Six Days of China

BEIJING, XIAN and HONG KONG--April 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Martyn, our port talk lecturer gave us three value suggestions for surviving and thriving in China:
1. Carry tissues for toilet paper.
2. If going out on your own, get the hotel to write your destination on a piece of paper in both Chinese and English to give to your cab driver and to let you know where you are.
3. Do not discuss revolution, deaths or imprisonments because the Chinese will change the subject.

All three were extremely helpful. When we were packing for our trip, Sara noted that most of the clothes we were taking were going home to their birthplace because they were "Made in China." Our travel companions were Adele and Ed from Boynton Beach who arranged the original tour with Paul Song of Tour-Beijing; Mary from Cocoa Beach who signed on before we started the cruise through an email from Adele on Cruise Critic; Neilly and Ron from Toronto who joined from information that we shared with them at our dinner table; and Judy and Bob from Yorktown, Virginia, who heard about the trip from another member of Cruise Critic. This entry will contain only our commentary. Ken will do one entry of photographs for each day of our trip.

DAY 1--Xingang (port) to Beijing
We got a late start because Mary and we listened to the announcements from both the captain and the cruise director who told us to please, please stay in our room until they made the announcement that we were free to leave the ship. About an hour after we docked, Sara decided to go down to the fourth floor to try to learn when we could debark. What she found were passengers getting off the ship, and the purser who said that no one was announcing tours because everyone knew when they were to congregate for a ship's tour. (Thank you, Pacific Princess!) Fortunately, Mary became curious about the same time that Sara did so we left by 9 a.m. with our tour guide Chin Tan (just call me Jack) on a bus for 33 people, which was very spacious for our small party.

Jack, who is 23, had graduated from college with a major in computers but found computers boring so he got a license as a tour guide. He was married last September to a woman who worked relocating people to the United States. Both were the only child in their families because the Chinese were allowed to have only one child until the day we arrived, April 1, 2010, when a couple could have two children, one for the father and one for the mother, if both parents had been only children. If a man is to be married in Beijing, he should have a house. In many families, the parents help their child buy a house. Fortunately for Jack, his parents had bought a house for him when he was 18, before the real estate prices in Beijing started to escalate (about 800 percent in five years). Jack's parents taught him a simple philosophy so he would not complicate his life--it you have the money, you can buy but if you don't have the money, don't buy. Now his wife was not letting him have a credit card and was watching his diet so the tradition continued.

Because none of the buses in Beijing have a restroom, we stopped at a rest stop that had a large ladies room but only two American-style toilets. We watched a well-dressed Chinese woman in high-heeled boots and a pencil skirt go into a traditional squat toilet and joked that we should ask her if we could watch and take notes on how to use it.

After stopping at the Tour-Beijing office in Beijing to meet Paul Song and pay him the remaining money for our tour, Jack took us to a bank where we spent an hour exchanging money. (On one of our sea days, Sara will write a second account she wants to call "What did you (really) do in China, Daddy?" similar to "What did you do in the war, Daddy?" detailing the human interest things that happened to our merry band of travelers.) After lunch (another entry for the second account), we toured the Temple of Heaven that was built in 1420 by the Emperor and is nicknamed "The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest." To get there, we walked through the Temple of Heaven Public Park where many older citizens come to exercise. The park was gorgeous with signs of spring just beginning to appear. The Temple of Heaven is round, symbolizing Heaven, while the patio on which it was built is square, symbolizing Earth. Inside are 28 pillars because the people believed there were 28 constellations. The dragon stands for the emperor while the phoenix represents the empress. On the top is a gold ball. In a place of importance is a picture of Chairman Mao when he visited the temple.

To exit the park, we went under a walkway with a roof where older people were dancing, playing cards and enjoying a kick-ball type game with a feathered object. Vendors sold souvenirs greeting English-speaking visitors with loud "hellos" meaning "look at what I have to sell and buy it." We knew that the knitted Temple of Heaven souvenirs were really made in China because we saw them knitted before our eyes. It reminded us of our visit to the Vatican when we were in Rome.

