Will Travel with Toddlers

…and then there was CHINA (Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, Hong Kong). 

We have just completed our longest and last family trip in Asia:  CHINA.  We spent ten days touring Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai and Hong Kong. 

It was a whirlwind, coming quick on the heels of our nine-day Vietnam adventure and a week of getting ready to move back to the States (including packing, buying a house, registering for kindergarten and daycare and generally settling things in Bangkok).

During our time in China, we were lucky to have the help of some Mandarin speaking friends who were familiar with the country.  I am not sure we would have made it very far on this trip without them.

China was the most difficult and most fantastic adventure.  The Great Wall and Terracotta Warrior Museum were simply amazing.  The cities we visited were all an excellent mix of old and new.  I don’t think we have seen or will see anything that matches the ancient sites in China.  However,  China is also…strange.  It is by far the most foreign of the foreign countries we have been to.  That is really the best way for me to describe it.  Lack of easily accessible internet, (no Google, Facebook, g-mail on the mainland) made connecting with the States and keeping up-to-date difficult.  Many of be major tourist stops and markets were packed with enormous masses of people making it difficult to use public transportation or get through public places and keep everyone together.  And while we have grown accustomed to using “squatty potties” during our time in Asia we certainly don’t prefer them and I am convinced no other country has quite as many squatters as China.  

Small complaints, really, compared with all the amazing things we saw/ate/did.  Overall, it was a fantastic trip.  The perfect end to our year-long adventure.

Below is a quick run-down of our time in China, although, I believe the photos tell the story best.

Beijing: 

  • Tour of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall
  • Sightseeing in Tiananmen Square.
  • Wandering through the Hutongs.
  • Quick sprint though a Forbidden city gate tower.
  • Tasting Peking duck and “hot pots.”

Xi’an:

  • Tour of the Terracotta Warrior Museum.
  • Tour of ancient Banpo village site.
  • Strolling through Muslim Quarter and eating Rou Jia Mou sandwiches (tastes a little like sausage mcmuffins).
  • Biking on the Xi’an city wall.
  • Visiting the Xi’an grand mosque.
  • Drinking cocktails on Bar Street.

Shanghai:

  • Walking down the Bund.
  • Traveling through the “sightseeing tunnel.”
  • Having drinks at the Park Hyatt 92 Floor Bar with a view of the city.
  • Walking the French Concession area, drinking coffee and eating excellent French food.
  • Visiting the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art museum (located in the basement of a grimy apartment complex).

Hong Kong:

  • Quick visit to the botanical gardens and zoological park (so Sam could see orangutans).
  • Browsing the Temple Street night market.
  • Browsing jewelry at the Yau Ma Tei Jade Hawker Market in the Kowloon section of Hong Kong.
  • Double decker bus tour through Hong Kong Island.
  • Crossing the harbor via Star Ferry.
  • Peak tram tour to view Victoria Harbor.

The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.
It went on and on forever.
The boys walking on the Great Wall.
This section of the wall is about an hour and a half outside Beijing.
The Great Wall is great!
Pretending to be Kung Fu Panda.
Cable car back down to the shuttle (this was probably the boys favorite part of our day at the Great Wall).
“Hot pot” dinner in Beijing.
Jack chilling with Mao in Tiananmen.
Tiananmen Square.
The Forbidden City…we couldnt go in because it was full…oh, China.
In the Beijing Hutongs.
Jack stealing a motorbike.
Cyclos in the Hutongs.
She is as popular in China as anywhere else.
The Muslmim Quarter in Xi’an.
Very fresh food in the Muslim Quarter.
We believe this was most likely lamb?…
Muslim Quarter was amazing and lively.
Making candy in the Muslim Quarter.
Simply amazing.
The Terracota museum is an active archeological site. Pieces of the army are continuosly dug up and pieced back together.
It is believed the site contains 6000 soldiers. 3000 have been reconstructed and placed on display.
The soldiers are placed in what is believed to be the original battle formation.
Sam observes the Army.
Anna was unimpressed with the warriors.
The paparrazzi surrounds our Anna.
The Banpo village archeological museum.
Banpo village museum contains the remains of ancient ethnic mongolians. The site is believed to be over 6000 years old.
Jack losing his mind on Bar Street in Xi’an. We are entering the “terrible threes.”
Xi’an drum tower at night.
Xi’an was lovely at night.
Quick fish spa stop.
Touring the Xi’an city wall on bike.
The Xi’an city wall is the world’s largest intact city wall.
Big man on a tandem bike.
Prayer cards on the city wall.
Jack says “take picture of me.”
At the Xi’an Grand Mosque.
A star is born.
Playing paper-rock-scissors and sweating their butts off.
“Mommy, I’m sweepy.”
Overnight train to Shanghai.
Walking down Nanjing pedestrian Street to “the Bund.”
Shanghai skyline from the Bund.
Crossing the river via the Sightseeing Tunnel .
Shanghai, looking up.
View from the 92nd floor bar at the Park Hyatt.
Shanghai Skyline at dusk.
Shanghai from above.
Traditional dumplings.
Anna at the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center.
Botanical Garden & Zoological Park, Hong Kong.
Hong Kong marries the old and the new.
Determined on the double decker bus. Note: toy bus is in hand.
He insisted on sitting in the very front.
Ready to go!
The Star Ferry has been around since the late 1800s.
This is the fourth generation of Star Ferry.
Jack peers out the wondow of the Star Ferry.
Peak tour.
Sam pretends to listen to the English language audio tour at the peak.
Classic Hong Kong Taxi cabs.
We loved the old city trams.
Jack cannot be moved.

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