On the Orient Express ...Well, not literally but a more leisurely trip through China and HongKong! Having customised our trip, we left Bangalore on Oct.5th.night by the Cathay Pacific flight to HongKong (5hrs 55min) and transferred there to another flight to Shanghai (2hrs 30min).
Day 1 - 05/10/11 - 06/10/2011 - Bangalore - Shanghai
Reached Shanghai on Oct 6th. at 3.30pm local time (China is ahead of India by 2hrs.30min), adjusted our watches, stepped out through the aerobridge into a colossal airport and spent the next 40min retrieving our luggage and walked out to meet the SUV waiting for us with our driver and guide Jerry. We drove for about an hour to reach The Eton Hotel in Shanghai. It is a beautiful futuristic hotel with a glossy decor. Our room was tastefully done up, with a glass
walled bathroom which Ranga drew the shades on asap.!! Had a cup of hot coffee and stepped out into a beautifully pleasant evening to drive to the Bund area for a 1 hour cruise on the Huangpo river, which practically bisects Shanghai into two halves...the past or old Shanghai and the present or the glitzy, rocking new Shanghai which is reaching heavenwards giving a stiff competition to HongKong and other contemporary cities. In the last 15 
odd years since China opened its doors to the world, it has gone from being a wannabe to a rip roaring "made it" yuppie. American clothes, designer watches, shoes rub shoulders in Chairman Mao's China in a not-so-bizzare fashion.
We spent the evening watching skyscrapers lit up like Christmas trees, which made the area rival the Las Vegas Strip in its glitz and razzmatazz! Being energy efficient is certainly not a top priority for the Chinese, it appears like they thrive on electricity and love lighting up their cities. Chinese families were on deck celebrating the last day of the weeklong national holiday of the People's revolution in October. After a leisurely cruise, we went to a restaurant called "Indian Kitchen" and had some spicy food to beat the chilly air and served with a smile by Murali, a Chennai transfer to China! By now our lids were drooping and we reached the hotel and crashed out.
Day 2 - 07/10/2011 - Shanghai
We had slated a slightly late departure as we had had no sleep the previous night, and after what can only be called a glorious repast, as breakfast somehow doesn't do the spread justice, we left
with Jerry and our driver Tom (well, Tom & Jerry! can you beat that?!!!), at 10am to the Jade Buddha temple, a temple over 600 years old with an enchanting figure of the reclining White Jade Buddha and other shrines to the Buddhas of longevity and fertility. The White Jade Buddha is magnificent and has a huge number visiting the temple everyday. Officially, China is supposed to be majority Buddhist, but in reality nearly all of the present generation after years of irreligious indoctrination right from childhood are atheists and follow some ancient practices and faiths like Feng Shui etc. rather than a religion. And their Western names are just arbitrarily picked out names during the English class in school and more often than not represents their favorite idol/icon and legally it is their given Chinese name only which is valid! A quirk if you can 
call it that. From there we moved to the Yuyuan 
Gardens where small replicas of the entire Chinese way of life is depicted, it is beautiful and huge. A lot of these small structures work as shops with many being eateries. Street food and snacking is a huge thing in China and we have people out at all times on the street 
munching away!
We moved on to the History and Culture Museum which is a beautiful exhibition of all events in actual dramatised form with sound
and light instead of boring posturing of objects in a staid manner. This captures the imagination of the viewer and compels one to listen and watch 
carefully to understand and re-live historical events. A fascinating visit. Then on to the glass deck of the observation tower at the TV tower to get a birds eye view of the sprawling megapolis, this walk though perfectly safe can give the heebie jeebies to 
many as you can see some 230+ meters down and its not for the fainthearted, but unbelievably rewarding for the brave!
By now, it was past 3pm and we were hungry and headed back to the Indian Kitchen for a late lunch. We were back at the Eton by evening after a quick stop over to pick up some lovely souvenirs and gifts, and relaxed with a simple dinner and a good movie but by 9.30pm we were dead to the world. Over and Out!
Day 3 - 08/10/2011 - Shanghai - Xian
After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel at 9am and reached the airport at 10am for our
China Eastern flight to Xian at 11.15am. Having asked for Asian Veg Cuisine, we got some attempted mix which was not bad. Reached Xian (pronounced Shian) after 2hrs 30min. and were met by Sherry, our guide and we were whisked off to check into the Sofitel Hotel in the Renmin area which is a huge consortium of over 7 five star hotels in a area spanning a
few hectares within the walled enclosure of the old city. I had been running a fever for over two days and it was really spiking then. But, we needed to get ready for a show that evening which was a 
Tang Dynasty show which was fabulous with beautiful dancers in long sleeved silk costumes which really made them look ethereal and lovely. 
Before the show, we had had a lovely Dumpling Dinner consisting of a soup and 18 varieties of dumplings with the stuffing varying from vegetables to exotic lychees served by waitresses dressed in traditional Chinese Cheongsams. Adjourned to the hotel after the show and crashed out.
Day 4 - 09/10/2011 - Xian
Woke up groggy and with a blistering headache, but shut it up with some paracetamol and gamely took off in a chilly, bleary morning which was so shrouded that it was practically like being enveloped in cotton wool, though a lot less pleasant as
we were told that the fog was part mist and part smog thanks to the pollutants from the ancient power plant in Xian which has been the one cause for the majority of people dying of lung cancer there! Having heard that I was just wondering what sort of an army could defend the people against such modern monstrosities - well, certainly not the terra cotta variety, which we were on our way to see, after a stop at a factory which is licensed to produce the terra cotta warrior figurines from the same earth excavated from the mountainside, using the same ancient techniques. We picked up our 
quintessential set and stared woefully at the beautiful hand polished lacquered furniture and artifacts and I wanted all of them, they were oh-so pretty, each a poem of beauty. Sigh...We then visited the Banpo museum which has exhibits of the neolithic man and the way he lived with family units at places around Xian thousands of years ago. I especially liked an animated exhibit showcasing an entire day in the life of these people from day break to sunset, showing them at work, tilling the ground, cooking etc to socialising around a bonfire. Come to think of it, not much has actually changed in a man's life over centuries, now, has it?