Then we rode to the Forbidden City, which was built by Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty when he moved the capital from the current Xian to Beijing in 1406. Twenty four emperors from the Ming and Quig Dynasties lived there. One emperor had 3,000 concubines. However, most girls did not want to be concubines because their life was very boring because they could not leave the Forbidden City. The biggest benefit was to their fathers who would get an upgrade from the emperor. Zhu Di called the Forbidden City the Purple Forbidden City because the Purple Star was the center of the whole universe and he believed that as emperor, he was the guard of heaven. Did we tell you that Beijing with its 17 million people reminds us of New York but on a much larger scale. The Forbidden City has 9,999 and 1/2 large rooms.

We started at the back entrance so we could make better time. The Forbidden City is divided into three parts: the Palace of Earthly Tranquility that was the residence of the empress and where the emperor and empress spent their honeymoon with its love trees that were two trees intertwined and a good place to take a photograph for luck; the Hall of Union and Peace, Jiao Ta Dain, which means peace where the emperor lived and conducted business, where he placed a piece of paper with the name of his successor in the Heir Apparent Box for when he died, and where his coffin was kept to prove that he died peacefully (we forgot to mention that Zhu Di came to power by killing his younger brother to get the job); and the Palace of Heavenly Peace, which is guarded by a pair of lions, the male lion on the left has a ball under his paw while the female on the right had a cub. Every doorway had a raised step to ward off dragons. We also saw the gold cauldrons where water was stored in case of fire and which were severely scratched by the enemies who wanted the gold. In the the Palace of Heavenly Peace were three Halls of Harmony for preserving harmony between the emperor and empress and the common people. Here the emperor met with selected high ranking officials. The three terraces represent the common people supporting a good emperor. At the Meridian Gate, which is the entrance to the Forbidden City is a huge picture of Chairman Mao.

When we exited, we took the underground tunnel under 14 lanes of traffic to Tian'anmen Square, the world largest largest city square that is visited by 100,000 tourists every day. We saw the National Museum, the government buildings and Mao Hall with it statues of all the occupations of people who are under Mao. Absolutely nothing was mentioned about the 1989 uprising. When we asked Jack about it, he said he was six at the time and his family heard nothing about it. Okay, we disobeyed our port talk lecturer's third rule and learned our lesson. In Tian'anmen Square, Ken bought a copy of the red book, Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung, for $10, a knitted cap with Beijing on it for $1 and a pair of genuine Gortex gloves for $4. Too bad the gloves had Gortex written backwards on the inside. This section of Beijing reminded us of Washington, D.C. but on a much grander scale.

That night we went to a Chinese tea ceremony where we were served six different kinds of tea, each with different properties and learned about the magic dragon mug that changes pictures when warm and the PeePee Boy that lets one know when the water is hot by peepeeing. Ken purchased the mug that came with the PeePee Boy. Then we attended the Chinese Acrobatic Show, which Mary proclaimed as good but not as good as Circus de Sole and ate a Peaking Duck Dinner. We arrived back at the
hotel after 11 p.m. and convinced Jack we did not need to leave the next morning until 8 a.m. He and the driver were concerned about the traffic.

DAY 2--Beijing with an evening flight to Xain
We drove through the old Huotong district with its low rise buildings and beautiful lake. This is where Jack grew up and where he stayed with his parents last night. This section was built in 1297 by the Mongolians, and the name means "water tower." According to Jack, to live in Houtong a few hours is to know everybody. The population is older. We came to believe that every Chinese person has three parents: a father, a mother and The Government. The Government arranges many activities including an annual Picking Up the Fruit Festival, where the people go out of the city to pick up the fruit and then pay for it. Can you imagine the U.S. Congress getting free labor and payment for such an activity? At Victory Gate, we saw grandparents taking care of their grandchildren because the young people are so busy. The grandparents also cook dinner for the children and grandchildren. After a person retires, The Government gives them money from the insurance for which their employer or they paid. The longer one work for a company, the more money that person gets. It sounds like Social Security. When the parents age, their adult children take care of them. If the children refuse, the parents can go to court and force them to pay.

