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China Trip 2010
Chamber group at the Great Wall of China.
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In April 2010, Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce business leaders, friends and family embarked on an 8-day all inclusive trip to discover the wonders of China. They learned global best practice, delved
into the international business climate and discovered a foreign culture. The itinerary included Beijing, Suzhou and Shanghai.
Traveler Linda Schreiber shared her experiences during the trip.
Destination China - day 7 & 8
The note says day 7, but I'm back in Iowa (having been here throughout the weekend and I'm still hopelessly sleep impaired!).
On
the last day in China, the group toured Shanghai and more history
lessons from Simon, our astute guide (reviewed the dynasties). And,
others in our group met with Chinese representatives to explore
business opportunities. Shanghai represents the city of the future, and
is divided into east and west sides by the Huangpu River (yes I looked
the spelling up).
Today, we visited a silk carpet factory, Yu
Garden, lunched near the market, which explored and practiced
bargaining (again) and viewed the Pudong financial district (economic
development zone - which has been built entirely in the last 20 years).
The suspension bridges continue to highlight China's development and
infrastructure.
We visited the Silk Carpet Factory, which has 30
years of inventory - possibly because sales were non-existent during
the Cultural Revolution . . . the talent of these skilled women is
amazing (the factory's female guide indicates that men's hands are too
large to tie the knots). Hand-tied silk rugs are incredibly beautiful
as the patterns vary in coloration from multiple directions. It's hard
to believe these rugs are ever walked on.
Several in the group
with engineering backgrounds were interested in the World Expo area and
so Simon (our guide) and Master Wong (our experienced driver) took us
past this area area which lies adjacent to the Pudong financial
district, an area formerly farmland.
The theme of the World Expo
is Better City Better Life. The Expo is another important stage for
China to showcase its return to the world stage.
The gardens
provide a respite from a bustling city, but are often crowded so the
break is barely noticed. Outside the gardens is a marketplace with
many, many shops and we are cautioned by our guide not to follow anyone
from the market.
The day was completed with a nighttime tour.
Around 9 p.m. the streets were full of people walking everywhere and
the lights, which rival any major U.S. city, were fantastic!
We're exhausted and excited to begin our journey home . . .
Day 8 -
This morning we are served another Western-style breakfast (these could
be a very nice habit) before saying goodbye to some members of the
group who are going off to explore the panda preserve and on to bike
through parts of China.
We leave from a new Shanghai airport
(built for the Expo which expects 400,000 visitors a day) open only two
months and have difficulty finding the departure exit. We fly to
Beijing where we are quickly processed to depart for the U.S.
Thirteen
hours later (it seems as though while most of the group slept, I walked
the Pacific Ocean), we arrive in Seattle where three members of our
group deplane to visit family.
A few in our group are selected
to "experience" the courtesy of Customs to one degree or another.
Almost immediately we know we're back in the U.S. The group is
separated as we trickle through Customs. The electronic boards are down
and we're unsure of which gate we depart from . . . cell phones are a
great invention. A check with the Airline confirms our journey's last
airline leg.
By the time we land in Chicago, only couple in the
group have lost their luggage. And our Windstar driver soon arrives to
complete the journey to Iowa and home!
Thanks to the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce for a most memorable educational and cultural China exchange.
Destination China- day 5-6
By
day 5, the group is in constant discussion about what day it is and
what is the time in Iowa . . . for the record - Iowa is 13 hours later
than the part of China that we are visiting (which means if it is 10:30
p.m. in China, it is 9:30 a.m. in Iowa). (I know this to be true
because my watch is set on Iowa time!)
In addition to the
National Embroidery Institute, we visited gardens - Lingering Garden,
Tiger Hill and the Hanshan Temple. Our guide, Simon made special
arrangements for a boat tour of the city's Grand Canal and we see where
and how close to the water the people of Suzhou live . . . and sadly
how polluted this natural resource has become. It is one of many
highlights of the China tour.
Following lunch in Suzhou
(Sue-Joe), we travel by bus to Shanghai. The windshield time gives
Simon an opportunity to further our understanding of China and its
people. The roads are in pristine condition, which Simon explains in
order to improve the economy it is necessary to first improve the
infrastructure to bring goods to market.
He says the two
greatest engineering feats in China's history are the Great Wall and
the Grand Canal, which connects the country's major rivers and cities,
and transports goods. Two major events, the 2008 Olympics and the 2010
World Expo, have / are showcasing China to the world following long
periods of self-isolation /embargo.
It's interesting to note the
differences between Beijing, Suzhou and Shanghai, and there are many.
Beijing, the nation's capital, is arid and following a harsh winter the
plants are still brown. As the nation's capitol, many buildings are
dedicated to government functions - they are larger and more decorated
than others. Billboards are nearly nonexistant. The sky is filled with
smog.
