China, Tibet & The Yangtze River
The Group 
Elizabeth Daskarolis
Buddy & Martha Foxworth
Ruth Fulton
George & Jackie Gitthens
Vincent & Jerry Marable
Joseph & Carol Marchi
Katy McLane
Paul & Janet Ohri
Jim & Valerie Staples
Bill & Peggi Yacovissi

 

Date

Daily Tours and Activities (most pictures will expand for a larger view when clicked) Pictures
June 1 Beijing
Flight from LA to Shanghai, then Beijing.
 
June 2 Beijing
We visited Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.  A traditional Peking Duck dinner ended the day.
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June 3 Beijing/Great Wall 
We spent the morning at the Summer Palace, then to the Beijing #1 Carpet Factory.  After lunch we walked along the Great Wall
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June 4 Beijing
We spent the morning at the Temple of Heaven.  After lunch we had a pedicab ride through a hutong for a home visit.  A short program at the Peking Opera finished the day.
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June 5 Xian
Early morning flight to Xian took us to  a tour of the Terra Cotta Warriors, followed by a visit to a pearl factory.
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June 6 Xian
Started the day at the Small Goose Pavilion; then took a walk along Xian City walls.  Eighteen varieties of dumplings for lunch!  Visited the Shanxi Provincial History Museum.  A Tang Dynasty Show of music and dance ended the day.
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June 7 Chengdu 
Early morning flight to Chengdu to visit the Giant Panda Protection & Research Center.  After lunch we took a walk around the town.
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June 8 Lhasa
Early morning flight to Lhasa where we visited a school and a home on the way into the city.  Afternoon to rest and acclimate.
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June 9 Lhasa
Morning tour of Jokhang, Tibet's holiest temple and its  Barkhor Bazaar.  After lunch we went to the Sera Monastery to watch the monks debate. Bill's birthday dinner was at the Mad Yak Cafe.
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June 10 Lhasa
We took all morning  to hike up the Potala Palace and tour.  After lunch we visited the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas at Norbulingka.
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June 11 Chongqing
Early morning flight to Chongqing and a visit to the Stillwell Museum.  Later we went to the Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts.
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June 12 Chongqing
Spent the day on a drive to the Dazu Rock Carvings and a short home visit.  After dinner we boarded the Victoria Anna for the Yangtze River Tour.
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June 13
to
June 15

Yangtze River Cruise
Along the river we visited Fengdu Temple, cruised through the Qutang Gorge,  the Lesser Gorges, the Wu Gorge., and saw the Three Gorges Dam.  Then we cruised through the Xiling Gorge to Yichang and flew to Shanghai.
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June 15 
to 
June 17

Shanghai
In Shanghai we took a morning walk along the Bund, then visited a silk factory. Then we went to the Children's Palace, and walked through the Yu Yuan Bazaar and Gardens.  In the evening we saw the Chinese Acrobat show. Our last tour was of  the Shanghai Museum of Ancient Chinese Art.  After a leisure afternoon, we had our farewell dinner
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June 18

Flight home