Finally, we arrived at the Great Wall, which was built in the seventh century for two functions: the military function for protection and the economic function so that people could live harmoniously and develop the economy. At the watch towers, military information was sent out by fires. The guards would light one fire for every 100 soldiers that they saw, and the message would eventually reach the Forbidden City where the emperor would decide what to do. Because of our time limitations, we took the cable car up and only walked the last part of one of the three sections that The Government maintains for tourists. Cairns' cable cars through the rainforest have nothing on these cars that go up the mountain over deep gorges. It takes about two hours to walk the entire section of the Great Wall, and most of us thought the last part was more than enough up steep steps. When we got to the top, we saw all of China, not the land but it seemed as if every Chinese person in the country was at the top taking each other's photograph! Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on the Great Wall.

Neilly described the Great Wall the best. She said that sometimes you read about a place, and you consume so much hype that when you actually see it, you are disappointed and let down. That is not true of the Great Wall. It is everything that you ever imagined it could be and more.

On our way to lunch, Jack asked us if we wanted to see how to "enable." We finally figured out that he was saying "enamel." (Another story for the second entry will be what we thought our guides said and what they really said.) Of course, this was a mandatory stop on the trip because the Friendship Shop is run by The Government. If you are interested, the four steps in making enamel are the copper base, the copper wiring that is curved in designs on the base and fired to melt into the base, the enamel that filled each of the compartments formed by the wire and are fired and refilled seven times because the enamel shrinks, and the polish to give luster and smoothness. Of course, we all brought numerous enamel souvenirs. We also ate lunch at the shop. Neilly said we have been feed, shopped and ate ice cream--does it get any better than this?

Then we went to the Ming Tombs, built by Emperor Zhu Di in 1409 so it celebrated its 600th anniversary in 2009. Only 13 of the 16 emperors of the Ming Dynasty were buried there. The three doors of the front entrance have 12 beams. The center door is higher and not open. While the emperor was the highest human, God was higher than the emperor and walked through the center door. The site of the Ming Tombs was selected by Feng Shui because it is protected by the North Mountain. The pillars and the ceiling were original. The golden trees from which the pillars were carved were used only by emperors and no longer grow in China. The Government has taken care of site for more than 600 years. At the statue of Zhu Di, we saw a pile of money, similar to throwing a coin in a fountain for good luck. The Government really has its people trained--first they pay an entrance fee, and then they leave money for the emperor!

When we walked outside, we went though a gate that divided the earthly area from the heavenly area. When the Chinese come back through the gate to earth, they brush off their clothes and stomp their feet to rid self of evil spirits and then shout, "We're back!" The Heavenly Longevity Hill was where the emperors were buried. Unfortunately, China had its own form of tomb raiders like in Egypt who plundered the tombs.

Fro an extra fee to cover the admission and the gas, we did a whirlwind tour of the Summer Palace, which Jack claimed was the best place to see the natural beauty of Beijing. This was where the emperor and empress spent the summer months from April to October. They took a boat from the Forbidden City for the 20 kilometer journey. The best remembered empress was the Empress Dowager Cixi, born in 1835 and the favorite concubine of the emperor, who gave birth to the emperor's only son, who turned out to be a playboy. When the emperor died in 1860, she was the power behind the throne of the baby emperor. Again, we went backwards through the palace because it was quicker. The first thing we saw was the marble boat. Even on a rainy day, the emperor could drink wine and enjoy the beauty of the Summer Palace. The boat represented the emperor while the water stood for the common people, who could either support the emperor or tip him over. We saw an artist quickly painting on a plate that he presented to Bob for a mere $7--it was a signed caricature of him! What a memorable souvenir.

We walked under a covered walkway, which is the longest in the world at 726 meters, and by the three sections--scenery, living and office. The living area is called the Hall of Happiness and Longevity. When Cixi arrived at the Summer Palace, she walked up all the steps to the temple because her two hobbies were worshiping Buddha and listening to opera. Cixi also spent a lot of money renovating the Summer Palace. The Sunset Building is the only building that faces West, and the Bankruptcy Rock was renamed the Blue Iris Stone by one of the emperor's mother-in-law.

On the way to the airport to passed by the Bird's Nest, built for the Summer Olympics. Again, there was no mention of the residents who were displaced when The Government razed their homes to build the structure. Our bus also came to a standstill in rush hour traffic in Beijing. Five years ago, almost no one drove a car. Now there are 4 million cars in the big city with the number growing by 1,000 each day. The residents receive their licenses by taking a written test before they ever get behind the wheel of a car. We just held our breath while other vehicles missed us by less than an inch.

