Space Walking

The last few days have been consumed by the space walk. It was all broadcast live, which was fairly risky, but all went well. Our guides were desparate to be finished in time to watch on Saturday and again for the landing on Sunday. Edwin Maher reads the news on the official English channel, and they havent ducked the milk scandal either. That is reported on each day, including the Premier visiting the children in hospital. Meanwhile the American economy still seems to be in freefall. Our final night in Shanghai was the obligatory trip on the river to look at the lights, which is spectacular, but does have gross consumerism written all over it. But they do have longlife globes everywhere and all rubbish is separated and recycled and they have many more solar panels than we have.
On Sunday afternoon we flew to Guilin which is absolutely stunning - Halong Bay but on land.
On Monday morning we went on a river boat down to Yangshou- 4 hours of just spectacular scenery. It is a major tourism industry with at least 50 boats on the river each one carrying up to 100 people. We could see 10 boats ahead & behind us.
When we got to Yangshou we had a 15 minute walk through the town to our hotel. The town is nestled among the limestone peaks, some right next to the walls of the buildings.
In the evening we went to spectacular performance on water, a sort of modern Chines opera performed by a cast of 600 to an audience of 2000 in tiered seats looking out on the lake. The lighting and effects were stunnung. It was devised by the same guy Zhing Jaimou who was responsible for the Olympic opening & closing ceremonies. It has been running for 4 years & has 2 shows every night.

Tuesday 30 September


These are very sophisticated cities -well dressed people, all using mobile phones, wide roadways, clearly the spoilt only child being taken for treats, lots of retail therapy.
This week is National Week, a week's holiday for most people except in the tourist industry. We flew to Kunming yesterday and visited the Stone Forest today a very extensive area like the Pinnacles in western Australia and absolutely packed with holiday crowds. The food is different in each of the regional areas we have visited, this area has goats cheese and the soup is served at differnt times in the meal,although so far it is usually tomato & egg with variations. This province has a high proportion of minority groups and they were running the tourist activities at the Stone Forest. They wear very elaborate costumes and many Chinese were being dressed up in the costumes for photo taking.

Back Home After beautiful country interlude

Thursday 25 September Hangzhou
Next day was fairly busy and the weather was very hot and humid . We first visited the LIngyin Temple, built in 327AD. The gold-gilded, seated Buddha in the main hall is 24.8m high, apparently the largest wood-carving of a seated buddha in China - each ear is over 1m high. The hall was extremely full of people and monks chanting and banging the gong, with a very heady aroma of burning incense. ! The area around the temple is known as Felai Feng and has many stone statues carved into the mountainside. The paths and caves could be quite dark and slippery, but fascinating to see the carvings in and around the hill in all sorts of nooks and crannies.
Then we drove out to the hills to visit the Dragon Well Tea Plantation, one of the most well-known green tea brands in China - drunk by emperors through the ages. The plantation area looks quite prosperous - apparently tea farmers are some of the wealthiest people in China. We were given a tea drinking demonstration and then had to walk through the very expensive shop to get back to the coach.
After lunch we went to the Six Harmonies Pagoda, dedicated to the six codes of Buddhism. It was once used as a lighthouse and was thought to have mystical powers to stop the tidal bore which heads up the nearby Qiantong River. We found a lovely garden with a pond and stepping stones, so had a rest from the noise and people.
We took a cruise on the West Lake in the afternoon, after a walk through the gardens. The gardens were lovely, very well-kept and interesting plants. The cruise itself was a relief as the weather was really oppressive.
Friday 26 September
Drove 2 hours this morning before arriving in Wuzhen, a lovely old-world water canal town on the way back to Shanghai. We wandered through the old streets and buildings, the town being like a living museum where people still live and work and produce the old products such as rice wine and dyed calico. Another interesting exercise in extremes when you look into the houses which have centuries old facades, lino on the floor and plasma screen cable TV inside! Visited a rice wine distillery and a calico dying plant, Lunch was in a canal-side restaurant and featured much more local-style food, which was more authentic with pig’s trotter wrapped in banana leaf and local fish.
After lunch we traveled back to Shanghai to the same hotel – it all seemed very familiar. Dinner was at another hotel restaurant The Restaurant Of Many White Faces, which is always a worry. While the food is well cooked and fresh ingredients sometimes it is very like the standard Aussie Chinese-lemon chicken

