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TOUR C: HISTORIC
CHINA: IMPERIAL MIGHT AND CULTURAL
SERENITY 10 DAYS
BEIJING, XIAN, SHANGHAI, SUZHOU, ZHOUZHUANG
Day 1. Los Angeles-Beijing
From
Los Angeles LAX to Beijing International Airport
Day 2. Beijing
Arrive in Beijing from LAX. Bus-ride
to Olympic Hotel or equivalent where the group will stay for two nights.
Day 3. Beijing
The group will
visit Tian¡¯anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) and The Palace Museum, more commonly known as the Forbidden City. Tian¡¯anmen
was and is considered the center of Beijing, not only because of its location but also because it is a symbol of power. Tian¡¯anmen
is the front gate of the Forbidden City, the gate leading to
the supreme power in imperial times. The Tian¡¯anmen Square,
the largest of its kind in the world, covers an area of 400,000 square meters. The Palace Museum is the largest imperial
palace ever built in the world, concealed from public view for 500 years, features more than 800 buildings with over 9,000
rooms, resplendent gold-glazed roofs, red lacquered pillars and vermilion walls. Lunch included.
We will visit Beihai
Park and Jingshan Park. Beihai Park or the Winter Palace is an ancient secondary palace dating to the 10th century. Now it
is a popular park, including a lake, a classical Chinese garden, pavilions, halls, temples, and covered corridors. Jingshan
Park contains 5 pavilions. From the middle one, visitors have a broad view of the Forbidden City. Weather permitting; one
can view the entire city of Beijing. This is an ideal place to photograph the Forbidden City and the city. Acrobatics show
at night.
Lodging at Olympic Hotel or equivalent.
Day 4. Beijing
After breakfast, board bus and
visit The Great Wall. We will explore the Badaling section just north of Beijing. This section has quick, easy access from
the car park. The Wall was built in 1571 and is 10 meters high. Along the Wall are many beacon towers, some connected to
the Wall and others far away, which were used as a means of communication to warn of an enemy advance. In the 16th century
warnings were sent with smoke during the day and fire at night.
After lunch, time permitting, we will visit the Ming
tombs built from 1409 A.D. to 1644 A.D. and where the 13 emperors of the Ming (1368 ¨C 1644) and their empresses and concubines
are buried. We will focus on exploring Dingling, the tomb of Emperor Wanli (1573 A.D. to 1620 A.D.), the 13th Ming emperor,
and his two empresses. This excavated tomb is famous for a magnificent underground palace, which consists of five stone chambers.
The underground palace lies 27 meters below the surface and occupies a floor space of 1,195 square meters. Among the precious
treasures buried with the emperor are a gold crown and four phoenix crowns.
Time permitting, we will visit a jade-producing
mill and drop in on the famous Fair of Replicas, finally visiting Wamfujing Avenue, a commercial boulevard.
Day
5. Beijing-Xian(AB,L,SD)
The group will depart in the morning for Xian by airplane.
Day 6. Xian
(AB, L, D)
Today we visit the Eighth Wonder of the World, the Terracotta Warriors excavation site containing
more than 7,300 sculptures crafted 2,000 years ago to honor China¡¯s first Emperor, Qin Shi Huang. We also visit the Big Goose
Pagoda and the Ancient City Wall.
Day 7. Xian-Shanghai (AB, L)
Board a morning flight to Shanghai, the
most important port in China, its largest and most cosmopolitan city, with a recorded history of approximately 400 years.
We will visit Chenhuan Temple located in the Yu Yuan Gardens, shop on the famous Nanjing Avenue, visit the Witan (the ¡®Bund¡¯)
along the Huangpu riverfront, an historic relic of European mercantile activity. We will observe and experience the vibrancy,
dynamism, and energy of this world-class city.
Day 8. Shanghai -Suzhou (AB, L, D)
The group boards a coach
for an excursion through the countryside to Suzhou for a two-night stay at the Grand China Garden Hotel or equivalent.
Suzhou
is an ancient city with a history of more than 2,500 years. Once a vacation getaway for emperors, Suzhou retains a rich cultural
heritage with subtle and spectacular scenery, especially its gardens. The earliest gardens of Suzhou can be traced back to
the Spring and Autumn period in the 6th century B.C. Laid out within a limited area by the house, a classical garden of Suzhou
is a microcosm of the world made of basic elements of water stones, plants, and different kinds of buildings with literary
allusions: beautiful and elegant.
The group will visit Tiger Hill which is surrounded by rivers and covered
with pine and plum trees and contains many attractions, including the Sword-Testing Rock, the Nodding Rock, the Thousand Man
Rock, each with its own astounding story. Tiger Hill contains Suzhou¡¯s oldest pagoda built almost a thousand years ago.
On the Hill lies Jianchi Pond, under which the tomb of the King of the Wu State, He Lu, was built during the spring and Autumn
Period (770 to 476 B.C). Also of interest is the Garden For Lingering In, the most famous garden in Suzhou. This garden is
an excellent example of how gardens are designed in Suzhou in classical Chinese style.
We will also visit a silk
factory and watch the employees coax strands of silk from the cocoons of silkworms. The factory has a store with a wide variety
of silk products for purchase. Fashion show, time permitting.
Day 9. Suzhou -Zhouzhuang (AB,L,D)
While
in Suzhou, the group will take a coach excursion to the city of Zhouzhuang, the perfect embodiment of the serene villages
of the Yangtze Delta. We will tour the stone lanes and interlaced streams where the 900-year-old town stories are depicted
in landmarks and magnificent canal bridges resembling keys, rainbows, and musical instruments. After lunch on the go, the
group will visit Guanqian Street, a promenade known for its commercial success and shopping opportunities.
Day 10.
Shanghai
The group will take a coach excursion from Suzhou to Shanghai, after lunch, we head to the airport for
our direct flight to Los Angeles leaving Shanghai at approximately 3 p.m.
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