The airport was huge and deserves a story in the second blog entry. We could not believe how far apart the gates were. Our flight arrived in Xian at 10:30 p.m. When we were waiting for our luggage, Sara looked at the people outside the gate who were holding signs for passengers and introduced herself to a 25-year-old, attractive, fashionably dressed young woman with a sign that read "Eddie + 8." That is how we met our new tour guide, the lovely Candy.

Xian, formerly another name, was the ancient capital of China, and has 5,000 years of history. After reading the articles about how the Terra Cotta Warriors were discovered by a farmer and his friends who were digging a well, we thought the Walled City of Xian would be like a small German village. In Chinese terms, it is with only 8 million people. Candy told us that we had an hour's drive to our hotel, where we checked in at 10 minutes before midnight. She told us she would meet us at 9 a.m.

DAY 3--Xian
The big news in Xian for the local residents is the subway that is being built. The big news for us visitors was the special amenity to found in our hotel room--the box of Jissbon condoms with the signature yellow condom character on the box wearing sunglasses and a smile and the washcloth in the character-shaped package. (Another story for the second blog would be the complimentary amenities versus the ones guests are charged.

Our first stop would be the Terra Cotta Army Museum of the Qin Dynasty. On March 29, 1974, a farmer and his friends were digging a well when the found the largest tomb or mausoleum in the world, that of Emperor QinShihuang, the first emperor in Chinese history who had used one-third of the total taxes every year to have it built. Their digging exposed what we how refer to as the Terra Cotta Warriors. Each warrior was life-sized with a different face and expression. It is now thought that the craftsmen molded them after real soldiers. Just like snowflakes, no two warriors are alike. Some bodies are hollow while others are solid. Unfortunately, the vivid colors of the warriors disappeared after being exposed. Many of the warriors had been damaged by foreign invaders and had to be pieced together. The chariots and horses were made of wood so they had either had been burnt by foreign invaders or had rotted, and had to be reconstructed. All three pits are enclosed so that work can be done without exposure to the elements. The army was divided into three groups: the charioteers, the cavaliers and the infantry so this finding also was valuable to historians who were researching the ancient Chinese society.

All yes, the farmer Mr. Yang, was compensated $10,000 per pit by The Government. To augment his income, Mr. Yang, now 82, comes to the museum most days to sign copies of the book The Qin Dynasty Terra-Cotta Army of Dreams. Considering the small amount The Government paid him, he needs the money. Of course, Ken brought a copy of the book and Sara paid to take his picture with Mr. Yang.

Pit No. 1, the largest and most beautiful, was opened to the public in 1979. This is the one where most of the photographs you have seen of the Terra-Cotta Warriors have been taken, and in which the soldiers are arranged in battle formation of three rows of 70 each. Pit No. 2 is not completely excavated because scientists are working on how to preserve the beautiful colors. Many of these figures are calvary men, who were the most handsome. The only perfect figure found was the leading archer. Pit No. 3 is the smallest pit with one chariot, four horses and 68 soldiers. Pit No. 3 also is known as the command center for Pits No. 1 and 2.

Emperor Qin, who devoted his whole life to a search for the elixir of immortality, died at the young age of 50 before the tomb was complete, but his body was buried within it. According to a decree of the Second Emperor, his son, any concubine who had no children was ordered to follow the emperor to the grave. When the tomb was completed, it was sealed with many of the craftsmen in it (yes, buried alive) so that the secrets of its construction would not be revealed.

