Square Dance

(Nik)

It was another picturesque morning at the Old Theater Inn, and unfortunately it would be our last. None of us could decide what we would miss most: the beautiful scenery and accommodation, or the sumptuous breakfast of toast, fried eggs, and apple slices. We said heartfelt goodbyes to the family running the inn as they helped us with our bags, and piled into the bus so Mr. He could whisk us away to Lijiang.

A Breakfast Fit for Emperors

(Abby)

Today, we woke up to one of the best breakfasts we all have had since our entering China. This Old Theatre Inn really knows how to provide superb service to its guests. Ola, Mr. and Mrs. Li, and I had a hearty “Hiker’s Breakfast” consisting of French toast, an egg, fruit, and excellent coffee. Nik had the “Hearty Breakfast” consisting of toast, eggs, fruit, and tea. The bread was very hearty and the French toast itself was rich and decadent. We will all be ordering this meal again tomorrow morning before our departure to Lijiang.

The Not-so Perilous Train Ride

(Ola)

Well folks, I'm alive. Contrary to what I had imagined, the overnight train ride we took from Kunming to Dali went off without a hitch. After reading The Namesake a couple of months ago, I had conjured up a bunch of worst-case scenarios and at the beginning, was not entirely thrilled about this experience. But, when we got to the train station, Abby and I were too absorbed in some deep heart to heart conversations with Ms. Li for me to think about what could go wrong.

Doufu and Unusual Methods of Osmosis

(Lindsay)

Imagine that Evel Knievel offers you a ride . . . across the Grand Canyon. If you can picture this, you are close to imagining what it's like to be a passenger in Mr. Wong's van. Mr. Wong has been our driver from Kunming up into the mountains around Yuanyang and Jianshui, and today, back to Kunming. He is a pro. He can pass a tour bus going around a bend with, let's say, a tuktuk and two trucks coming the other way, and absolutely no margin for error between the van and a very steep drop, without breaking a sweat. (Don't try this at home.) But Mr. Wong is not alone. Pros are a dime a dozen here in China. They all have nerves of Bessemer-processed steel.

Putting the "Shui" (water) in Jianshui

(Nik)

It was incredible. It was miraculous. It was likely freeze-dried, but at this point we didn't care. It was coffee, strong and black, the best we've had in a hotel so far. The Yunti Hotel has charms and faults like any establishment, however the coffee was enough to make the trek into the mountains worthwhile. We would descend later that day, and our high altitude buffet breakfast was more than a decent sendoff.

Yuangyuan

(Abby)

Today started with a wake up call at 5:30 am and an excursion at 6 am to see the sunrise. Jackie, our youthful tour guide, took us all up to a local mountain to a viewing platform overlooking hundreds of clear rice terraces. The rice growing season has yet to start, so it is an optimal time to view these spectacular creations. While walking through the entrance, we as a group were surprised to see that this viewing of a natural phenomenon cost money whereas that wouldn’t necessarily happen in the States. I must say, however, the view from this platform was rather spectacular in my opinion. This platform zigzagged down the side of the mountain and was packed with people, many who arrived well before our later arrival of 6:30 for a 7:30 sunrise. The beauty of the sun peaking over the misty mountains did not disappoint and after we all took many Instagram-worthy pictures of this lovely sight, we returned to the hotel to freshen up, aka nap until lunch.

Yangshuo Market Carnival

(Lindsay Li)

West Street in Yangshuo is a cross between a carnival and a market. Most likely it is a market on days other than the New Year celebration, but we were there during the festivities, and we were swept into the undertow of pedestrian traffic as soon as we entered from the main drag. The only way to visit a shop was to plan well in advance and begin to edge through the constant current of humans towards the bank, hoping for an eddy right in front of the target boutique or cart. Thousands of pen and ink prints, silk scarves, toys, fried tofu, steamed cakes, carved knickknacks, tea, candy, knockoffs galore, ocarinas, minority handicrafts, sandalwood combs, combs made of horn, combs made of bone and more toys. Noises from all directions: people singing along with boomboxes, toy jets with blinking LED lights screaming high into the air overhead and swooping back to almost slam into second-story windows only to shoot straight up into the air once again and soar away, the pounding of men with large wooden mallets making something like peanut butter, children laughing and squealing and the people in the shops calling out after us lower and lower prices trying to hit on the one that would bring us back to buy. Arlen and I did buy every now and then, but Abby, Ola and Nick? They single-handedly balanced the Chinese budget.

Last Day in Yangshuo

(Ola)

On our last day in Yangshuo, we woke up early and went to go see the Reed Flute Cave. The enormous cave is spectacularly lit up to showcase different formations. Our tour guide, Summer, explained what the different stalagmites and stalactites represented. For example, one part of the cave looked like a sun rising up over a lion. We were all in awe of the caves vastness and natural beauty. After visiting the cave, we went to Fubo Hill, named for General Fubo. As we walked through, we saw hundreds of Buddhas engraved in the side of the hill. There were many different renditions which depicted how the image of the Buddha changed over time. Then, we climbed up to the top of the hill to get a nice view of the whole city.

Star Ferry and Hong Kong Island

(Nik Dombrowski)

After a restless night (I awoke twice, the first time due to an unknown Jamaican number calling my cell phone) and with breakfast shoveled down, Ola, Abby, and I walked down from the hotel to the Star Ferry pier, which is the most famous and convenient method of transportation from Kowloon, where we are staying, to the actual island of Hong Kong and our destination that morning, Man Mo Temple. Despite Mrs. Viz’s reports of how romantic the ferry is supposed to be, the many couples on board seemed unaffected. 

Guilin and Yangshuo (or ... Risk of Death by Moped!)

(Abby O'Reilly)

Ola, Nik, Mr. and Mrs. Li and I arrived to Mainland China in the rural city of Guilin. Getting off the plane, I noticed all the beautiful mountains China’s landscape is typically associated with. We learned later from our tour guide, Summer, that these mountains are made of limestone, which thousands of years of rain have melted away, giving them their characteristically steep and rounded shape. The city also didn’t have any very tall buildings and was very dark at night.

Ni Hao from Hong Kong!

(Ola Szymanska)

Ni hao from Hong Kong! Our China adventure started with a 6:00 AM flight to San Francisco, where we had a three hour layover before a 14 hour flight, during which I developed a cold. When we finally arrived, we were astonished by the majestical HK skyline. Needless to say, we’ve been quite tired and jet-lagged yet have been trying to make the most of our few days here.

[FIRST POST of 2015 Exchange] Logan Airport Sendoff!

Narrowly avoiding flight cancellation due to Boston's seemingly never-ending snow, the 2015 China Exchange Group departed Logan Airport on time, very early on February 17.  This year's group (pictured below, L to R) consists of D-S High School teacher Lindsay Li and seniors Nik Dombrowski, Ola Szymanska and Abby O'Reilly.  Ms. Li's husband Arlen will accompany the group until it arrives at Hangzhou High School.