China Tour 2013
April 10th – 23rd, 2013
 

April 22nd and our final tour day…where has the time gone!! Out to the Bund this morning to take in the glorious view…how perfect and to see vertical wall plantings! Again, all in their own pots. Our visit to Shanghai would not be complete without seeing the classical garden Yu Yuan, also called the garden of peace and comfort. Built in 1559, Pan Yunduan spent twenty years and all his savings building this garden to please his parents in their old age. What struck me with this is that there are so many steps and rocks and narrow passages that I wondered how his parents would even get around the garden! It was wonderful though and quite unique to see a garden of this size right in the old area of Shanghai that is so well used yet so well preserved.

After this we had lunch and then some free time to shop before heading back to the hotel and our last dinner together before leaving tomorrow.

April 23rd Three departures today for the airport. I was on the first departure with most of the group. The other two were leaving later. Reflecting on the tour, we have seen so much, eaten so much and traveled quite a lot on planes, trains and coaches…yet we have seen so little of this vast and beautiful country. Just a taste really….until the next time!