The next stop was the Big Goose Pagoda, a seven-story pagoda because building a seven-story pagoda meant a person would be saved. The people in Xian were starving and prayed to Buddha for meat. During one prayer, a giant goose fell to the ground. The people were so happy that they built the Big Goose Pagoda to thank Buddha for their good fortune. On the grounds are the Thanksgiving Temple with 1,800 rooms, two reception halls for monks from other temples, a temple with a giant Buddha and a monk on each side with incense, a building with jade depictions of the eight stages of the life of Buddha Sakyamuni on a colored painting of other people and events in his life. Candy also took us to the Cultural Exchange Center where we learned the difference between detailed and free-hand painting with free-hand painting that looked simple being much more difficult than detailed painting. If the painting had no signature, it was a forgery. The four requirements for the paintings were a brush, ink, suan or rice paper that was really made from tree bark, and an ink stone for grinding the ink. Our teacher held the brush straight up and down and showed us Chinese symbols, our favorite being what looks like a square divided into four parts and a curved stroke under it with a hatched line through it. In ancient time, it symbolized a mother and child working in a field. Now it could symbolize a computer with a mom and son sitting on a sofa.

That evening we enjoyed a dumpling banquet at the Tang Dynasty Restaurant with at least 12 different types of dumplings, the color of what was inside them or, in the case of the chicken, the shape. Then we watched the beautiful and graceful dance show at the Sunshine Grand Theater that included A Beautiful Dream, Greeting Amabassadors, Monk Xuanzang, Grand Dynasty and Long White Sleeve dances. We were actually back at the hotel before 10 p.m.

DAY 4--Xian to Hong Kong
April 4 was our anniversary. At breakfast Ken told Sara the surprise he was giving her for 29 wonderful years--a flight to Hong Kong and a whirlwind two-day stay in that elegant city. When we were finishing breakfast, we were surrounded by our seven traveling companions who sang "Happy Anniversary to You." They told us that the red color of our faces and necks was very becoming to us! Mary, Judy and Bob also attended a 7 a.m. Catholic mass in Chinese in honor of Easter Sunday. (We hope that they prayed for the rest of us who decided we would rather sleep in!)

For an extra fee to cover admission and gasoline, we had agreed to a tour of the Kan Yangling Museum and the Protection Hall of the Burial Pit, which was opened in 2006 and is referred to as the Baby Terra-Cotta Warriors Museum. These small statues, usually one-half or one-quarter life-sized replicas, were discovered in 2000 when construction workers were building a new highway to the airport. These figures had no arms because the original arms were made of wood that decayed and no clothes because the original clothes were made of silk that deteriorated. However, they were anatomically correct, including the eunichs that Candy told us there to do the heavy-lifting that the concubines could not do. The emperor did not want normal men to be with the concubines so he had "it just cut off" to make them eunichs. Ron asked her not to say that. (It reminded us of when Candy told us that if a wife became pregnant with a second child, she just had an operation.) Some of the pottery was found in perfect condition. Of particular interest were the 1,391 animal statues of pigs, dogs, sheep, wolves, goats and other animals because that emperor loved animals.

We tearfully waved good-bye to Candy at the Xian Airport (another story for the second entry) and invited her to visit us in the USA, each couple bribing her with what she would see. We offered her trips to the glorious Gulf Coast beaches and DisneyWorld. While we would welcome the opportunity to entertain her, we wonder if she will ever be allowed to leave the People's Republic of China during our or her lifetime.

After a two and one-half hour flight, we landed in Hong Kong and were on our own. We quickly started to miss our two wonderful guides. While exchanging money, we noticed a transportation system to the hotels. The woman stated 65 Hong Kong Dollars each and quickly hurried us downstairs to buy the tickets where we were told the price was 145 HKG each. Suddenly, the woman could not speak English, and we were informed that we must have misunderstood the rate. We negotiated for a price of 100 HKG each and were off. In solidarity, we agreed not to tip the driver. (Tipping and Ed serving as our treasurer is fodder for another story in the second entry.) At the hotel in the east part of the city, the four members of our merry band who had already visited Hong Kong plus Adele (whose main reason for being in Hong Kong was to shop) agreed on what time they would meet in the morning to take the bus to Stanley Market while they recommended that the four of us "newbies" should take the Gray Line City Tour.

DAY 5--Hong Kong
Judy and Sara had met on the ship with Carla, the port talk lecturer for the second segment of our cruise who had lived in Hong Kong for four years and loved it, to learn what were the must-dos in that beautiful city. Carla's biggest warning was do NOT drink the water. Even if it states that the water can be consumed, do NOT drink the water! Drink only bottled water. Brush your teeth with bottled water. We have been following her advice all through China, and so far, so good. Carla also listed attractions that we would want to see. If you are reading this, Carla, (and we hope you are), we again thank you for your time and information, and want you to know that we saw the majority of sites you suggested.

