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Breakfast at Hotel, taxi to Tiananmen Square. Walked around the back streets - stores, homes etc. Peking duck for lunch. Good, but a very greasy meal! Walked through Tiananmen Square and further north back to Hotel (via taxi) and a snooze! Had a light supper in the Hotel café on the main floor. Back to room to watch TV and then had trouble getting to sleep.

Slept in until after 9 a.m.. Breakfast, then taxi to silk market where we bought two silk shirts for Tony and one for me (long-sleeved). Taxi to Tiantan park - walked through park, saw Temple of Heaven. Ice cream in park - had no Chinese money left so had to use two U.S. dollars. Taxi to Sechuan restaurant - just made it for lunch before closing time. Taxi to Guanji Temple (headquarters of the Chinese Buddhist Association) walked to the White Dagoba Temple - the white pagoda was in the process of repair and covered with scaffolding. Taxi back to Hotel and a snooze! Went for a short walk, small supper at Chinese restaurant, where a huge frog was caught under one of the tables. Ice cream at the Hotel.

Breakfast, then off at 8 30 a.m. with Tracy (our Chinese guide) and driver - saw the Forbidden City, lunch at the Friendship Hotel, saw the Summer Palace and grounds, pearl and silk shops and then back to Hotel to rest for a couple of hours. Supper in the revolving restaurant on the 26th floor of our Hotel, then driven to a 1 1/2 hour presentation of the Beijing Opera in another Hotel. (Special presentation for tourists). Back to Hotel by 9:30 p.m. I have a cold!

Slept in until 9 a.m. when the cleaning person knocked on the door. Drizzling today. Breakfast, checked out and ready for 11 a.m. pickup. Drove to lunch, which was good - much too much food, especially for me as I had eaten at breakfast. (Tony only had coffee), went to Lama Temple and Confucius Temple - where I got "examined "by a Chinese doctor and got pills for tiredness and migraines. Drove to airport - busy - flight to Nanjing was full but on time. Met by our new guide, Wang and driver, Mrs. Goh. Taken to Jingling Hotel (5 stars) where we asked for a non-smoking room and got one - apparently this involved an upgrade. Supper in the Palm Court restaurant on the second floor and for a short walk through shopping center (6 floors) and around the block - still warm out. Lots of construction throughout the city, many new modern department stores.

Breakfast in revolving restaurant on 3rd floor, then out at 9 a.m. for tour - Yangtze River Bridge, double decker with traffic on top and two-way rail underneath. This was designed and built by the Chinese after the Russians were kicked out of the country in 1950? Then went to Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s mausoleum - lots of steps - and then lunch at Meining Palace - his retreat home in the northeastern part of Nanjing. The house is still furnished with his original furnishings - huge rooms. After lunch we drove to southern part of Nanjing where we walked around the local shops and area. Back to Hotel for snooze, then walked to local store to buy a few books, mainly Agatha Christie for Tony. Bath, change and out for six p.m. supper at a restaurant close to the Hotel, a lot of vegetables, shrimp (you are supposed to eat the whole shrimp, Tony managed to peel a number and eat them, I only had the patience to eat one), bananas in a sugar sauce. Back to Hotel by 7 p.m., relax and watch TV.