Suzhou is green with plants and gardens. Following periods of rain / drizzle, the sky cleared momentarily. The city has clear delineations. Though technology is leading the city's expansion, it is still considered a mature city.
Shanghai,
which literally means "on the sea," is the silk capital of the world.
We are again reminded of China's history of the Silk Road and exporting
silk to the world. The section where city's financial district is
located, formerly farm land, is all new within the last 20 years!
We've
not seen or heard many song birds and rarely see people with pets
except an occasional dog riding in a bicycle basket with its owner.
Definitely, no live pandas though many entrepreneurial folks have
copied this lovable animal in a hat form and we have pictures to prove
it.
Tomorrow is filled and it is our last day . . . many in our
group have meetings their China contacts. Along the way, we've learned
how successful China has been at recruiting visitors via its tourism
efforts.
Destination China - day 4
The group
is enjoying the sites, sounds and culture of China. Forty is about the
right size - not so big that everyone can interact and learn from each
other! Today, we're looking forward to a panda sighting and one couple
in the group will go on to the panda reserve for a visit after we
depart for the USA.
Before leaving Beijing, our bargain shoppers purchased Chairman Mao watches, hats and many panda hats.
Today, we said goodbye to Winston as we left for the next leg of the China tour. He's been a great host.
The
airplane ride to Shanghai (and then by bus to Suzhou) gave us the first
opportunity to read the China Daily and see what's happening in the
rest of the world (television while available isn't a source for news
unless you speak Chinese). The article about author Neil Pasricha's
book, 1000awesomethings.com sounds like a good read.
The Chinese
have made every attempt to make breakfasts appealing for Westerners -
we have eggs in several forms, along with multiple vegetables, and
traditional meat dishes. Yogurt and pastries are available along with
fruit (which we Westerners are reminded may upset our delicate
intestinal tracts). The coffee is excellent and tea is always served.
Our
tour guide for our remaining days is Simon and our driver Master Wong.
Those with experience and skill are given the title of Master.
No
one can offer tours of historical sites better than the Chinese with a
civilization that is thousands of years old. Today, we visited Tiger
Hill, the burial place of the King of the State of Wu, Hanshan Temple
(Buddhist temple from the Tang Dynasty) and the National Embroidery
Institute . . . in spite of a gentle rain (at least we weren't walking
on the Great Wall). Each site offers something new and interesting and
insight into the culture of China.
Our group bargains very well
and in Suzhou we have our first big opportunity for silk purchases. At
the embroidery institute we met master embroiders who have trained for
five years (three years of additional schooling beyond high school and
another two years of
apprenticeship. Their work is incredibly beautiful . . . sometimes the
pattern is duplicated on the reverse side of the piece. Many pieces
take more than a year to complete.
Not many panda sightings today, however with the World Expo (the 6th I think) coming next week, we've seen several Hai Bao mascots everywhere. Hai Bao means Sea Baby; the logo is actually a gumby-looking, smiling blue thingie
that is everywhere. Our driver took us past the Expo area - pretty
impressive. Shanghai is a beautiful place, which is very much like a
very large city.
Destination China - day 3
Today's stops - the Great Wall and Ming Tomb. Our guides keep us
very busy . . . good scheduling meant we could rest from the hike along
the wall . . . Note: we have several athletes who made it to the top of
our stop - achieving hero status.
During the long ride to the Great Wall (up early to avoid Beijing
traffic), we had an opportunity to learn a little more Chinese:
1 = E
2 = R
3 = sun
We also learned signs to bargain with street vendors; we have
several who are quite good at bargaining and fun to watch. Everyone is
having a big shopping spree on dollar purchases.
The number 8 means good fortune; the number 9, long life
or longevity. Note the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony was held
08.08.2008 at 8:08 p.m.
A number of people in our group have been pulled aside by the
Chinese to have their picture taken with them. Many people from rural
areas, who now have the ability to travel, have never seen someone who
looks like we do.
Darla celebrated her birthday on the Great Wall, later we
celebrated at lunch with fire water (a thimble of alcohol and with a
special cake for evening supper - light cake filled with whipped cream).
Everyone is pleased with the group dynamics and enjoying our time
together.
Winston factoids:
- 10 percent of the population owns 90 percent of the wealth in
China. There are very many who are very poor and the middle class is
very small.
- China places a lot of emphasis on education. In Beijing, 80 percent
of students go to college and there is fierce competion in high school
so they can attend.
- Students attend school 14 hours a day with only 1 day off. Schools are reforming to allow for creativity.
- There are many superstitions - camphor, the city tree, is planted
in the family garden when a daughter is born. The tree is chopped when
the girl marries to make a (hope) chest where her dowery is kept,
usually silk quilts.
- Chinese like to buy Western cars even though they are not as economical to drive; German cars are considered safe.
In the morning we say goodbye to Winston as we start on our journey's next leg.