At breakfast, we learned about the fascinating past lives of our travel companions and newlyweds (two and one-half years) Bob and Judy. Bob, a graduate of the Class of '59 at West Point, served two tours of duty as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam while Judy, the wife of a graduate of Annapolis, was in a group working for POW-MIA soldiers in Vietnam with Carol McCain, John McCain's first wife. WOW! Before the tour, we walked around our hotel, met a lovely older man while looking at our city map who offered to show us where we wanted to go, and shopped for essentials (beer, wine, a clothesline) in a Hong Kong supermarket. We admired the bamboo scaffolding used for construction and learned that the Monday after our Easter was a holiday for the cleaning of the graves in Hong Kong.

Our tour guide's name was Johnny (no, we don't believe that any of these non-Chinese names were the guides' real names). Our first stop was Man Mo Temple built in 1847 and dedicated to the gods Man (literature and civil) and Mo (martial arts and military). Johnny told us to light three sticks of incense (either for past life, present and future or Heaven, Earth and humans), close our eyes, make a wish and bow three times. He suggested that we worship at the statue of Mo and would tell us why later. The smoke would carry our wish and message to God. On the altars were piles of fruit in red pedestal bowls that we learned were offerings. The type of fruit did not matter but the color did--red for happiness, green for money and yellow for power. We also saw the two divine chairs used to carry the statues of the gods, Man and Mo, in parades. The smell of the incense was so heavy and the temple was so hot that we exited 10 minutes early.

Back on the bus, Johnny told us that the reason for his suggesting we worship at Mo (Martial Arts) so that we would be physically fit enough to ride on Hong Kong transportation and push our way to obtain seats on the right-hand side of the cable cars on the Peak Tram. In a country that is slightly smaller than the United States but has four times the population, the citizens need to be aggressive to get anywhere. Getting to the peak was an unforgettable trip, in which steel cables pull the tram up 373 meters at a 45 degree angle. Because we were looking at the scenery from our perspective, the buildings we passed seemed like they were leaning at a 45 degree angle--many, many replicas of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. On a clear day at The Peak, one can see Victoria Harbor. On the cloudy, dreary day of our trip, we saw the tops of some skyscrapers and gray haze.

Johnny told us that Hong Kong is divided into three regions: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon (where our ship will be docked), and the New Territories. The three ways to cross Victoria Harbor are by the Harbor Tunnel, the Metro and the Star Ferry. Hong Kong, which was once part of the British Empire, returned to Chinese sovereignty on July 1, 1997, as a Special Administrative Region of the PeopLe's Republic of China. Under the unique principle of "One Country, Two Systems," Hong Kong is allowed to maintain a high degree of autonomy, retain its capitalist system with its own form of money, have an independent judiciary and rule of law, continue free trade and enjoy freedom of speech. It is amazing how these two very different areas exist under one country.

Our next stop was the Aberdeen Fishing Village for a ride on a sampan boat to experience the lifestyle of the fishermen and the older people. Johnny thought that this way of life will fade away in the next few years for two reasons: (1) the fisherman earn only $6000 to $7000 HKG annually and the younger people desire more lucrative careers, such as being a tour guide, and (2) Hong Kong Ocean Park, with Disneyland being its biggest competitor, is buying the land in the village to build hotels and parks to be more competitive. The three things to see in Aberdeen Fishing Village were the old fishing boats, their contrast with the luxury yachts that start at $2 million HKD, and the Jumbo Floating Restaurant that looks much better from the front than the back.

Judy wanted to ride in a boat with a lady driver but it seemed like our boat would have a man. However, our party of four people had to wait for the next boat, which was driven by a lady. Ken commented on how beautifully decorated it was with it red and pink Chinese lanterns. With a woman driver, we told him that's what he should expect. "Too cool" was Ken's comments as we floated past other sampans with high rise buildings in the background. The fishing boat sported rubber tires and bumpers and side guards. While the driver wore Chinese slippers, Sara sported a pair of fancy black-patent high heels with purple and gold trim under a seat.