We then drove on for another half hour to reach the site of the pits of the terra cotta warriors which were discovered by accident in 1974 by a farmer, Mr.Jang, and well, who do we run into but the man himself autographing books for the visitors! We then get into a golf cart at 10Yuan each and drive over to the pits. Pit 1 is the most proficient where over a 1000 warriors have been dug clear and stand in neat rows along with their 7 generals. It is an 
awe inspiring sight and leaves you speechless. This entire pit is enclosed to prevent weathering effects. A deck all around allows you to walk around the entire pit and it is a humbling experience at the artistic talent of humans as well as disbelief at the sheer madness of megalomaniac rulers!. We then walked out and meandered back to the parking area, a distance of over a kilometer and a half, through mini bazaars selling souvenirs, some flower carpets, eateries and got a whiff of the rich culture of China,
at a tea shop. We were treated to the traditional way of preparing tea and sampled some exotic teas like the white dust tea, jasmine tea, spiced tea etc. We were as much an attraction for the Chinese, as what we were watching. The people tend to look at you with wonder as interior China is still not used to seeing Indian tourists.
We then went over to "Delhi Durbar", a restaurant run by a UP bhaiyya for lunch and since I was still not feeling too good, decided to get dinner packed to avoid another sojourn in the evening. We met an Indian who was the guest relations officer at Sofitel, Rony Varghese, who went out of his way to make our stay comfortable and heated up our packed dinner so I could have hot food.
But just before returning to the Sofitel, we went to the Wild Goose Pagoda. This pagoda is a storehouse of all the Buddhist sutras which Huien Tsang brought back from his travels to India, the cradle of Buddhism. He had these scriptures translated into Chinese and many of the sutras were adopted in China as part od their religious edicts, Also built during the Tang dynasty in the 6th. century, some portions have been lost to time, yet some parts have been added such as a majestic square, to make this place a tourist attraction as well as an aesthetic place of pilgrimage. Well, that day we had travelled back in time 2000years and come back to modern hospitality at the Sofitel, a very satisfying day indeed!
Day 5 - 10/10/2011 - Xian - Beijing
After another huge layout of dishes for the breakfast buffet and which I could only look at as my appetite had vanished thanks to the fever, we checked out and said goodbye to Sherry to go for
our Air China flight to Beijing, which threatened to get delayed thanks to again the fog blanketing the whole of Xian. Fortunately, with just a 30min delay and after attempting to eat some very bad so called Veg food in-flight, we were airborne and a 2hrs 30mins flight brought us to Beijing, the capital city and one of the largest cities of the world. It took us over an hour and a half to get out of the airport and to meet with Eddie, our guide in Beijing. Our Mercedes SUV was a comfort zone and we sank into it with pleasure. Feeling slightly better, I was looking forward to checking into our 7 star hotel, the new Shangri-La and boy, was it fabulous. We were checked into a 
lovely suite and we freshened up and left for the "Acrobatics Show" at 5.30pm. This show though beautifully choreographed with lovely costumes and music with talented artistes was just a rehash of the old Circus where we have seen these feats many times over, so it was a stylised 70min presentation of the Circus minus the animals! 
Yet, nothing to complain, it was enjoyable. We then went to the "Raj" for a dinner, and we were not disappointed, I quipped saying it seems like a KJo production and well, the blast of Hindi film music sealed the deal! After an early dinner, it only made sense to retire early as we face one problem in China, not a soul other than your guide speaks English, they all smile beatifically at you but communication is a no-go! Even 
at the hotel desk only a couple of people can speak English. So, any venturing out is impossible, as you can't ask for directions or even hail a cab. Understanding the guide is an effort in itself as his/her Chinglish is to be experienced and cannot be articulated. In fact we got some shots of some interesting sign boards where they had attempted English!
Day 6 - 11/10/2011 - Beijing
A good breakfast in a lovely dining room overlooking a Chinese
temple, set us up for the morning's sightseeing. This is fair warning to all attempting a trip to China - all places of visit are HUGE, distances are long and walking a few kilometers per place, is a given. In what promised to be a doozy of a sightseeing day, we first went to the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is much bigger than the Forbidden City and smaller than the Summer Palace. The Temple of Heaven is enclosed with a long wall. The northern part within the wall is semicircular symbolizing the heavens and the southern part is square symbolizing the earth. This also has a vault where tablets to the Gods were placed in ancient times as it was believed that Gods rested there often.
The gardens around this place is used for a unique feature in China, the Seniors Park. China has a work policy where men have to retire between the ages of 50 to 55 and women between the ages of 45 to 50 to ensure everyone in their huge population gets a job opportunity. The retired persons gather at these parks for socialising, exercises, song and dance lessons, playing mahjong and cards, some even selling artifacts to make an extra buck all in the company of friends and enjoying their sunset years!