Breakfast in revolving restaurant, checked out; then our guide arranged to have our drinks from the first night taken off our bill - local beer and water were included with the meal but we were given more expensive beer and water; the guide said that we should have been given the option. We then drove to the airport, the guide (Wang) got our boarding passes and then we left on a propeller plane that left five minutes early. Hot on board - we were given fans, then Pepsi (or carrot juice in a can - I was looking at it, so the stewardess gave me a can, even though I had already got a Pepsi), crackers, small packet of candies. Smooth flight, about 1 1/2 hours, to Wuhan. Picked up by our guide, Harry, and driver (another woman driver!) and taken for lunch. Sightseeing after lunch - the ancient chime bells and other artifacts from an ancient tomb in the Hubei Provincial Museum, the Yellow Crane Tower (9 stories - we climbed up; I think our guide had hoped that we would pay the extra money to take the elevator!), Ancient Lute Pavilion and Guiyuen Buddhist Temple, where you counted out the number of Buddhas for your age and got your fortune - men on the right and women on the left. We then had a Mongolian supper and were taken to the boat - the President. I think we were the first people to check in. There is a group of approximately 18 British people with another Jules Verne tour, with Sue as tour leader - we are joining them for the five-day cruise. There are also a couple of American groups and one Indonesian group. There were only 7 cabins for 28 of the Indonesians so they caused some commotion - piling their suitcases on the stairs so that people could not use them. We went to bed before anything was settled but apparently some slept on the deck, some in the lounge, etc.. On Friday things were sorted out, apparently some of the Americans helped out and doubled up or moved to smaller rooms. A bunch of beds were put in the two large Presidential Suites. Before bed I went to the Chinese doctor and had a "spot-massage "on the left upper back which has been sore for a week or so - pulled muscle or pinched nerve from pulling suitcase?

Breakfast, buffet style at 7 a.m., then onto a smaller boat for a five minute trip to Yueyang. Visited Yueyang tower, an ancient watchtower along the Yangtze River. Back to ship and buffet lunch. Talk - "Chinese traditional medicines" by Dr.Shu and Mr. Zhang Haiqing ("the master of extraordinary powers and Tibet yoga "). Back to room briefly and then a talk "getting to know me" about the Yangtze geography and the famous three gorges dam by cruise director Susan Sun. Captain's welcome party, supper and then introduction to the boat, which had been postponed from last night. Back to room to watch TV and read.

Up at 7 a.m. with wake-up call - we are starting to move as we are going through the lock of the Gezhouba dam earlier than planned. After the lock breakfast then back on the sun deck for the rest of the day, with a brief break for lunch. Cloudy and cool early in the day, a few sprinkles in mid-afternoon, otherwise nice - not to hot, some haze all day. Went through Xiling Gorge and Wu Gorge; also saw the work on the new huge dam being built - designed by a Canadian company - scheduled to the complete in 2009. Stopped at Wushan for the night - it was recommended that we not go into town - so we went after we signed a release. Nothing spectacular about the town. Supper and to bed early.

Up at 6:15 a.m.! for breakfast. Off the ship at 7 a.m., walk to motorized sampans and rode through two of the three lesser gorges. First, Dragon-Gate gorge, with Dragon-Gate bridge and Panda cave. We had to walk past one of the rapids while the crew took the boat through the rough water. The second gorge is Misty gorge. Unfortunately, because the river was in flood, we could not get as far as the third gorge, Emerald gorge. (The boats have not been able to get upriver for several days.) Stopped to pick up stones, if we wanted, then back down river - much quicker that way! It also started to drizzle on the return trip. Back to the boat just before it started raining. Lunch. The Indonesian group didn't get back until about 1:30 p.m., over an hour later than us. As soon as everyone was on board we started up the river again. At 3 p.m. the English group got together on the sun deck to toast one of the English couples who were celebrating their 40^th wedding anniversary. Soon afterwards we went through the last of the three gorges - the Qutang gorge. At the end of the gorge there was a large town, with coal piled up ready to be loaded onto ships. When the new dam is opened the whole place will be under water. Started raining again, so back to room. Supper - western dinner tonight. At 8 p.m. there was a talent show - "the cruise staff cabaret "in the ballroom. At dinner the entire English group gave the English couple a book and a cake (which we all shared).

