It is always sad when good things come to an end. Taiwan has been an amazing home to me for the last nine months. Not driving but using Ubikes and public transportation to get around has been so nice and convenient the people to kind and helpful. I will miss all of the amazing people I have met and hopefully we will see each other again.
China, Part two:
After a lovely challenge of getting a visa in Hong Kong, we are off for a nine-day private tour in Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai.
Each city having its own tour guide and driver. My first private tour ever, I used the company China Highlights. It was a bit expensive but in hind sight, well worth it. I usually go on group tours with Intrepid 10-18 people. The private tour is nice, you can hear all the information your guide is saying, people are not waiting on you to show up on time 😉 and you can adjust your tour as you please.
All of the guides were good, first one was more personable, others a little robotic and stuck in the countries ways...
The tour even supplied almost every breakfast and lunch which was very nice.
Got to do all the usual’s:
Jingshan Park (Coal Hill), The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, The Mutianyu Great Wall (with round way cable car), Hutong Tour in Dongcheng District, Summer Palace with Boat Ride and the Garden of Virtue and Harmony{which was beautiful!},
Xi'an:
We stayed in Xi’an’s old city. Saw The Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Xian City Wall with Bicycle {very bumpy on old bikes}, Hanyang Tomb, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Muslim Quarter, Yuyuan Garden, some shopping at markets,
Shanghai:
Oriental Pearl TV Tower and Museum, Shanghai Old Street, The Bund, Former French Concession Precinct, and best of all met my childhood friend Ge’nan for a drink on a roof top bar. 😊 I had also met Ge'nan in NYC when she was there.
To top all of this, three nights out of the city near Disneyland!
Shanghai Disney is the newest park with some of the best rides ever. The Tron ride is nuts! It is a rollercoaster where you sit on a bike that looks like Batman's bike. The Pirates of the Caribbean ride is unlike the other parks. It has a big screen with new technology. You feel like you are being lifted above and below the water. When you are caught in the cross fire of the ships, you are so close you feel to be right in the action.
I definitely will go back, such an amazing experience. Although the lines were long, for the amount of people there, it was not bad. Especially if you wait until after the fireworks to go on the rides. 😉
Now it's off to England!