Next we went to the Summer Palace built by the
Dowager Empress. The construction of the Summer Palace started in 1750 as a luxurious royal garden for royal families to rest and entertain. It later became the main residence of royal members in the end of the Qing (pronounced Ching) Dynasty. The Anglo French troops set fire to it and destroyed it in 1800s. It was also recorded that Empress Dowager Cixi (pronounced Chishi) embezzled navy funds to reconstruct it as a resort in which to spend the rest of her life. In 1924, the Summer Palace was 
opened to the public. It was ranked amongst the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1998. With the same pattern of the imperial palace of China-'Palace in front and garden behind', the Court Area consists of sections for both court affairs and living. East Palace Gate and Hall of Benevolence and Longevity served as office of the Emperor. The Hall of Jade Ripples was for Emperor Guangxu to live in and the Hall of Joyful Longevity for concubine turned cruel empress Cixi. A lot of atrocities are attributed to this woman who wielded unbelievable power. A man made lake and the hill created by the excavated earth kept the palace cool in summer. Imagine these constructions without mechanization, a wonderful feat of engineering but at horrendous human cost.A boat ride to the Hall of Sea Wisdom, an island in the middle of the lake, housing a Buddhist place of worship completes this museum of gardens tour. Enchanting place.
Already a bit wobbly, we arrived at the Forbidden City, so called, because it was forbidden to commoners! Well, just the expanse is forbidding enough! When I say, BIG, well, it is IMMENSE...having several pavillions, palaces and lies to the North of the infamous Tiannenmen Square. Rectangular in shape, it is the world's largest palace complex and covers 74 hectares. Surrounded by a moat and a high wall are more than 8,700 rooms! The Forbidden City, called Gu Gong in Chinese, built over 600 years ago over 14 years, was the imperial palace for twenty-
four emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It has the largest monolithic stone mural with dragons and lotuses carved in the suburbs of Beijing and was dragged in winter over ice, created with water sprinkled on roads and waiting for it to freeze. Talk about ingenuity. We walk through grand Imperial palaces turned museums which are treasure troves of jade, gold and lacquerware. Red buildings with yellow glazed tiled roofs in the trademark Chinese pagoda style add colour to these structures too.
A man made mountain
and waterfall with a palace for a cool summer retreat for the emperor is an engineering feat worthy of the highest accolades. We have to walk through the entire linear stretch of the Forbidden City, going up and down and through stairs, slopes and these magnificent structures, before you walk out and gulp down some cool water! Pleasant weather of 20 deg Celsius was a big plus. Anyway, feeling like a boiler, took a few deep breaths and then on checking the time, we were horrified to see it was nearly 3pm, 
we had been in there for over 2 hours. We drove past Tiannanmen Square, (our legs refused to move!) made famous by the cruelly subdued student revolution of 1989. The mammoth square is best known in recent memory as the focal point of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, a pro-democracy movement which ended on 4 June 1989 with the declaration of martial law in Beijing by the government and the death of hundreds of protesters. Eddie assured us that the government has so cleaned out the web of any information that no amount of searching will get us anything. Will try once I reach home. Next to it is the mousoleum for Chairman Mao Tse Tung.
Hungry and feet which felt like lead, we sat down gratefully for a hearty lunch, and found we were too tired to eat! We just nibbled something, went to the Shangri-la and mentally thanked the Gods of luxury and sank into bed. Woke up late evening and a swim in the heated pool followed by steam and a hot shower put life back into aching bones and my fever seemed to have abated too. Relaxed in the room and watched the 70s classic "Jaws" and after a good dinner in the room, crashed out.
Day 7 - 12/10/2011 - Beijing
Woke up with a few creaking and twinging muscles, but nothing a brisk walk would not rectify, so had a hearty breakfast, bundled ourselves up in warm jackets as the weather was a bit chilly and started on our hour long drive to the Great Wall. Beijing is not only
the political center of China, but it is also the most strategic city in the north. Many dynasties in Chinese history actively built walls in this area. Among many historical ruins of the Great Wall in Beijing, the wall built during the Ming Dynasty between the 14th and 17th century, is the most often seen and best preserved, running over 373 miles and containing about 827 city wall platforms, 71 passes and countless towers. The famous Great Wall sections include the Badaling, Jinshanling and a few others. I managed to climb up to the first terrace and Ranga went a bit further till the steps started 
to look like mini hillocks and we decided to quit. We went ahead to explore the terrace with gun turrets, and also browsed through some souvenir shops, bought a few knick knacks and set off for the Ming Tombs. The Great Wall, is a sight that will not be forgotten easily, as it snakes along the mountain ranges, standing sentinel and a mute witness to human greed and blood thirstiness of centuries.
The Ming tombs as they purport are the tombs of the Emperors of the Ming Dynasty. The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved,
as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. Because of its long history, palatial and integrated architecture, the site has a high cultural and historic value. The layout and arrangement of all thirteen mausoleums are very similar but vary in size as well as in the complexity of their structures.Only the Changling tomb is open to the public. Changling, the chief of the Ming Tombs, is the largest in scale and is completely preserved.This is unique as it is the only huge palace made of camphor wood. It covers about 1956 square meters. The ceiling is colorfully painted and supported by sixteen solid camphor posts. The floor was decorated with gold bricks and has at some point been changed to teak wood planks which exist even today.
We bought some T-shirts at a bargained price of 50Yu
an each and then moved on to the Jade factory where we saw and learnt the process of making jade jewellery and other artifacts. We also had a Chinese lunch which was unlike any 
Chinese food ever served in India and for them vegetraian food is a horror story. When we said we were vegetarians, we got sympathetic looks and understanding nods and sometimes 
questions like "Fol Hearth leeson?"!!! It was actually quite hilarious when we had to tell them that we are healthy and are vegetarians for no reason other than choice! We again bought some couple of artifacts (I don't know where I am going to put them all at home) and returned to our Shangri-La by 4pm.