Sara also noted what she thought was a tip jar and put $2 US in it. Our driver, who spoke very little English, put a straw hat on Sara's head so that Ken could take a picture. Sara pulled out Punxsutawney Phil to be part of the picture and then put him back in her purse. Then the driver put a hat on Ken's head and motioned Sara and Ken to move together for a picture. (We had obviously bought the right to take two photographs.) But the driver did not take the second picture because she was yelling something to us. We finally determined that what she was saying was, "Baby, baby, baby!" She wanted Phil in the photograph! So out he came. Phil looked at Sara with eyes that conveyed, "Driver is a very smart woman but you are not."

Next we experienced the mandatory stop at the Dynasty Jewellery Manufacturer. While we did not buy anything (Sara begged Ken not to because he had already flown her to Hong Kong for their anniversary), we learned that Ken's Chinese symbol, the boar, means sincere and honest, while Sara's symbol, the rat, means hard working and honest.

Our tour ended with a 40-minute shopping trip at Stanley Market, where locals and tourists can buy just about anything. Sara was only sorry that she did not buy the small jade cat because she thought she might be able to purchase it at a better price. Unfortunately, cats are very rare in China. On our way back to the hotel, we passed by Repulse Bay, the most popular and most beautiful beach in southern Hong Kong.

When we arrived at the hotel, our five other travelers were waiting for us to take off to the Temple Street Night Market. Because Ken did not appreciate Stanley Market, he bowed out while the eight of us experienced Hong Kong's subway system. Five of us ate a traditional Chinese restaurant while three of us (Judy, Bob and Sara) could not wait to have a quarter-pounder with cheese or a chicken sandwich (all dark meat from the thighs) at the unofficial American Embassy, McDonald's, which attracts hoards of Chinese teenagers. Anyone wanting a description of the Night Market should ask Ed, who was in merchandising in New York City. Even he would say he could not describe it while the rest of us marveled at the block after block of tiny stalls selling all types of Chinese merchandise. Sara could not find a jade cat at any of the shops. (Now, we think that they might eat cats in China. Please don't read this, Foxy, the precious, pampered, princess kitty who rules our home.)

After an adventure trying to find the subway station, we arrived back at the hotel at 11:15 p.m. Before we turned in for the night, Ken said he would be glad to go home. He meant the Pacific Princess, not Bradenton, for the ship has truly become our home for the last 70-some days.

DAY 6--Hong Kong for reconnection with the Pacific Princess
The Chinese are very superstitious people. The number 9 represents luck, 8 stands for fortune, 7 means true love and 6 suggests a smooth life. The number 4 is like 13 in the USA and means death. The opening ceremony for the Beijing Olympic Games was at 8:08 p.m. on August 8, 2008. Judy noticed that on the panel in the elevator were no 4, 13, 14 and 24 so we weren't really sure on what floor we were!

After breakfast, we and Judy and Bob took the hotel's free shuttle to the Central Airport Express HK Station and the Star Ferry across Victoria Plaza to the ship. After we walked up the gangway, we brushed off our clothes, stomped our feet and shouted, "WE'RE BACK!"

We were so tired that afternoon that we looked at the book and headed for the nearest attraction, the Kowloon Park with its Mosque and Islamic Center, the Heritage Discovery Center, the aviary, the Chinese Gardens and its numerous, huge swimming pools. After all the traffic and people we encountered on the streets and in tourist attractions in China, what we appreciated the most was the peace, serenity and quiet we experienced in the park. On our way back to the boat, we stopped in the lobby of the Peninsula Hotel, the grand old lady of Hong Kong, and observed the long line for afternoon tea. Then we had to spend the equivalent of 28 US dollars in Hong Kong before returning to the ship. At a 7-11 Store, we bought three bottles and wine and received $1 HKG in change or approximately 14 cents.

This time boarding the ship, we were finally back! But the saga continued the next morning when Adele and Ed called to tell us they had something for us. They found the jade cat at the Stanley Market and bought it. Adele and Ed, Sara knows she said she could go home without it but now she wonders how she could have ever left China without this cat. It watches over her while she writes this blog! Thank you, thank you, thank you!