Destination China - day 2
The Area Chamber's promise of days filled with activity are coming
true. In addition, the tour is a "cultural exchange" as we learn
customs and history from our knowledgeable tour guide, Winston. And, as
we learned, an opportunity for China to showcase tourism via historical
sites and promote economic activity via sales to our group.
We jumped ahead 13 hours when we passed the International Date Line
. . . suddenly we are in Sunday. We met early to visit the Temple of
Heaven. The 600-acre park has become an active local park especially
for senior citizens who come to exercise tai chi and "walk" their
birds. Some do have dogs as pets, but licenses are expensive - $300 /
year! The temple was used twice a year. As the emperor approached, common
people had to advert their eyes as they weren't to observe China's
Ruler.
Our group was delayed leaving the temple for the next site when we
were caught in traffic from athletes participating in a marathon run.
The sun rarely shines in Beijing . . . the air is filled with smog,
though it is much less than prior to the Beijing Olympics when factories
were moved to accommodate the event. Now pollution comes from traffic.
There are 4 million cars in Beijing and every day 1,500 new cars are
sold! The city is building 7 new subways for its expanding population.
The subways will begin operation in 2017. The goal for China is to
locate the modern transportation system within a few minutes walk.
All land in China is owned by the government. Following the cultural
revolution (approximately 17 years ago after Chairman Mao's death),
land may be leased for 70 years for development.
Next stop was a fresh water and ocean pearl shop. China is known for
its golden, pink and chocolate pearls. Several in our group are
bringing home pearls . . . the men have been recognized as candidates
for husband of the year.
Following another delicious meal, we toured the Summer Palace, a
600-acre property complete with a lake taking up 3/4 of the property. The
palace was a summer resort for Empress Dowager. The palace is home to
a 700 meter art gallery - the longest corridor gallery in China.
Exercise 101 in the afternoon took the form of a long walk through the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.
Many residents ride bicycles along the streets challenging bus drivers and automobile drivers.
Today we saw three panda images on billboards and tee-shirts.
Destination China - day 1
Our adventure that started in the early morning hours Friday slowed to a crawl by afternoon.
Icelandic volcanic ash threatened almost all airline travel
creating a domino effect delaying or postponing flights. Instead of
boarding at 2:40 p.m., we left Seattle for China two hours later
following a route along the western border of Alaska and Russia. When
we landed we had flown 5,443 miles and crossed the International Date
Line.
The Beijing Airport was enveloped in fog, which we later learned was smog.
On the way to the hotel we stopped for our first group dining
experience . . . our group of 41 was now complete. Joining us was a
traveler from Washington D.C. and Japan.
D minus 1 and counting
Guilt is setting in . . . we're
leaving for China very soon. The 80 degree temperatures has the garden
calling and there's much to be done including assisting Project GREEN
with their upcoming annual garden sale on May 8 (Carver-Hawkeye Arena),
planter beds in the Downtown Area Plant Project need cleaning to
prepare for planting not to mention my own gardens.
Can't wait to meet the other travelers. Our backgrounds and
demographics are very diverse and that should be a lot fun for
everyone.
The tour itinerary will keep us busy daylight to dark
(hats off to the Chamber crew for creating a schedule that will give us
a definite flavor of China). The sightseeing will be tremendous . . .
hoping for great weather . . . Wonder if we'll see a panda?
D Minus 4 and Counting
April 11, 2010
Like
Goldilocks (in "The Three Bears"), it's challenging to decide which
clothing (not too warm or not too chilly) will be just right for every
temperature fluctuation that might be encountered while touring China.
And,
it's a challenge. The weather (Monday, April 19) is 48 degrees with a
30 percent chance of rain; by Friday, April 16, our date of departure,
the temperature is expected to be 66 degrees with scattered clouds.
Beijing
is 35 degrees latitude; Shanghai is 31 degrees latitude; Suzhou is 39
degrees latitude; Iowa City is 45 degrees latitude; Dallas is 32
degrees latitude (according to http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/latitude-longitude.html).
List-making is required for long-distance traveling.
D Minus 7 and Counting
April 9, 2010
Passport in hand
(though damp when left under the lawn chair leg without plastic wrap
during Tuesday's storm), it's now time to seriously plan (versus think
about) what to take on the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce trip to
China.
In the last of a series of meetings to familiarize
travelers with customs and respond to questions about the week-long
tour of China, we were reminded to take hand wipes, hand sanitizers,
plenty of snacks and drink bottled water only and forgo street vendor
foods.
Thankfully, Chamber staffers arranged for bus travel to
the Chicago Airport for an early morning departure, which meant no
carpooling or parking fees while we were traveling and even better a
ride back to Iowa City . . . This wonderful convenience was traded for
an even earlier Iowa City departure - 2 a.m.
Back to list-making . . .
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