A long but very interesting day as we sped on their 12 lane roads, past some secret structures which are well, secret!, floral medians of small potted plants, huge glazed buildings and saw the old and the new co-existing pretty harmoniously. Well, it wasn't over yet...we got ready and left our hotel for the shopping district. When we parked and
got off at a place called Makong, we saw a long line of counters already busy with aromas seeping from them, catering to a throng of snackers. We had just seen Beijing's snack street, the cart like shops have been made by the government and leased out to restauranteurs. So this gave an organized area with a cordoned street which did not disrupt traffic yet gave gourmets a chance to slum it. We then went to the so-called "Bargain Street" which was riot of colour, sounds, smells and vibrancy which was splendid. We again bought a few souvenirs (couldn't seem to stop!), gifts and watched people carrying bags and juggling them with kebabs and others in their other hand...well it was a great dekko into Beijing's eat and shop culture! The comparison between the road leading to this frenetic bazaar which was lined with cool, classy, glitzy branded shops was really fabulous. But, after about an hour, we hurried out to the car for our "Kung Fu Show".
Sank into the luxurious seats of our Merc and relaxed for about half hour till we reached The Red Theatre. I had expected a martial arts demonstration, but what followed blew my mind!
The Legend of Kung Fu follows the story of a young boy found wandering outside an 
ancient temple. Like every boy in China, he dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master. On the road to enlightenment the young monk encounters many difficulties and temptations.
The show has English subtitles shown above the stage to keep you informed of the story line. The actors do not speak, the show is all Kung Fu, dance and acrobatics. It is the fusion of modern dance with Chinese traditional arts which make this performance unique and spectacular.
Red Theater - The best Kung Fu practitioners from all over China have been found for this production and it shows on the
stage. Their average age is just 17 years old! Additionally the costumes, set design and special effects are up to international standards, created by some of the best stage directors and designers in China. It is a live theatrical KungFu spectacular, being staged without a pause for over 3800 
shows in Red Theatre alone and internationally over a 1000 shows. We watched mesmerised as the stage came alive with the performances. It was pulsating and exciting, a must-experience show. This is one of the best shows I have seen in a long time. Thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Well, to say that it capped a wonderful day is an understatement.
Day 8 - 13/10/2011 - Beijing - HongKong
After two days of busy sightseeing schedules we decided to relax and did just that. Woke up and had a late breakfast, swam, and watched "Inglorious Basterds", a Brad Pitt movie and checked out of the hotel by 2pm as the flight to HongKong was at 6.30pm but being an international
flight, its a 3hr prior check in. After all immigration facilities, we had one of the best Veg Pizzas ever at Pizza hut, fresh, light and fluffy and boarded our flight by taking a train to the boarding gates, as the airport is so huge! Refused the in-flight dinner and arrived in HongKong at 10.40pm. It is a 3hrs. 30min flight from North China to the South. Reached Hotel The Mira, off Nathan Road just around 11.30pm. Now this hotel needs an intro, it is one of the most hi-tech hotels in the world, it is practically like being in a sci-fi movie. Our room was on the Executive floor (15th) and the concierge gave us a demo right from turning on the lights, to the Sony Entertainment Centre to the state of the art Shower! Well, well...it was crash course to geek world, but the beds were fabulous and we sank in.
Day 9 - 14/10/2011 - HongKong
Having slept late, we woke late and had our breakfast in the executive lounge, which is luxury
redefined. We left for our sightseeing with Mr.Alan in his Nissan SUV which was more like an aircraft than a car! We went straight to the starting point of the over 100year old tram, and bought one way tickets. Got on to the tram and sat down for our pull-push ride up about 1200feet to Victoria Peak, the highest point in HongKong, took some fantastic photos of one of the busiest harbours in the world, the famous skyline and walked doen to Madame Tussaud's 
wax museum and took pictures with the 
British royals while Ranga had tea with Audrey Hepburn and teed off with Tiger Woods! Hahaha...a wonderful time, reading and understanding the story of how a single woman has built a global experience in wax, literally preserving for posterity the famous 
people and the infamous equally, from the Beatles to Presley to Michael Jackson, from Marilyn Monroe 
to Amitabh Bachchan, from Hitler to Obama. It was a fun couple of hours. Then we drove down to Aberdeen to view the floating restaurant and on to Stanley Market to see the Chinese influence in HongKong and then we went on to the 
famous Ladies Street. First buy - a cabin baggage size strolley to pack all the stuff we picked up in our trip over the week!! Then a quick lunch at a roadside eatery and we were ready for more browsing and inevitably buying! We went back to the hotel by 6pm, ready to drop. So we went to the Executive Longe and enjoyed their gracious complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Relaxed in the evening at the heated pool and after a simple snacky dinner, called it a night.
Day 10 - 15/10/2011 - 16/10/2011 - Beijing - Bangalore
Morning was free as the flight was at night, so we walked the nearby streets, did some browsing, refused a proposal to go to Disneyland or Macau, and returned to the room with some stuff for lunch. Had lunch, packed, relaxed and left for the airport at 6pm after a lovely capuccino in the executive lounge. Reached the airport by 7pm, going over the lovely suspension bridge. Checked in the baggage, did the quintessential duty free shopping, had authentic thin crust hand rolled Pizzas for dinner and boarded the plane at 10.15pm local time. The plane was absolutely full and we tried to sleep but I felt uncomfortable and claustrophobic. Killed the 6hrs trying to forget my discomfort by watching the re-runs of the hilarious "Yes Prime Minister." Landed in Bangalore on Oct.16th. 2011, at 2pm IST, retrieved our luggage and reached home to a warm night in Bangalore by 4am. Sent an sms to appa that we had reached and fell asleep.
It was a trip that was culturally rich, historically and politically enlightening and we learnt a lot. An exotic journey into a civilization as old and as rich as ours and a vibrant present promises them a great future too. It was a trip thoroughly enjoyed!
