prepared for our voluminous luggage. So, we stuffed and stuffed and crammed everyone and everything on board. We got to the airport in Continued…
posted: June 19, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Somewhere over the China SeaShanghai
Wow – it’s big. We started at a shopping area with tiny shops but also soup dumplings. They were really tasty. Then off to Mongolian BBQ for lunch. Then back to the Bund and Naijing Street. We saw the Expo grounds and 1/2 the buses in China parked there. The Bund was along the river Continued…
posted: June 17, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on ShanghaiDay 15
Day 15–   Hangzhou to Xi Tang  What a nice day. We loaded up the buses at 9 after a great breakfast. This hotel was very nice – had eggs for breakfast! It’s the little things in life.  We started off at an Ancient Street for some shopping. This was more the shopping I Continued…
posted: June 16, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Day 15Pollution Blog
from Analie Back in Colorado, I used to look at the Denver city line and think ‘Look how polluted Denver is!’, but getting to China has changed my view on that entirely. Looking back to the beginning of our trip, in Hong Kong, the humidity and pollution were more than evident. Buildings had grime and Continued…
posted: June 15, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Pollution BlogDay 14 -Beijing to Hangzhou
Day 14  We’re waiting for our flight at the Beijing airport. There has been an effort to clean up the Broken English signs but some are still amusing. Above an electrical plug here says “please take care of your children avoiding touching the deviceâ€. We have also been advised that something is for “disaled Continued…
posted: June 15, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Day 14 -Beijing to HangzhouPost from Emily and Margaret
This is Emily Javarone and Margaret Heffernan, we’re gonna write the blog today. So far the trip has been really fun and very interesting. There has been a lot of surprises and commotion throughout this trip. A lot of kids and even parents are beginning to miss the food and normal bathrooms in the United Continued…
posted: June 14, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Post from Emily and MargaretDay 13 – The Great Wall
Wow. Beijing has nasty traffic on holidays. The bad news this morning was the Starbucks was closed. So we headed out and up very slowly. Given the Dragon Boat Festival holiday everyone in Beijing headed to the Great Wall including us. We didn’t want to short change ourselves so some decided to stay for 4 Continued…
posted: June 14, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Day 13 – The Great WallDay 12 – Another Jam Packed Day
Beijing Today was another wonderful day. There aren’t words to describe this trip. Of course, that could be related to the fact that it’s almost midnight and I just got to my room. Don’t worry – your kids were home by 10.  I worked on paying for the airline tickets to Huangzhou after that and Continued…
posted: June 13, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Day 12 – Another Jam Packed DayDay 11 – Beijing
We arrived in Beijing and headed for the hotel. Checking in 85 involves unloading 2 buses, getting 50 keys, assigning keys to people, locating the right building, moving 2 pieces of luggage plus instruments to the right rooms…Needless to say it was a late night. The kids slept in and we loaded up for a Continued…
posted: June 12, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | 1 commentChange in Itinerary
When we arrived in Beijing, we discovered that the train to Huangzhou was later than we thought and we won’t arrive in time to see West Lake. Also with the Dragon Boat Festival we can not get enough tickets on the same train. We were given an alternative to stay in Beijing for an additional night and fly to Huangzhou the Continued…
posted: June 12, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Change in ItineraryBlogs from Kids
from Jenny How’s it going? This is Jenny Raak again. I was all psyched to write this, but honestly I have no idea what about, so I’m just going to ramble a bit, if that’s all right. Whomever (I hope that’s the correct usage of ‘whom’) said I would get sick of sesame chicken on Continued…
posted: June 11, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Blogs from KidsDay 10
Day 10– Xi An to Beijing  I was too tired to upload photos after the terra cotta soldier trip yesterday but here is one.  Those of us on the panda express started early. It was a tough choice – sleep in late (a luxury) or pay about $25 to travel to see the Continued…
posted: June 11, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | 1 commentDay 9
Today was a big day. We went to see the Terra Cotta soldiers. First we visited a factory to see how they are made now and yet another opportunity to shop. Then it was off to see the real thing. There are 3 pits and the first is the size of an blimp hanger. The Continued…