Breakfast at 8 a.m. - nice to sleep in a little later! We arrive at Fengdu - the ghost city - about 10 a.m. (had to wait until another boat left before we could dock). Went off the boat, bus to the ghost city area. Five of us walked up - about 300 steps - the rest took the cable car. Tour of ghost city. Some grotesque creatures! At one point I closed my eyes and walked forward about five meters until I reached the Wall with my hand on one of the characters - I am frugal, "good for my husband" according to the guide. Walked down then bus back to ship. Lunch and ship departed. Snoozed while Tony read. At 4 p.m. Susan Sun, the cruise director, gave a talk on Chinese legends. We then had cookies and tea. At 6:30 p.m. captains farewell banquet. Paid our bill and went to the captains farewell show - dancing and some games put on by the staff.

Ship arrived at Chongquing dock at 9:30 a.m. We climbed a bunch of steps (the crew carried our suitcases). Met by our guide and driver. Back on our two person tour now. Sightseeing - artists village where 17 of the masters live and work, Red Crag village - former residence of Zhou Enlai between 1938 and 1945, Loquat Hill which overlooks the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing rivers. Then to medicine museum where I had a massage and then to lunch. After lunch we visited a silk factory (very noisy) and then to the airport. Propeller plane to Xian, taken to our Hotel ANA Grand Castle Hotel. Western supper - minestrone soup, steak and ice cream, in hotel. Nice new hotel, joint venture between Japanese and Chinese.

Alarm at 7:45 a.m.! Both sound asleep! Down for breakfast and then off on tour at 8:30 a.m. hot today. One of the American groups from the boat is also at our Hotel - they got in at 10:30 p.m. last night. We first stopped at the Huaqing Hot Spring - a favorite spot of the kings who lived in Xian. Then drove to see the Qin Terracotta Warriors - vault 1,2 and 3. Also a cinerama of the first Qin emperor. Bought a small terracotta general for 10 yuan (about $1.25) for a souvenir. Then drove towards Xian and lunch - mostly vegetarian (1 plate of cold tongue, 8 other dishes). Looked around the shop at the restaurant. Then to a "pottery factory" where they make various sizes of terracotta figures - horses, generals, archers, etc.. A good tour of the various processes. Also colored tiles and furniture (good quality, expensive). We then drove to the Big Goose pagoda but could not climb up as it was closed - some VIPs were coming (probably the same group that was at the terracotta warriors site). Back to Hotel. After our guide left we went out for an ice cream and then back to the Hotel for rest and washup before dinner and show tonight. Picked up at 7 p.m. for dinner and show at the Tang dynasty. Driven back to Hotel - the other Jules Verne group from the ship had just arrived! Packed and to bed.

We slept in so didn't have breakfast until 9:30 a.m., taxi to Beihai Park - walked through park to pagoda, Buddhas Lake. Drink in park - hot out, forecast was for 97 degrees today. We then walked past the Forbidden City to Tiananmen Square to Mao's mausoleum (which appears to be closed until the end of the year). We then took a taxi to Ritan Park where we had lunch outside at a table with an umbrella. Just managed to get our lunch before their 2 p.m. close. We then walked through the park, past some of the embassies (all guarded by Chinese police) to the silk market where we made a few more purchases. Ice cream for Tony and a flavored ice for me and then passed a few more embassies. We saw the British and U.S. but not the Canadian. Taxi back to the Hotel where we collapsed for an hour or so. Taxi to Chinese acrobatic show - basically a local crowd who had arrived via buses. All kids in the show which ended at 8:30 p.m.. Bought a Panda, which moves when you clap, and a dog that sits up and begs. Both for 55 yuan, about $8.

Breakfast, then ready for 9 a.m. pickup by our driver / guide. Michael joined us for the day and had arrived by taxi a few minutes earlier. Tour - souvenir store, Ming tombs, lunch and then the Great Wall which we climbed. Very steep stairs. Hope to have photos to prove it. Michael was tough to keep up with, he was in training for the Ironman competition later in the year. Back to Bejjing for Peking duck dinner and then back to pack. Michael sent up a book for us - Images of Old Peking - as a gift.

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