Reached Shanghai on Oct 6th. at 3.30pm local time (China is ahead of India by 2hrs.30min), adjusted our watches, stepped out through the aerobridge into a colossal airport and spent the next 40min retrieving our luggage and walked out to meet the SUV waiting for us with our driver and guide Jerry. We drove for about an hour to reach The Eton Hotel in Shanghai. It is a beautiful futuristic hotel with a glossy decor. Our room was tastefully done up, with a glass
walled bathroom which Ranga drew the shades on asap.!! Had a cup of hot coffee and stepped out into a beautifully pleasant evening to drive to the Bund area for a 1 hour cruise on the Huangpo river, which practically bisects Shanghai into two halves...the past or old Shanghai and the present or the glitzy, rocking new Shanghai which is reaching heavenwards giving a stiff competition to HongKong and other contemporary cities. In the last 15 
odd years since China opened its doors to the world, it has gone from being a wannabe to a rip roaring "made it" yuppie. American clothes, designer watches, shoes rub shoulders in Chairman Mao's China in a not-so-bizzare fashion.
We spent the evening watching skyscrapers lit up like Christmas trees, which made the area rival the Las Vegas Strip in its glitz and razzmatazz! Being energy efficient is certainly not a top priority for the Chinese, it appears like they thrive on electricity and love lighting up their cities. Chinese families were on deck celebrating the last day of the weeklong national holiday of the People's revolution in October. After a leisurely cruise, we went to a restaurant called "Indian Kitchen" and had some spicy food to beat the chilly air and served with a smile by Murali, a Chennai transfer to China! By now our lids were drooping and we reached the hotel and crashed out.Day 2 - 07/10/2011 - Shanghai
We had slated a slightly late departure as we had had no sleep the previous night, and after what can only be called a glorious repast, as breakfast somehow doesn't do the spread justice, we left
with Jerry and our driver Tom (well, Tom & Jerry! can you beat that?!!!), at 10am to the Jade Buddha temple, a temple over 600 years old with an enchanting figure of the reclining White Jade Buddha and other shrines to the Buddhas of longevity and fertility. The White Jade Buddha is magnificent and has a huge number visiting the temple everyday. Officially, China is supposed to be majority Buddhist, but in reality nearly all of the present generation after years of irreligious indoctrination right from childhood are atheists and follow some ancient practices and faiths like Feng Shui etc. rather than a religion. And their Western names are just arbitrarily picked out names during the English class in school and more often than not represents their favorite idol/icon and legally it is their given Chinese name only which is valid! A quirk if you can 
call it that. From there we moved to the Yuyuan 
Gardens where small replicas of the entire Chinese way of life is depicted, it is beautiful and huge. A lot of these small structures work as shops with many being eateries. Street food and snacking is a huge thing in China and we have people out at all times on the street 
munching away!We moved on to the History and Culture Museum which is a beautiful exhibition of all events in actual dramatised form with sound
and light instead of boring posturing of objects in a staid manner. This captures the imagination of the viewer and compels one to listen and watch 
carefully to understand and re-live historical events. A fascinating visit. Then on to the glass deck of the observation tower at the TV tower to get a birds eye view of the sprawling megapolis, this walk though perfectly safe can give the heebie jeebies to 
many as you can see some 230+ meters down and its not for the fainthearted, but unbelievably rewarding for the brave!By now, it was past 3pm and we were hungry and headed back to the Indian Kitchen for a late lunch. We were back at the Eton by evening after a quick stop over to pick up some lovely souvenirs and gifts, and relaxed with a simple dinner and a good movie but by 9.30pm we were dead to the world. Over and Out!
Day 3 - 08/10/2011 - Shanghai - Xian
After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel at 9am and reached the airport at 10am for our
China Eastern flight to Xian at 11.15am. Having asked for Asian Veg Cuisine, we got some attempted mix which was not bad. Reached Xian (pronounced Shian) after 2hrs 30min. and were met by Sherry, our guide and we were whisked off to check into the Sofitel Hotel in the Renmin area which is a huge consortium of over 7 five star hotels in a area spanning a
few hectares within the walled enclosure of the old city. I had been running a fever for over two days and it was really spiking then. But, we needed to get ready for a show that evening which was a 
Tang Dynasty show which was fabulous with beautiful dancers in long sleeved silk costumes which really made them look ethereal and lovely. 
Before the show, we had had a lovely Dumpling Dinner consisting of a soup and 18 varieties of dumplings with the stuffing varying from vegetables to exotic lychees served by waitresses dressed in traditional Chinese Cheongsams. Adjourned to the hotel after the show and crashed out.Day 4 - 09/10/2011 - Xian
Woke up groggy and with a blistering headache, but shut it up with some paracetamol and gamely took off in a chilly, bleary morning which was so shrouded that it was practically like being enveloped in cotton wool, though a lot less pleasant as
we were told that the fog was part mist and part smog thanks to the pollutants from the ancient power plant in Xian which has been the one cause for the majority of people dying of lung cancer there! Having heard that I was just wondering what sort of an army could defend the people against such modern monstrosities - well, certainly not the terra cotta variety, which we were on our way to see, after a stop at a factory which is licensed to produce the terra cotta warrior figurines from the same earth excavated from the mountainside, using the same ancient techniques. We picked up our 
quintessential set and stared woefully at the beautiful hand polished lacquered furniture and artifacts and I wanted all of them, they were oh-so pretty, each a poem of beauty. Sigh...We then visited the Banpo museum which has exhibits of the neolithic man and the way he lived with family units at places around Xian thousands of years ago. I especially liked an animated exhibit showcasing an entire day in the life of these people from day break to sunset, showing them at work, tilling the ground, cooking etc to socialising around a bonfire. Come to think of it, not much has actually changed in a man's life over centuries, now, has it?
