HONG KONG, China

3 nights/2 days is not enough time to explore Hong Kong. Of the 234 islands that make up the Special Administrative District of Hong Kong (most of which are unpopulated outlying islands) we visited three which blend together through bridges and tunnels around Victoria Harbor. We stayed on Kowloon; flew into and took an excursion to the Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau; ascended Victoria Peak, dined semi-al fresco in Stanley and had a Sampan ride in Aberdeen, all on Hong Kong Island.

There are many museums, scenic islands, parks and beaches to explore in Hong Kong but the real reason people come is for the shopping; though the bargain shopping of pre-China reclamation has evaporated in the spirit of all-out capitalism. Though we were still technically in China, travel to Hong Kong felt like entering a foreign country. We turned in our China departure card in Guilin, went through immigration in Hong Kong and had to learn a new word for "thank you" upon arrival as using our Mandarin would be embarrassing in Cantonese-speaking Hong Kong. The British influence remains so our English was back in favor and having had our fill of lazy Susan food we indulged in fish 'n chips twice. As cosmopolitan as Hong Kong is, the fact that you can't drink the water leaves no doubt that you are still in Asia.

We arrived just behind a set of typhoons and were treated to the similar clear blue skies we had enjoyed on the rest of our "rainy season" visit to China. This good fortune certainly enhanced our views from Victoria Peak, the twinkle of the Hong Kong skyline and our visit to the Tian Tan Buddha at the top of Ngong Ping, the setting of Po Lin Monastery, a major center of Buddhism in Hong Kong which we accessed via a 25-minute cable car ride with panoramic scenic views of Lantau Island.

All-in-all it was an amazing journey through ancient-meets-modern China. And yes, our bags were heavier upon their return to the U.S. as the beauty, quality and craftsmanship of the silk, jade and embroidery is extraordinary. I even found a tailor in Hong Kong who in three 10-minute visits constructed custom-made trousers. He comes to New York twice a year so I may have made a friend for life. And speaking of friendship, we travelled with and became friends with lovely women from Queens to Maine to Texas to North Carolina and beyond. We even have a September theater/dinner date with women we met from California. 

Our three weeks in China helped us skim the surface of her complicated history. I have come away with a deeper appreciation of her people and places and a desire to learn more about her customs. China is on the verge of global leadership in commerce and I am glad to have a wisp of understanding of her structure and prowess. It will be fascinating to see how her rising tide turns.

GUILIN, China

Guilin is located in one of China's autonomous regions, similar to Tibet. The ethnicity of 95% of the residents of this magnificently beautiful region are the Drung people. We came to see the Karst limestone formations that dot this lush man-made farmland that just 300 million years ago was ocean bed. I found it surprisingly easy to imagine myself as a long-extinct sea creature floating serenely among a maze of limestone peaks.

We spent 24 hours in Guilin which included four hours of scenic bus travel and another four hours of scenic cruising on a three-deck ferry boat on the Li River. It was hot and sunny but the breeze on the observation deck was lovely, and the sights lovelier so our first several hours consisted of drinking in the sublime vistas. Once Karst formations gave way to sloping farmland we retired to the dining cabin for a buffet lunch that had been prepared in the open galley at the ship's stern.

Along the river we passed a few areas that are popular tourist areas for Chinese nationals. Favorite pastimes include riding on a bamboo raft or cave exploration. Our boat disembarked in Yongshou, a classic mountain getaway, and a recommended destination if you find yourself wandering your way through southern China. 

SHANGHAI, China

A walk along The Bund provides an excellent vantage point for seeing old Shanghai meet new on opposite banks of the Haungpu River. We waited to venture out until the sun went down, hoping 95-degrees would feel a little cooler in the dark and anticipating the nighttime fluorescent skyline. Our first glimpse evoked that ahhhh sound that fireworks inspire! We climbed the stairs to the pedestrian walkway and the blinking lights drew our attention to the modern architecture on the opposite bank, all built on former farmland within the last 20 years. When we turned around, the stately stone buildings built by the British after the opium wars dominated the scene. My lens is not wide enough to capture an image of both periods in one picture so if you haven't been to Shanghai, I encourage you to come see its 5000 skyscrapers for yourself.

There are definite advantages to traveling with Iowa (Aihua) as he has "cousins" in every port that instantly produce our admission tickets, or escort us to premium drop-off (off-limits to the public) points, or magically transport our bags to our hotel room without us ever seeing them upon departure or arrival at airports. Today Iowa's cousins really came through and admitted us to the Yuyuan Gardens before anyone else arrived, allowing our group to enjoy the serenity of these beautiful, 400-year-old traditional Chinese gardens. The gardens are located in Old Town Shanghai, a busy shopping center housed in traditional Chinese architecture - some original, some restored. It is the "Chinatown" of China, complete with Starbucks and McDonald's.

The early morning breeze made for a pleasant garden experience. Then along came showers to cool the air. We stayed dry in the Shanghai Museum which displays some of the most noteworthy pieces in ceramics, pottery, stone sculpture, jade, bronze and of Chinese paintings and calligraphy. It is amazing to see the uniqueness of these select pieces that span several thousand years.

We finished off Phase 1 of our tour with a typical lazy Susan meal followed by a fabulous Acrobat Show, including a truly terrifying finale with seven motorcyclists racing in patterns enclosed in a metal mesh sphere. Tomorrow Iowa flies home to Beijing and half our travel companions head home. We continue on to Guilin and Hong Kong with Jessie, one of only four Viking female guides. See you soon on the Li River!

Three Gorges Dam to Wuhan

The Viking Emerald arrived at the ship locks of the Three Gorges Dam at 9pm and a deck party ensued as we gathered for the 3 1/2 hour process of navigating four downward locks. As the huge metal doors opened I felt like I'd entered a Science Fiction movie. The tightness of the concrete walls, with the futuristic doors labeled with Chinese characters appeared other-worldly.  The dam is not the longest or the highest dam in the world but it is the biggest. At 1.3miles wide and 610 feet tall it is China's largest construction project since the Great Wall. The dam has been under construction for 18 years (the primary stated purpose being flood control and the secondary power generation) and when it is completed next year the water in the Yangtze will have risen over 350 feet and displaced more than one million people. Many of the displaced have used their government compensation to purchase newly built apartments. A couple of our local guides joyfully expressed satisfaction with their new accommodations. At times I wonder if our guides are simply painting the best face for China when they discuss their situations, but I do believe they are happier with electricity and non-communal toilets.

As we continued our journey to Wuhan we docked for the night in Jingzhou. This countryside along the Yangtze is flat farmland with occasional "villages" which look more like small cities me. Some of our very talented crew performed a cabaret show for us as, coincidentally, fireworks lit the sky in celebration of Communist Day. (Our waitress Joly was the choreographer and a principle dancer and Ray, our cabin steward performed a Michael Jackson inspired solo dance.) Before we departed Jingzhou we had the opportunity to visit a local school where we exchanged songs and smiles. It was a highlight of our trip.

Our Yangtze River cruise disembarked in Wuhan, a medium-sized city of 8.5 million. Before boarding our flight for Shanghai we made a stop at the Hubei Provincial Museum to see its amazing collection from the tomb of Nobleman Yi of Zeng which was discovered in 1978, complete with amazing 2500 year old artifacts made of bronze, gold, lacquer, jade and other precious materials. The prized piece is the bronze two-tone bells which were performed for us.