\nARRIVAL IN BEIJING AND THE TRAIN TO XI’AN<\/strong><\/h1>\n
Sadly, my very first impression of Beijing- even before I got off the plane, was seeing and smelling the\u00a0thick, pervasive atmosphere of extremely polluted air. The sky was grey. Anyplace you looked was through the haze of dirty air. The afternoon of my arrival, I did get a chance to wander a bit. A famous landmark in Beijing is the “Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest” that sits within the huge “Temple of Heaven” park. <\/p>\n My trip from Beijing to Xi’an was on a sleek high speed train. What fun! China has a rail system that includes commuter lines, dawdling intercity trains, overnight sleeper lines, and high speed lines (CRH – China Railway Highspeed). Perhaps one day we can learn from China, Spain, etc., and replace our antique, Amtrak, never-on-time rail system, with a public rail system that can efficiently get passengers from one city to another. My trip to China was to teach at an intensive summer English program at the prestigious Xi’an Jiaotong University. The program encompassed the entire class of students finishing their freshman year. At the end of the program I did some independent travel around the country.<\/p>\n Three Saturdays in the middle of the program the university provided cultural excursions to various sites in and around Xi’an. The city is a treasure trove of history, and had been the country’s capital during the rule of\u00a0many imperial dynasties.<\/p>\n During the seventh century, the Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang traveled to India where he studied. He collected a vast trove of Buddhist scripture and transported them back to China. In Xi’an, in the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, he and his assistants translated the books into Chinese.<\/p>\n After the program was finished, I headed out for a brief tour of sites in China.\u00a0For the first four stops, I traveled with Marlene Miyamoto, a colleague from the summer English program.<\/p>\n After saying goodbye to Xi’an, we boarded a plane and traded that smoggy city of 9 million for the clear blue skies of Lijiang, in Yunnan province. We were on our way, geographically and climbing in\u00a0elevation, to Tibet.<\/p>\n After an enjoyable stay in LIjiang, we boarded a bus and continued our journey, heading westward and climbing in elevation. We crossed over the Yangzi (Yangtze) river and with each passing kilometer the architectural styles and road signs showed an increasing tendency toward the Tibetan culture.<\/p>\n Visiting Tibet was the fulfillment of a dream from my youth. It was amazing. At an elevation of twelve thousand feet (3,656\u00a0meters), I frequently suffered from shortness of breath, and needed to pace myself. No matter- it is a place for contemplation, not for hurry.<\/p>\n This city is the capital of the Sichuan (Szechuan) province. We enjoyed our stay there, but should have stayed several more days to better appreciate it. The food there was fabulous (of course!), and the province is famous for the Giant Pandas. Near the city is a famous research and breeding center for these animals.<\/p>\n After Chengdu, Marlene and I headed in separate directions. I continued on toward the southeast, going to the city of Guilin.<\/p>\n Straddling the Yangzi (Yangtse) river, this town was recommended to me by a friend who had taught English there.<\/p>\n Chengde, is situated in Hebei province north of Beijing. It is famous for the “Mountain Resort”, a vast park that was the summer residence of the Qing emperors. “Sure”, a student from my classes in Xi’an, was from the city.\u00a0He invited me to take a bus to the city and kindly acted as my guide.<\/p>\n Back in Beijing I made an excursion to the Great Wall. I also went to Tiananmen and the gates of the “Forbidden City”. Finally, what trip to the capital would be complete without a meal of “Peking Duck”?<\/p>\n
\nI stayed overnight in a hotel in Beijing. My intent was to rest up a bit and travel to Xi’an by\u00a0train and view the countryside, rather than arriving there by dropping out of the sky in an airplane.
\n![\"00-05-onzhushikoustreetnearhotel-cropped\"](\"https:\/\/www.seafog.net\/PeresRamblings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/00-05-OnZhushikouStreetNearHotel-cropped.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n\u2022 Beijing: Temple of Heaven Park<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u2022 Heading to Xi’an<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u897f\u5b89<\/strong>
\nA MONTH IN XI’AN<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\nXI’AN JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\u2022\u00a0The Campus<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u2022 In the classroom<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nEXCURSIONS<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\u2022 Xi’an’s Grand Mosque<\/strong>
<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u2022 The City Wall of Xi’an<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u2022 The\u00a0Shaanzi History Museum<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u2022 The Great Wild Goose Pagoda<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n\u2022 The\u00a0Terracotta Army<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u2022 Imperial Tombs<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u2022 Xuaqing Hot Spring<\/strong><\/h4>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nOUT AND ABOUT IN XI’AN<\/strong><\/h1>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\nSAYING GOODBYE TO XI’AN<\/strong><\/h1>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u4e3d\u6c5f
\nLIJIANG<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u9999\u683c\u91cc\u62c9<\/strong>
\nSHANGRI-LA<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n\u0f63\u0fb7\u0f0b\u0f66<\/strong>
\nLHASA<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u6210\u90fd<\/strong>
\nCHENGDU<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n\u6842\u6797<\/span><\/strong>
\nGUILIN AND THE LI RIVER<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n\u6b66\u6c49<\/strong>
\nWUHAN<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\u627f\u5fb7
\nCHENGDE<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n\u5317\u4eac<\/strong>
\nBEIJING AGAIN<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/h1>\n<\/a><\/h1>\n<\/a><\/h1>\n
\nWATCH THIS SPACE! LINKS TO MORE PHOTOS \u00a0AND TRAVEL TALES OF MY 2015 TRIP TO CHINA ARE IN PROGRESS!<\/strong><\/h1>\n