Saturday, July 2—how hot can Shanghai get?--I mean temperature and humidity! From the guide on the way to the Bund: most Shanghai homes have western style appliances and furnishings, not everyone has a clothes dryer. There are public cleaners that are used a lot during the rainy season. The rest of the year, hang them on the balcony, especially blankets out on sunny days. The big flower baskets (like funeral baskets) are used for opening ceremonies, funerals, etc. red for weddings, white for funerals. People are generally not very religious. For a wedding, book a hall and a speaker. Go to a local government bureau to get a wedding certificate/license. They do live together and break up, just as in America. A bit different from the rest of China. History: Opium Wars, 1840: British smuggled opium ... read more

Tuesday, 6/28: Li River Cruise Today we took a 4-hour Li River Cruise, a relaxing way to view the beauty of Guilin’s lush green valleys, bamboo groves and hundreds of fascinating rock formations. I especially liked the Phoenix Bamboo, the tall bamboo with the feather-type ‘flip’ at the top of them. There was one of the ‘monsoon’ downpours near the end of the cruise, as we finished dinner. After the rain cleared, the scenery was a bit different—terraced hillsides with a variety of crops planted. The cruise concluded in Yangshuo, where we visited the local market, one of the most colorful in the region. It was also one of the nicer in terms of vendors. I actually walked up to a couple of stalls and looked at things without being accosted. Of course, as soon as ... read more

Sunday 6/26—Terra Cotta Warriors!!! Our first stop was the Banpo Museum and Excavation Site. This site was discovered in the spring of 1953, and today is one of China’s most important cultural heritage sites. Archeologists uncovered a village from the Neolithic period (6,000 years ago), which at its height spanned some 50,000 square meters. We explored the excavation site, as well as the museum, featuring approximately 10,000 pieces excavated from the site. It was fascinating to see the structure and remnants of matriarchal society but also to see how it was excavated and how it’s being preserved. Plus, the building built of jade was cool! About Banpo from Nichole: jade building, round and square buildings in the town; they knew fire; average age 40-45 years ; it was discovered when an industrial site was being expanded; ... read more

Pictures updated 7/7--these are a lot from around the city, both driving and walking. since it takes a good 45 minutes to an hour to get anywhere, there was plenty of opportunity for pics from the bus. Lots of neat designs on the buildngs. Friday 6/24 Last night’s storm really cleared the air (big difference in pictures from the hotel window). We headed out for a partial day, as our flight leaves early Saturday and we’ll have to leave the hotel by 5:30 a.m. tomorrow. We were all captivated by the fact that the rain had cleared up the skyline so much—we could see blue sky, clouds, and a lot farther than earlier in the week. Initially, we tried to go to the antique market but it didn’t open till 10 and we got there about ... read more