Saturday 27th Sept –
Grand final day. (We heard the result late in the afternoon.) We started the day on the Bund, where we came last Sunday but the haze has blown away and there are blue skies at last. Then to the obligatory highrise view from the Oriental Pearl Tower, but the bonus was an excellent Shanghai History Museum, very new and well presented. In the afternoon the Old Town and the Yu Garden.
Yuyuan Garden is a famous classical garden, occupying about 5 acres. The garden was finished in 1577 by a government officer of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) named Pan Yunduan, and this garden was specially built for Pan's parents as a place for them to enjoy a tranquil and happy time in their old age.
In the 400 years of its existence, Yuyuan Garden had undergone many changes. During the late Ming Dynasty, it became very dilapidated with the decline of Pan's family. In 1760, some rich merchants bought Yuyuan Garden and spent more than 20 years reconstructing the buildings. During the Opium War, Yuyuan Garden was severely damaged, but the Yuyuan Garden you see today is the result of a five year restoration project which began in 1956. The garden was opened to the public in 1961We then spent some time in the Old Town and had dumplings from the famous dumpling shop outside the Garden near the tea House

Clearer air thank goodness-

Our first day of touring started with a visit to the Shanghai Museum - 4 stories of Chinese antiquities and arts in quite a modern building next to the People's Park. Outside there were kite vendors flying their wares and lots of small children running around. We started at the top and worked down through ceramics, Minority costumes,& furniture but didnt get to see lots, just a taste.
I was prepared to give Shanghai the benefit of the doubt about the haze. But my eyes have been giving me hell and today we moved on to Suzhou and they feel better already, then others said their eyes had been hurting. It reminds me of LA in 1984 when locals no longer noticed the pollution & just accepted it as natural. The traffic wasn’t that bad but it isn’t well managed so there are many traffic jams. The bonus was we didn’t go up the Jin Mao Tower because it would have been a waste of time. We went for a ride on the Maglev train instead - 431 kph top speed & 8 minutes for 30 km, which our guide Troy is so proud of. His naïve optimism is fascinating. He is committed to all the newness, the excitement of the changes, but unfortunately most of our group is here to see “the old stuff”, so he is treading a fine line all the time.
In the group there is an ex-pat Chinese, an accountant from Auckland and a Korean woman who works in the Tax Office in Canberra so fortunately we can’t be dismissed as Westerners who don’t know anything, & to their surprise most of us are well used to chopsticks. We have 5 people from England, including a gardener at a National Trust property, but there is a constant assumption we know nothing about China. One good thing about the group is that there are no smokers. However smoking is still a major problem in China with people still smoking everywhere. Although there are a huge number of bikes, scooters & motor bikes almost none of the riders wear helmets. On many major roads in cities there are dedicated lanes for them separated from the cars.
Up early this morning to drive to Suzhou, north of Shanghai. Distance-wise, it's only about 90 kms but due to weight of traffic takes around 3 hours. Sitting in slow moving traffic is something to get used to in China. Also, even if the traffic isn't heavy, you often don't go over about 60-80kms/hr because of the state of the roads. The major roads are pretty good, but some of the smaller ones are shocking, even though the drivers pay tolls on nearly all of them. The building thinned out between Shanghai and Suzhou, but you never actually felt like you'd hit "the country", it's housing and industry all the way. First stop was the government owned No. 1 Silk Mill, which opened in 1926. We saw silkworms eating their way through mulberry leaves right through to sale of the end products but mainly a huge shop selling silk stuff. Eddie had a go at stretching silk to make the duvets, and found it surprisingly difficult. The silk fibre itself is very strong. The factory also sells pillows filled with silkworm droppings, which are apparently good for insomnia - not sure that claim really needs to be tested. After lunch at the silk mill (along with a small and select group made up of about 40 other tourist coaches) we went on a boat trip on the Grand Canal, the oldest & longest canal in the world, the first 85 km section built in 495 BC. It finally became 2700 km long – an amazing feat like the building of the Great Wall. It winds through several cities including Suzhou which has 24canals with houses built all along these
. We then visited the "Master of the Nets Garden", the smallest private garden in the city.
There's a market lane from the garden back to the main street, so interesting to have our first experience of the bargaining required in a market street.
Wednesday 25 September
Suzhou also has several other world heritage gardens. This morning we visited the Humble Administrators Garden, a world heritage site covering about 11 acres of land and dating from 1509, the Ming Dynasty. The garden should be quite peaceful and calming apart from the sheer volume of visitors wandering around.

