Guilin China, May 11

Wednesday morning we were up bright and early. We took the subway then a bus into China to the Shenzhen airport. We flew from there to Guilin China. 

Guilin was the most beautiful place we saw in China. It was green and lush (and humid). We had a darling guide whose English name was Yvonne. The Chinese often take an English name that sounds similar to their Chinese name. It makes it easier for our slow tongues to pronounce but their English names are not so pretty as their own name in Chinese. 

Yvonne told us that Guilin is a small city in China. We asked, "How small?" She replied, "Only two or three million." We laughed. That's more people than in the entire state of Utah. It did feel small compared to Hong Kong and Beijing. When you see Chinese paintings of green hills, beautiful rivers, and clouds, they are often inspired by Guilin. It is surrounded by limestone hills and lush green foliage and the river Li winds around the valley.

Our schedule for May 11:

• Lunch
• Mount Yao
• Elephant Trunk Hill
• Fubo Hill
• Dinner
• Acrobat Show

We grabbed a quick lunch. By the way, Kentucky Fried Chicken is alive and well in China. I think we saw more of them than McDonald's. After lunch we went to Mount Yao. At the top of Mount Yao there is a view of the surrounding area that is breathtaking. Unfortunately we had to take a chairlift to see that breathtaking view. The chairlift ride almost took my breath away permanently. We're not talking any OSHA standards here. A simple arm rest that swings down and also provides a foot rest. No locking mechanism, no seat belt. Can you tell I'm not a skier? It was a long, long ride to the top, made even more "exciting" (and I use the term loosely) by increasing winds and rain the higher up we went. I thought I might die. 

I'm such a baby. It was hard to truly enjoy the view because all I could think of was the ride down. As you can tell, I survived. The pictures of the chairlift ride were taken by Ray. My hands could not let go of the bar to take a picture. I barely got the feeling back in my hands before we rode back down again. Like I said, I am a baby.

From Mount Yao we went to Elephant Trunk Hill, then onto Fubo Hill - more nice stuff to look at. 

We had a delicious dinner at one of Yvonne's favorite restaurants. We had our own private room. Out in the main area there was a huge wedding dinner. It was fun to see the beautiful food, and all the people having so much fun. As we came into the restaurant, the bride and groom were greeting their guests. We tried to sneak by discretely. It didn't work. They offered each of us a small gift. Typical of how we were treated in China - always graciously.

Shenzhen Airport - Charles and Ann

Shenzhen Airport, Paul and Orva (Mom and Dad in the background)

Shenzhen Airport - John

Our guide Yvonne

This is the chairlift we rode to the top. Where you board the lift, it is actually billed as a Cable Car. Ha!

Looking through the enclosed lift, which we were not allowed on. Orva and Paul in the chairlift in front.

John and Audry. Look how relaxed they are!

Ann and Charles with their armrest raised preparing to disembark.

We went much further than the top of the hill you can see in the distance.
That's just the first hill we ascended to.

Supposedly the view from the chairlift. I wouldn't have that knowledge personally.

Mom and Dad. This is where we got off to see the view. 

Elephant Trunk Hill. If you use your imagination it looks like an elephant trunk.
It's easier to tell when you see the whole thing from a little further away.

Mom. 81 years old. Doesn't she look amazing?? Her natural hair color.

Dad. 80 years old. We had a hard time keeping up with the two of them.

Diane and Ray

Ray

Ann, Mom, Orva, Paul, Dad

Charles, Ann, Dad, Mom, Diane, Ray, Paul Orva, John, Audry

Diane and Ray

Listening to Yvonne at Fubo Hill.
Orva, Paul, Mom, Ray, Audry, John, Yvonne, Diane, Charles

A view of Guilin from Fubo Hill

Another view of Guilin

Diane and Ray. This was the wedding arch the bride and groom stood in front of to greet their guests.

Our motto: never miss an opportunity when it comes your way.

Hong Kong, May 10

I have a new-found respect for participants on The Amazing Race. To be able to find anything in a country where you don't know any of the language, and there don't seem to be any street signs is indeed amazing. In Hong Kong almost everyone speaks English and there are street signs, and it was always a wonder how we found our way anywhere. 

Here's what we did on our last day in Hong Kong:

• Attended the temple (Hong Kong temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
• Lunch with Sheldon Poon (the man who arranged all our tour particulars in China)
• Hong Kong History Museum
• Another quick jaunt through the Ladies Market
• Nan Lian Gardens
• Victoria Peak 
• Dinner at Antipasto Restaurant (excellent)
• Hotel - pack up and be ready to leave very early the next morning

Nan Lian Gardens were beautiful and very peaceful. It would be a great place to escape the feeling of being in a large city if I lived there.