We then drove on for another half hour to reach the site of the pits of the terra cotta warriors which were discovered by accident in 1974 by a farmer, Mr.Jang, and well, who do we run into but the man himself autographing books for the visitors! We then get into a golf cart at 10Yuan each and drive over to the pits. Pit 1 is the most proficient where over a 1000 warriors have been dug clear and stand in neat rows along with their 7 generals. It is an 
awe inspiring sight and leaves you speechless. This entire pit is enclosed to prevent weathering effects. A deck all around allows you to walk around the entire pit and it is a humbling experience at the artistic talent of humans as well as disbelief at the sheer madness of megalomaniac rulers!. We then walked out and meandered back to the parking area, a distance of over a kilometer and a half, through mini bazaars selling souvenirs, some flower carpets, eateries and got a whiff of the rich culture of China,
at a tea shop. We were treated to the traditional way of preparing tea and sampled some exotic teas like the white dust tea, jasmine tea, spiced tea etc. We were as much an attraction for the Chinese, as what we were watching. The people tend to look at you with wonder as interior China is still not used to seeing Indian tourists.We then went over to "Delhi Durbar", a restaurant run by a UP bhaiyya for lunch and since I was still not feeling too good, decided to get dinner packed to avoid another sojourn in the evening. We met an Indian who was the guest relations officer at Sofitel, Rony Varghese, who went out of his way to make our stay comfortable and heated up our packed dinner so I could have hot food.
But just before returning to the Sofitel, we went to the Wild Goose Pagoda. This pagoda is a storehouse of all the Buddhist sutras which Huien Tsang brought back from his travels to India, the cradle of Buddhism. He had these scriptures translated into Chinese and many of the sutras were adopted in China as part od their religious edicts, Also built during the Tang dynasty in the 6th. century, some portions have been lost to time, yet some parts have been added such as a majestic square, to make this place a tourist attraction as well as an aesthetic place of pilgrimage. Well, that day we had travelled back in time 2000years and come back to modern hospitality at the Sofitel, a very satisfying day indeed!Day 5 - 10/10/2011 - Xian - Beijing
After another huge layout of dishes for the breakfast buffet and which I could only look at as my appetite had vanished thanks to the fever, we checked out and said goodbye to Sherry to go for
our Air China flight to Beijing, which threatened to get delayed thanks to again the fog blanketing the whole of Xian. Fortunately, with just a 30min delay and after attempting to eat some very bad so called Veg food in-flight, we were airborne and a 2hrs 30mins flight brought us to Beijing, the capital city and one of the largest cities of the world. It took us over an hour and a half to get out of the airport and to meet with Eddie, our guide in Beijing. Our Mercedes SUV was a comfort zone and we sank into it with pleasure. Feeling slightly better, I was looking forward to checking into our 7 star hotel, the new Shangri-La and boy, was it fabulous. We were checked into a 
lovely suite and we freshened up and left for the "Acrobatics Show" at 5.30pm. This show though beautifully choreographed with lovely costumes and music with talented artistes was just a rehash of the old Circus where we have seen these feats many times over, so it was a stylised 70min presentation of the Circus minus the animals! 
Yet, nothing to complain, it was enjoyable. We then went to the "Raj" for a dinner, and we were not disappointed, I quipped saying it seems like a KJo production and well, the blast of Hindi film music sealed the deal! After an early dinner, it only made sense to retire early as we face one problem in China, not a soul other than your guide speaks English, they all smile beatifically at you but communication is a no-go! Even 
at the hotel desk only a couple of people can speak English. So, any venturing out is impossible, as you can't ask for directions or even hail a cab. Understanding the guide is an effort in itself as his/her Chinglish is to be experienced and cannot be articulated. In fact we got some shots of some interesting sign boards where they had attempted English!Day 6 - 11/10/2011 - Beijing
A good breakfast in a lovely dining room overlooking a Chinese
temple, set us up for the morning's sightseeing. This is fair warning to all attempting a trip to China - all places of visit are HUGE, distances are long and walking a few kilometers per place, is a given. In what promised to be a doozy of a sightseeing day, we first went to the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is much bigger than the Forbidden City and smaller than the Summer Palace. The Temple of Heaven is enclosed with a long wall. The northern part within the wall is semicircular symbolizing the heavens and the southern part is square symbolizing the earth. This also has a vault where tablets to the Gods were placed in ancient times as it was believed that Gods rested there often.
The gardens around this place is used for a unique feature in China, the Seniors Park. China has a work policy where men have to retire between the ages of 50 to 55 and women between the ages of 45 to 50 to ensure everyone in their huge population gets a job opportunity. The retired persons gather at these parks for socialising, exercises, song and dance lessons, playing mahjong and cards, some even selling artifacts to make an extra buck all in the company of friends and enjoying their sunset years!Next we went to the Summer Palace built by the
Dowager Empress. The construction of the Summer Palace started in 1750 as a luxurious royal garden for royal families to rest and entertain. It later became the main residence of royal members in the end of the Qing (pronounced Ching) Dynasty. The Anglo French troops set fire to it and destroyed it in 1800s. It was also recorded that Empress Dowager Cixi (pronounced Chishi) embezzled navy funds to reconstruct it as a resort in which to spend the rest of her life. In 1924, the Summer Palace was 
opened to the public. It was ranked amongst the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1998. With the same pattern of the imperial palace of China-'Palace in front and garden behind', the Court Area consists of sections for both court affairs and living. East Palace Gate and Hall of Benevolence and Longevity served as office of the Emperor. The Hall of Jade Ripples was for Emperor Guangxu to live in and the Hall of Joyful Longevity for concubine turned cruel empress Cixi. A lot of atrocities are attributed to this woman who wielded unbelievable power. A man made lake and the hill created by the excavated earth kept the palace cool in summer. Imagine these constructions without mechanization, a wonderful feat of engineering but at horrendous human cost.A boat ride to the Hall of Sea Wisdom, an island in the middle of the lake, housing a Buddhist place of worship completes this museum of gardens tour. Enchanting place.
