Tianjin – Conquering the Great Wall

Monday 27^th February 2012

We had an early morning. 6 am meeting for our tour. We boarded our bus for the three hour trip to Huangyaguan and the famed Great Wall.

The temperature outside was hovering around -4C inside the bus it was a hot 20C.

Once at our destination we were given 2 hours to walk along this restored section the Great Wall.

It took Tony and I 90 mins to climb to the top and make our way back down.

Its a long way to the top

Just getting started

Getting there

Steep

Nearly there

I am coming.....

The last stage

Conquered!!!!!

What a view!

View from the top

Helen on Top

Tony at top

On the way home we stopped for a Chinese lunch before the sweltering trip back to the ship. The outside temp had risen to 5C but the bus was a constant 26C, we all had to strip off to stop from passing out. We did ask for it to be lowered, which was done, but 2 hours later it had only dropped to 24C.

Upon arrival at our home of 23 days we were greeted by many lost people. Tianjin was the stop that the majority of the passengers left the ship and were replaced by even more new ones.

The 200 or so ”oldies” are now outnumbered.

Dalian

Sunday 26^th February, 2012

We had no plans for the day, so caught the shuttle to the city and started walking yet again. We walked to Olympic Park. Here we found a Walmart and a huge electronics market. Prices were much the same as home, so no purchasing done. A taxi ride got us back to the shuttle drop point and we then set off to a nearby market area. Today we had to sail early so back on the ship by 2.30pm.

Shanghai

Friday 24^th February 2012

Ni hao (Hello)

We were docked by 7am and meeting our guide for the day, Harris, at the door of the Terminal by 8am. I had hired him before leaving home on Viator.com

We drove to the City area.  We started our exploration of this huge city at the Bund. We walked along the Riverside Promenade from here we could see all the 19^th Century buildings which was once the heart of European capitalism.

 Behind them the newer skyscrapers are visible.

 Across the Huangpu River is Pudong where just visible in the smog we could see the tallest building, affectionately called “the bottle-opener’.     

The architecture in this city is very diverse, with many cultural influences. The Bund is one such area and the French Concession is also significant area. 

Harris our Guide

Yu gardens is a classic Ming Dynasty garden.

 

We ate lunch in a local Chinese diner, nothing like our Chinese places at home, this was the real thing.

It was a full day of sightseeing, no shopping (by choice). We will be back next month; so will shop then. 

Busan

Wednesday 22^nd February, 2012

Weather Cold...... caught the shuttle bus to city center, it was a hot 20min drive..... The bus had a very good heater, much too hot.

The drop off spot was the Hotel Phoenix, our plan was to get to Haedong Yonggungsa Temple by local bus. So off we set for the Busan Station, only a few hundred meters if you were to believe a local guide and the map we were given was not too scale, so we walked and walked, no one else from the ship in sight; we walked and walked some more...over and hour later we found the station. Our inquiries about which bus number to take did not help as we were given conflicting answers. We decided that we would leave the Temple til next visit (We will catch a taxi to the bus station). So... we walked all the way back to the Hotel and started to check out the markets that were in abundance.

By the time we had had enough the line was so long the catch the shuttle, we walked to Yongdusan park where the bus did a pick up before the Hotel stop. This  10min walk saved us an hour wait in line.

Busan is a huge city and although we walked a long way we only saw a small portion of it.

Fish Markets

A Maze Shopping lane ways

View of Busan

Nagasaki

Tuesday, 21^st February, 2012

Nagasaki, a lovely quiet, calm place. No bustle no traffic, small cars but not too many around. Their tram system is brilliant. We bought a day pass and followed the map given to us with ease. Everything was clearly marked. We walked up to Glover Gardens first to see the view from above the city, we were helped up to slope by an elevator that traveled sideways up the hill. We came down by foot via an old Catholic church built in 1864.

We then hopped on a tram to the center of the city to see Spectacle Bridge and walked to a temple and cemetery.

We came across a shopping mall so had a look before catching the tram to Peace Park. This is the site of the nuclear attack in 1945. A ”Statue of Peace” has been erected. It stands 30-foot-high. 

Our legs were weary by the time we got back to the ship, so we had a spa... yes in one of the under-cover spas, it was very good for the sore muscles..

View of Nagasaki from Glover Gardens

Oura catholic Church

Peace Park

Peace statue