The Chamber's First China Trip - An Adventure in Contrasts

October 23rd was departure day for the Toledo Regional Chamber’s first trip to China. Twenty-four travelers would spend the next nine days together experiencing the sights and sounds of Beijing and Shanghai.

First stop was Beijing, the capital city of modern China. Upward growth and new construction is apparent throughout the city. In contrast to the new growth seen in the city of Beijing are the ancient venues, both within Beijing and on the outskirts of the city, steeped in centuries of tradition and history. The Temple of Heaven, where emperors prayed for good harvests, is a peaceful public park where people meet each morning to play mahjong, perform tai chi, sing and walk. 

 After a visit to a jade factory and a cloisonné factory, the group made its way to The Great Wall. This incredible man-made fortification extends for 4,000 miles through the Chinese countryside and can also be seen from space. As the bus brought us back to Beijing, we viewed some of the signature buildings built for the 2008 Olympics, including the Water Cube and the Bird’s Nest stadium.  

The second day was no less busy as the first, with a visit to the Summer Palace, a retreat for the emperors from the heat of Beijing. Next, a peek at everyday life was provided with a visit to a Hutong. These preserved neighborhoods represent old Beijing where homes were built close together within a walled complex. A homemade dumpling lunch served at a private home, a rickshaw ride, and a visit to a local market completed our experience in this historical district.

The Forbidden City was the next stop. Also called the Palace Museum, this walled complex was home to emperors, including the last emperor who lived there in the early 1900’s. Tian An Men Square, the largest public square in the world, sits just outside the Forbidden City. Surrounded by the People’s House and other government buildings, Tian An Men is bustling with people as evening fell on the city. A regional dish, Peking Duck, was offered for dinner that evening capping a very full second day in China.

Next on the itinerary was Shanghai where the group attended the 2010 World Expo. A huge complex of pavilions hosted by countries around the world has seen more than 72 million visitors since it opened in April 2010.

We then traveled to Suzhou, “Venice of the East” and the silk capital of China. Suzhou’s old city is built around a series of canals and the entire area (both old and new) is considered a “small city”, home to 3 million residents with 3-4 million additional transient workers. A short visit to Tiger Hill with its signature leaning temple tower capped the day’s travels.

A visit to a silk factory in Suzhou is a must as is a boat ride on the canals that snake through the old city. A contrast of old and new is apparent as the boat floats past old homes on the canal with an occasional glimpse of a satellite dish or the high speed train passing over the canal.

Hangzhou was our next stop. This city is growing at a very fast pace with rice paddies being reclaimed for new construction. In addition to manufacturing growth, the area is known for tea. A visit to a tea plantation allowed us to see how tea is grown, to learn the proper way to brew tea (no boiling water!), and hear about the health benefits of green tea. A visit to a Buddhist temple concluded our stay in Hangzhou. Next stop – Shanghai!

A nighttime arrival in Shanghai offers a stunning view of this modern city with its lights and new construction along the Huangpu River. The Shanghai skyline is both gorgeous and overwhelming at the same time. It seems that every building is lit with different colors and patterns. The view is overwhelming also when you understand that all of this new construction, comparable to a building an entirely new city, has been completed in just twenty years.

The last full day in China presented the group with a unique experience – a ride on Shanghai’s MagLev train. This train is the only one in existence and operates from Shanghai to the international airport in Pudong – a distance of about 18 miles. The train runs on magnetic levitation and only travels this route….at an astonishing 200 miles per hour!

China leaves a traveler with so many impressions…ancient sites….modern construction…technology visible everywhere…the sheer volume of people and vehicles. Words do not begin to describe what you might experience in person.

Are you interested in joining the next Chamber trip to China? If so, please email Marsha Schroeder or call 419-243-8191 ext. 228.