Already a bit wobbly, we arrived at the Forbidden City, so called, because it was forbidden to commoners! Well, just the expanse is forbidding enough! When I say, BIG, well, it is IMMENSE...having several pavillions, palaces and lies to the North of the infamous Tiannenmen Square. Rectangular in shape, it is the world's largest palace complex and covers 74 hectares. Surrounded by a moat and a high wall are more than 8,700 rooms! The Forbidden City, called Gu Gong in Chinese, built over 600 years ago over 14 years, was the imperial palace for twenty-
four emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It has the largest monolithic stone mural with dragons and lotuses carved in the suburbs of Beijing and was dragged in winter over ice, created with water sprinkled on roads and waiting for it to freeze. Talk about ingenuity. We walk through grand Imperial palaces turned museums which are treasure troves of jade, gold and lacquerware. Red buildings with yellow glazed tiled roofs in the trademark Chinese pagoda style add colour to these structures too.A man made mountain
and waterfall with a palace for a cool summer retreat for the emperor is an engineering feat worthy of the highest accolades. We have to walk through the entire linear stretch of the Forbidden City, going up and down and through stairs, slopes and these magnificent structures, before you walk out and gulp down some cool water! Pleasant weather of 20 deg Celsius was a big plus. Anyway, feeling like a boiler, took a few deep breaths and then on checking the time, we were horrified to see it was nearly 3pm, 
we had been in there for over 2 hours. We drove past Tiannanmen Square, (our legs refused to move!) made famous by the cruelly subdued student revolution of 1989. The mammoth square is best known in recent memory as the focal point of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, a pro-democracy movement which ended on 4 June 1989 with the declaration of martial law in Beijing by the government and the death of hundreds of protesters. Eddie assured us that the government has so cleaned out the web of any information that no amount of searching will get us anything. Will try once I reach home. Next to it is the mousoleum for Chairman Mao Tse Tung.Hungry and feet which felt like lead, we sat down gratefully for a hearty lunch, and found we were too tired to eat! We just nibbled something, went to the Shangri-la and mentally thanked the Gods of luxury and sank into bed. Woke up late evening and a swim in the heated pool followed by steam and a hot shower put life back into aching bones and my fever seemed to have abated too. Relaxed in the room and watched the 70s classic "Jaws" and after a good dinner in the room, crashed out.
Day 7 - 12/10/2011 - Beijing
Woke up with a few creaking and twinging muscles, but nothing a brisk walk would not rectify, so had a hearty breakfast, bundled ourselves up in warm jackets as the weather was a bit chilly and started on our hour long drive to the Great Wall. Beijing is not only
the political center of China, but it is also the most strategic city in the north. Many dynasties in Chinese history actively built walls in this area. Among many historical ruins of the Great Wall in Beijing, the wall built during the Ming Dynasty between the 14th and 17th century, is the most often seen and best preserved, running over 373 miles and containing about 827 city wall platforms, 71 passes and countless towers. The famous Great Wall sections include the Badaling, Jinshanling and a few others. I managed to climb up to the first terrace and Ranga went a bit further till the steps started 
to look like mini hillocks and we decided to quit. We went ahead to explore the terrace with gun turrets, and also browsed through some souvenir shops, bought a few knick knacks and set off for the Ming Tombs. The Great Wall, is a sight that will not be forgotten easily, as it snakes along the mountain ranges, standing sentinel and a mute witness to human greed and blood thirstiness of centuries.The Ming tombs as they purport are the tombs of the Emperors of the Ming Dynasty. The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved,
as has the necropolis of each of the many emperors. Because of its long history, palatial and integrated architecture, the site has a high cultural and historic value. The layout and arrangement of all thirteen mausoleums are very similar but vary in size as well as in the complexity of their structures.Only the Changling tomb is open to the public. Changling, the chief of the Ming Tombs, is the largest in scale and is completely preserved.This is unique as it is the only huge palace made of camphor wood. It covers about 1956 square meters. The ceiling is colorfully painted and supported by sixteen solid camphor posts. The floor was decorated with gold bricks and has at some point been changed to teak wood planks which exist even today.We bought some T-shirts at a bargained price of 50Yu
an each and then moved on to the Jade factory where we saw and learnt the process of making jade jewellery and other artifacts. We also had a Chinese lunch which was unlike any 
Chinese food ever served in India and for them vegetraian food is a horror story. When we said we were vegetarians, we got sympathetic looks and understanding nods and sometimes 
questions like "Fol Hearth leeson?"!!! It was actually quite hilarious when we had to tell them that we are healthy and are vegetarians for no reason other than choice! We again bought some couple of artifacts (I don't know where I am going to put them all at home) and returned to our Shangri-La by 4pm.A long but very interesting day as we sped on their 12 lane roads, past some secret structures which are well, secret!, floral medians of small potted plants, huge glazed buildings and saw the old and the new co-existing pretty harmoniously. Well, it wasn't over yet...we got ready and left our hotel for the shopping district. When we parked and
got off at a place called Makong, we saw a long line of counters already busy with aromas seeping from them, catering to a throng of snackers. We had just seen Beijing's snack street, the cart like shops have been made by the government and leased out to restauranteurs. So this gave an organized area with a cordoned street which did not disrupt traffic yet gave gourmets a chance to slum it. We then went to the so-called "Bargain Street" which was riot of colour, sounds, smells and vibrancy which was splendid. We again bought a few souvenirs (couldn't seem to stop!), gifts and watched people carrying bags and juggling them with kebabs and others in their other hand...well it was a great dekko into Beijing's eat and shop culture! The comparison between the road leading to this frenetic bazaar which was lined with cool, classy, glitzy branded shops was really fabulous. But, after about an hour, we hurried out to the car for our "Kung Fu Show".Sank into the luxurious seats of our Merc and relaxed for about half hour till we reached The Red Theatre. I had expected a martial arts demonstration, but what followed blew my mind!