posted: June 10, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Day 9Day 8
We packed up our bags and were on the buses by 8. We went to a pearl museum. We first got a brief lecture by a guy who gave the same lecture to Hillary Clinton.  Then we were ushered into a large room with a runway. The music started and models entered parading down the runway Continued…
posted: June 9, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Day 8Live From China
Day 7 – Guillin  We arrived in Guillin around 7 am. Most of the kids slept well on the train. It was fun. The girls and almost all of the women were in one car so it was a big sleepover. As for the males, they were on another car with myself and the Continued…
posted: June 9, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Live From ChinaDay 6
Day 6 – Guangzhou to the train After the concert, the kids were happy to have a night off. Some headed out with chaperones to McDonalds. Others walked along the river. My son Travis, Samantha, Kenna and our tour guide Sophie headed to Beijing Street for some shopping. While the girls looked at clothes, my Continued…
posted: June 9, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Day 6Blogs from Kids
from Jenny: Whoa! Hello. This is Jenny Raak. I broke my cello bow yesterday. That was a bummer. Anyway, today we went shopping in this GIGANTIC mall. There are some amazing things in there. I bought a silk dress, and I can hardly move in it, but that’s okay, because it’s a freaking Chinese dress. Continued…
posted: June 9, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Blogs from KidsDay 5
Our kids are celebrities. We are asked to be photographed constantly.  Our kids are getting used to it but we create a stir wherever we go.  I sat outside with my laptop talking to some chaperones and people were stopping on the street and staring. We initially thought it was our trip t shirts but then Continued…
posted: June 6, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Day 5Choral Concert
The dress rehearsal in the park was interesting. The stage was lit up with neon. That was a new experience!  The concert was awesome! I will try to get some kids to give their perspective tomorrow but they were outstanding. There were 400 plus musicians and singers. A young student marching band, several singing groups, a zither Continued…
posted: June 6, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Choral ConcertPerformance Time
Surreal.. Grace under pressure. I wrote yesterday’s entry sitting outside watching our soloist practice with the professional Chinese orchestra. Our kids impressed the conductors they worked with and the conditions were tough. First there weren’t enough cellos. Second it was very hot and humid – humidity affects reeds and string instruments – they go out Continued…
posted: June 5, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Performance TimeLive From China
I thought I’d send the photos from earlier in the trip. Kenna and Ali are lighting incense at a temple in Hong Kong. It added tremendously to the air quality. Victoria Harbor is very pretty. Keynes and the kids enjoying the South China Sea.
posted: June 5, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Live From ChinaDay 4
Day 4 Mainland China – Ghangzhou  We heard once we reached Mainland China internet access would be free. Our hotel in Guangzhou calls broadband WiFi. It’s not. I was able to get connected and hope to post photos when I have more time. It’s been a brisk pace so far. Anyway, once I was Continued…
posted: June 5, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Day 4Live From China
        Day 3 – Hong Kong We loaded up the buses after a great night’s sleep and headed for Wong Tai Sin Temple, a Taoist temple. Ali and Kenna are lighting their incense sticks prior to heading into the temple grounds. We toured through the grounds and enjoyed the beautiful grounds. Then we headed to Continued…
posted: June 4, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Live From ChinaLive From China
 Day 2 – Hong Kong We made it! We were very happy to see the Hong Kong skyline rising out of the clouds after a 14.5 hour flight from Los Angeles. Our group was tired but in good spirits.  There was a Visa issue for part of our group and we look forward to Continued…
posted: June 4, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on Live From ChinaWe Made It!
We had an adventurous day – lots to report but technical difficulties!  We arrived safely and the kids are having a wonderful time. Yesterday was spent on Victoria Peak in the rain, at the beach and mostly eating. The kids experienced dim sum for breakfast and were troopers despite their tiredness.  We anticipate easier access to Continued…
posted: June 2, 2010 | categorized as: China Trip 2010 | Comments Off on We Made It!