Victoria Peak: we rode the tram up and down. There is a stunning view of the harbor and city from there. One of the main reasons we went up to Victoria Peak was to see where Ray's mom's uncle had carved the date into one of the rocks there. It's a long story, but Matthew Cowley was there on July 14, 1949 and carved the date into the rock. Many years later the rock was found after reading several written recordings of the event and scouring the hillside for the carving. It was pretty fun to see.

Hong Kong Temple

Dad, Mom, Orva, Paul, Diane, Ray, Ann, Charles, Audry, John

Diane and Ray

Inside the Hong Kong History museum. Diane, Orva, Paul, Ray, Sheldon Poon, Charles, Ann, Audry, John

John, Audry, Paul, Orva riding the train

Our group led by Sheldon Poon crossing the street

Waiting to cross: Orva, Audry, Paul, Ann, Charles, Diane, Mom, Sheldon

Nan Lian Gardens. Charles, Ann, John, Audry, Mom, Diane, Ray, Orva, Paul

Victoria Peak: Matthew Cowley's inscription 7/14/49

Audry

Paul, John

Paul, Orva

Mom, Paul, Orva, Audry, John

Dad, Mom, Paul, Orva, Audry, John, Ann, Charles, Diane, Ray

The view from Victoria Peak

The view from Victoria Peak

Hong Kong, May 9

While in Hong Kong, we were hopping on and off ding-dings, the MTR (train or subway) and buses. We used an Octopus card. That's a card you can put money on, and as you swipe it the money available on the card decreases by the amount of the fare. We each had our own card and by the end of the three days we felt like pros whipping our cards out and swiping them. We had to learn when to use it. On the bus you swipe your card as you get on. On the ding-ding you swipe your card as your get off. On the train you swipe it as you enter and depart the station. 

We must have been a sight to see - our little swarm of Americans rushing madly to our next transportation, hollering to one another which train or bus to get on, and when to get off. We would all point at the map in the train to show where we were, and where to get off. We made a plan for if we got lost: go to the last place you were with everyone. On the ding-ding Dad would say "get off at the next stop" and we would relay it down the bus, or shout up to those on the upper level so we could all stay together. It was a fine adventure!

May 9 agenda:

• Various transportations to get to Big Buddha
• Lunch at the monastery at Big Buddha
• Shop at the Ladies' Market
• Ride the longest escalator in the world to the mid-levels
• Kom Tong Hall (former home of Sun Yat-sen)
• Dinner
• Back to hotel, drop into bed

The Big Buddha was unlike anything I'd ever seen. High atop a mountain on one of the islands of Hong Kong sits Big Buddha. I can't remember if he's the largest in the world, but if he's not, he's second. We had to ride a gondola to get up there. I don't really do well with heights so I wasn't sure how I'd do, but it was the only way up. Little did I know that this was the safest "gondola" ride I would be on during the trip. It went on and on and on a very long way up. And it was very high in the air. I closed my eyes a lot. 

Once we arrived we walked over to the stairway leading up to the Buddha. There were a couple of hundred steps to get up there. It was a gorgeous view from the top. After we came down we had a vegetarian lunch at the monastery of the Big Buddha. The food was fine, and I must say although it was good, it was the worst food we ate the whole trip.

Back in Hong Kong we went to the Ladies Market. It's an outdoor market/bazaar area where you can get cheap stuff for very cheap. If you know what I mean. We got a couple of good deals, but really only spent a few dollars.

Then we rode the longest escalator in the world up to what they call the mid-levels. In reality it is a series of escalators, not just one, but it was a very long ride. We went to the Kom Tong museum which is the former home of Sun Yat-sen. It was just closing so we only got to peek inside at the beautiful woodwork. The LDS church bought the building many, many years ago, and fixed it up and used it. Then when they decided to sell they ended up donating the building to the city of Hong Kong, and it has been made into a museum commemorating Sun Yat-sen.

We had dinner at a good Mexican restaurant part way down the hill. We rode the escalator up, but had to walk all the way down. We were ready for bed at the end of the day.

Heading for the train (subway)

Charles, Dad, and Diane waiting for the train

The gondola up to Big Buddha

Mom, Ann, and Charles

Diane and Ray

Paul and Orva

Diane and Ray - Big Buddha is up above in the background

Audry and John

Mom - the view from the top

Looking up at Big Buddha

Kom Tong Hall. Dad, Mom, Audry, John, Ann, Diane, Ray, Orva, Paul, Charles

Hong Kong, May 8

Here it comes: the first of many posts on our trip to China. I've chosen a very few photos to post, there were so many to choose from! And none of these photos are the really good ones from my brother-in-law. I don't have those yet.

We traveled with just the ten of us. Mom and Dad took us around Hong Kong on public transportation, and in China we had a different tour guide in each city. Our own private bus and guide for our family. It was wonderful.

We arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday morning, May 8 at about 6:30 a.m. We had a very long flight from Los Angeles, over 14 hours (left LAX at midnight on May 6).

We hit the ground running, and barely took time to eat or sleep. Mom and Dad had lived in Hong Kong for 18 months, and wanted us to see as much as possible in three days. It was very humid, and hot. My hair got curlier every day.

Here is the agenda of Day 1 - or at least what I can remember of it:

• Catch airport express train to Hong Kong station, then a taxi to apartment.
• Mom and Dad's apartment (Harmony Mansion), change clothes, and have a bite to eat. 
• Take a boat ride on a sampan, and see the harbor from the water
• Walk through the park
• Church from 1:30 to 4:30
• Dinner at the apartment
• Cross the harbor on the Star Ferry, and see the Symphony of Lights. This is a laser light show that they project on the high rises of Hong Kong.
• Go to Police Headquarters (a former military headquarters that is now high-end shopping).
• Hotel and bed. We stayed at the Walden Hotel.

Our group for the whole trip: Charles and Ann, Dad and Mom, John and Audry, Ray and Diane, Orva and Paul

Ray on the train from the airport to Hong Kong

Diane and Ray on the train

Hong Kong - the bus on the lower left is a ding-ding, and we rode them all over the place.

Another view of the city

Hong Kong

Some of the boats we saw in the harbor

Part of the Wet Market - where Mom and Dad bought fresh food

Church - Ann and Charles, Dad, Orva and Paul, Diane, John and Audry

Ray and Diane

Unwelcome Surprise

I vowed I would not just rant and rant about weeding this year. I must not be a woman of my word. It lasted less than 24 hours.

Yes, it's that time of year. And no, it does not involve tinsel, pine trees, or gifts. It involves yard work (my euphemism for weeding).

This year I'm going with a zone defense. I've divided the yard into 5 zones, and will work on one a day. Even if I don't finish that zone I will wait to work on it the next week. I decided this after I took a look at the immense jungle around our pond and waterfall (bear in mind that we inherited this yard). I've got to hit all areas or the weeds may well take over the planet.

Ray and I began working on zone 1 yesterday. Son Ray, not husband Ray. He does the big stuff with the hoe, and I do the small details in and around bushes, flagstones, or whatever is needed. We moved on to zone 2 today. I stifled a few mini-screams as creatures that have not been disturbed for seven months came to the surface. I was very proud of myself. No neighbor had to come running to see if a murder was in progress.

Then I came inside. I decided to check my email before hopping in the shower. I felt a tickle on my leg, and looked down to see a centipede about one and a half inches long starting to crawl up my pant leg (actually at the knee).

Okay, not so stifled this time. And no shoe at hand to beat it to death with. Instead I had to improvise and use the handle of my rotary cutter. Thank heavens I hadn't put it away the last time I used it.

The centipede is no longer. And I am not looking forward to that aspect of the next four months of working in the yard.

Among other things.

Public Service Announcements in China

Well, not really public service announcements like we know them, but various signs we found throughout our travels.
Keep off the grass:

Toilet etiquette at the urinals:

Toilet ratings:

For those (like me before this trip) who have never seen a typical Chinese toilet, here it is. Most tourist locations in China offer both squatting toilets like this one, and sitting toilets like we "big-nose" Americans are used to. We found all but one public bathroom to be very clean (although our tourist guides only took us to nice bathrooms). The only really disconcerting thing is that the pipes in these public areas will not tolerate paper of any kind, so all new and used toilet paper goes into a wastebasket next to the toilet. The hotels all had more than adequate plumbing, and were very American, so to speak.

On to more pleasant things. Here are two signs at the beginning of our climb on the Great Wall:

This final sign was a display at one of the Buddhist temples we saw, and contains great counsel:

China

We leave for Hong Kong and China tomorrow. Hong Kong for 3 days, then on to Guilin, Xi'an, and Beijing - and home in just under two weeks.

Ray's parents made it possible. They are finishing an 18 month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) in Hong Kong. And now they've invited their children (with spouses) to join them in Hong Kong, then on to China to share their love for that part of the world. Not everyone is able to come, but Ray and I and three of Ray's siblings with their spouses are coming. We will be a cozy group of ten, in our very own, personalized tour.

I took Travelin' Oma's travel advice to heart. She gives some great packing tips in these posts: Philosophy of travel and Packing it in. Audrey came and helped me and Ray choose our wardrobes for the trip, and we think we can each fit our stuff in a carry-on. We haven't actually finished the packing so we're not sure, but we are ever hopeful.

One slight glitch came up this week. My dad had what we thought was a stroke on Monday. They've actually labeled it a TIA. I spent a few days at the hospital, and now he is home, and as good as ever - maybe better. What a blessing. I feel like I can leave with a light heart in that area.

Final packing tonight, and we're off tomorrow afternoon.

I'm excited!