The Legend of Kung Fu follows the story of a young boy found wandering outside an 
ancient temple. Like every boy in China, he dreams of becoming a Kung Fu master. On the road to enlightenment the young monk encounters many difficulties and temptations.The show has English subtitles shown above the stage to keep you informed of the story line. The actors do not speak, the show is all Kung Fu, dance and acrobatics. It is the fusion of modern dance with Chinese traditional arts which make this performance unique and spectacular.
Red Theater - The best Kung Fu practitioners from all over China have been found for this production and it shows on the
stage. Their average age is just 17 years old! Additionally the costumes, set design and special effects are up to international standards, created by some of the best stage directors and designers in China. It is a live theatrical KungFu spectacular, being staged without a pause for over 3800 
shows in Red Theatre alone and internationally over a 1000 shows. We watched mesmerised as the stage came alive with the performances. It was pulsating and exciting, a must-experience show. This is one of the best shows I have seen in a long time. Thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Well, to say that it capped a wonderful day is an understatement.Day 8 - 13/10/2011 - Beijing - HongKong
After two days of busy sightseeing schedules we decided to relax and did just that. Woke up and had a late breakfast, swam, and watched "Inglorious Basterds", a Brad Pitt movie and checked out of the hotel by 2pm as the flight to HongKong was at 6.30pm but being an international
flight, its a 3hr prior check in. After all immigration facilities, we had one of the best Veg Pizzas ever at Pizza hut, fresh, light and fluffy and boarded our flight by taking a train to the boarding gates, as the airport is so huge! Refused the in-flight dinner and arrived in HongKong at 10.40pm. It is a 3hrs. 30min flight from North China to the South. Reached Hotel The Mira, off Nathan Road just around 11.30pm. Now this hotel needs an intro, it is one of the most hi-tech hotels in the world, it is practically like being in a sci-fi movie. Our room was on the Executive floor (15th) and the concierge gave us a demo right from turning on the lights, to the Sony Entertainment Centre to the state of the art Shower! Well, well...it was crash course to geek world, but the beds were fabulous and we sank in.Day 9 - 14/10/2011 - HongKong
Having slept late, we woke late and had our breakfast in the executive lounge, which is luxury
redefined. We left for our sightseeing with Mr.Alan in his Nissan SUV which was more like an aircraft than a car! We went straight to the starting point of the over 100year old tram, and bought one way tickets. Got on to the tram and sat down for our pull-push ride up about 1200feet to Victoria Peak, the highest point in HongKong, took some fantastic photos of one of the busiest harbours in the world, the famous skyline and walked doen to Madame Tussaud's 
wax museum and took pictures with the 
British royals while Ranga had tea with Audrey Hepburn and teed off with Tiger Woods! Hahaha...a wonderful time, reading and understanding the story of how a single woman has built a global experience in wax, literally preserving for posterity the famous 
people and the infamous equally, from the Beatles to Presley to Michael Jackson, from Marilyn Monroe 
to Amitabh Bachchan, from Hitler to Obama. It was a fun couple of hours. Then we drove down to Aberdeen to view the floating restaurant and on to Stanley Market to see the Chinese influence in HongKong and then we went on to the 
famous Ladies Street. First buy - a cabin baggage size strolley to pack all the stuff we picked up in our trip over the week!! Then a quick lunch at a roadside eatery and we were ready for more browsing and inevitably buying! We went back to the hotel by 6pm, ready to drop. So we went to the Executive Longe and enjoyed their gracious complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. Relaxed in the evening at the heated pool and after a simple snacky dinner, called it a night.Day 10 - 15/10/2011 - 16/10/2011 - Beijing - Bangalore
Morning was free as the flight was at night, so we walked the nearby streets, did some browsing, refused a proposal to go to Disneyland or Macau, and returned to the room with some stuff for lunch. Had lunch, packed, relaxed and left for the airport at 6pm after a lovely capuccino in the executive lounge. Reached the airport by 7pm, going over the lovely suspension bridge. Checked in the baggage, did the quintessential duty free shopping, had authentic thin crust hand rolled Pizzas for dinner and boarded the plane at 10.15pm local time. The plane was absolutely full and we tried to sleep but I felt uncomfortable and claustrophobic. Killed the 6hrs trying to forget my discomfort by watching the re-runs of the hilarious "Yes Prime Minister." Landed in Bangalore on Oct.16th. 2011, at 2pm IST, retrieved our luggage and reached home to a warm night in Bangalore by 4am. Sent an sms to appa that we had reached and fell asleep.
It was a trip that was culturally rich, historically and politically enlightening and we learnt a lot. An exotic journey into a civilization as old and as rich as ours and a vibrant present promises them a great future too. It was a trip thoroughly enjoyed!
Notes : Best time to visit China - Oct. 6th. onwards till end of October, as temperatures are about 22deg in the day time and about 12 to 13 deg at night, both very comfortable, and also after the tourist rush of the National Holiday week of Oct 1st to 7th.
Clothing - 1 light cardigan will do, but good footwear an absolute must
Exchange rate - Oct.2011 - 1 Chinese Yuan - US $6.29 and 1 HK $ - US $7.55
Internation Airline - Cathay Pacific Domestic - Preferably use China Eastern to Air China
Food - Vegetarian food is a little difficult to comeby so better use the Indian restaurants mentioned above. HongKong is expensive but China is more reasonable
Shopping - Only souvenirs! But do bargain hard if shopping on streets.
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