The start of the adventure

Ten hours on a plane is as boring as it gets, but 3 movies later and some television serials and we were in Shanghai at 6.45 their time, 40 minutes late. But all went smoothly with a guide from the tour company to meet us and a couple from Ballarat-Peter & Kathy , who are also doing a Wendy Wu tour. We went for a little walk around the hotel area, the Ramada CCECC, just a neighbourhood shopping area, had a bath and slept well.
Sunday 21 September
Breakfast was a good mix of Asian food, with a mix of customers too, but mainly Asian.
We got a taxi to the Old Town to look for the Antique market, Fuyou Market Fangbang Zhonglu, which we found without too much trouble. Lots of jade and wooden furniture and some Mao memoriabilia. We walked down Fangbang, lined with specialist tourist shops The weather is quite hot & with a fairly thick “fog’ . We then set out to look for the Bund and after a false start and a taxi ride found it. The river has a very high embankment to prevent flooding so you don’t immediately see the river. Up the stairs and there is a long walkway which gives you a good view of the fine buildings of the Bund.We had a long leisurely lunch at M On The Bund set up by an Australian, but food not very exciting but good ambience and great view of the Bund.

Off To China

Just double checking to see who has opened the blog

Just Testing

Just to check if this system will work in China

China
Eddie & I are going to China on Sat 20 September until Wednesday 22 October.
If you look on the map you can see where we are going. We fly into Shanghai and finish in Beijing, then have 5 days to get back to Hong Kong from Beijing.
Shanghai
A tour of the beautiful Yu Gardens, Shanghai Museum and the Old Town. Explore the Xintiandi area with 1920’s style ‘shikumen’ buildings unique to Shanghai.
Suzhou
A coach trip to Suzhou, known as the ‘Venice of the East’, to visit two of the finest oriental gardens - the Humble Administrator’s Garden and the Master of the Nets Garden, stay overnight. Later a cruise on the Grand Canal, followed by a visit to a Silk Mill still in operation .
Hangzhou
Travel by coach to Hangzhou and transfer to hotel for 2 nights. Visit the local markets and enjoy an oriental tea tasting. The next day visit the Temple of Inspired Seclusion and the Six Harmonies Pagoda. In the afternoon cruise on West Lake.
Hangzhou/Wuzhen/Shanghai
Travel by coach to Wuzhen, where an intricate system of canals and ancient pavilions and overhead bridges combine Plenty of time to explore this charming town at a leisurely walking pace. Return to Shanghai.


Shanghai
Visit to the famous Bund with shopping opportunities along Shanghai’s famed Nanjing Road. As a farewell celebration to the city an evening cruise on the Huangpu River with stunning water views.
Shanghai/Guilin
This morning cross the Nanpu Bridge to explore the Pudong area before flying to Guilin, for an overnight stay.
Li River Cruise/Yangshuo
Cruise on the spectacular Li River. Breathtaking views as we travel to Yangshuo for an overnight stay. On the next day we return to Guilin visiting Mt Diecai en-route.
Guilin/Kunming
Visit the Reed Flute Caves before boarding afternoon flight to Kunming, the capital of the Yunnan Province, for a 2 night stay. Sample the ‘Across the Bridge Noodles’ in the evening, the most famous meal in the province.

Kunming
A full day tour to the Stone Forest, where vast limestone columns rise in surreal shapes and images.
Kunming/Chongqing
Visit the Western Hills, often called the ‘Sleeping Beauty Hills’ as they resemble a woman’s prone body wrapping around the Dianchi Lake. Afterwards fly to Chongqing for an overnight stay.
Chongqing/Dazu
A tour of the city taking in Erlin Park, the People’s Hall and the General Stilwell Museum. By coach to Dazu, home to some of the most fascinating rock carvings in the world, the Beishan Frescoes.
Dazu/Chengdu
Visit the Baodin stone carvings, before travelling to Chengdu for a 3 night stay. Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province, renowned for its lush and dramatic landscapes as well as its popular and tasty cuisine. This evening enjoy a sumptuous Sichuan Banquet.
Chengdu - Leshan
An excursion to Leshan, to see the remarkable Giant Buddha. This enormous statue is carved into the side of Lingyun Mountain and is over 71 metres tall and wide enough for more than 100 people to sit between its feet. The massive carving began in 713 AD during the Tang Dynasty and was completed in 803 AD. The Buddha overlooks the confluence of the Min, Qingyi and Dadu rivers and is reputed to be the largest carved stone Buddha in the world. A local saying says, ‘The Mountain is a Buddha, the Buddha is a Mountain’.
Chengdu
Visit to the Panda Reserve to see these delightful animals being reared in wooded surroundings reminiscent of their native habitat; the lush mountain forests of Sichuan, as well as a local bamboo park. The next morning a city tour of Chengdu before boarding an overnight sleeper train to the ancient capital of Xian.
Xian
Arrive into the historic city of Xian for a 2 night stay. This afternoon visit the Little Wild Goose Pagoda and then a traditional Shui Jiao banquet in the evening.
Xian
We visit one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century - the life-size Terracotta Warriors, followed by a visit to the ancient City Wall, one of the few completely intact walls remaining in all of China. Complete this day with a live performance of Tang Dynasty dancing in the evening.
Xian
This morning visit the Shaanxi Museum, where thousands of priceless relics are housed. Walk through the lively Muslim Quarter, visit the Great Mosque and explore the interesting Islamic food markets, before boarding overnight sleeper train to Beijing.
Beijing
Arrive in Beijing early this morning. The first day of sightseeing includes a visit to the treasure filled Forbidden City and a stroll along famous Tiananmen Square past Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum. In the evening enjoy a sample of the delicacy ‘Peking Duck’. Tomorrow take an exciting walk on the Great Wall and tour the unique Temple of Heaven.
Beijing
Today we will visit the exquisite Summer Palace and enjoy a fascinating Chinese Acrobatic Show as our evening entertainment. The next morning we will visit the Lama Temple and enjoy some free time to shop at the Silk Markets.

Painting the town Red & Blue

They won!
Go to hepburnburras.com

Time to get out the red & blue flags. Hepburn Football Club had a big day on Saturday.


Hepburn Footy Club Firsts are in the Grand Final, the Hepburn Reserves are in the Grand Final. The Under 18's and the Under 15's have to win their matches next Saturday, so there could be 4 teams playing on Grand Final Day.
The Dunnstown Ground is great for viewing because it is sited at the base of a hill so rows of cars lined up on the hill, but the weather was miserable. The Firsts had an easy win, thanks to Andy McKay kicking two "miracle" goals. Lee Cox was back , but not kicking straight.
So it is the time of year to put out the red & the blue and send the teams on their way with all of our support.