Today was a resting day. We didn’t budge from the campground till the afternoon. In the morning we played around in the playground and then in the RV. It was a hot day and at noon temperature was around 30 centigrade. We also sensed that the kids were tired of sleeping in the stroller or in the car seats so we put them in their bed for noontime nap. Not easy to get all three to fall asleep together. After an hour of work they fell asleep for 2 quiet hours.
In the afternoon we headed back to
Hi All
Yesterday we arrived to Kunming, Capital of Yunnan Province, 5 Million people. Going from the airport we noticed a lot of motorcycles standing on the side of the road, with the drivers. It appears that those are motor-taxis. They are cheaper then regular taxis and can get faster in the traffic jams which plague the city (and actually all the other big cities in china).
Then we were stopped by the police. They were checking whether the bus is not overloaded (to many passangers or luggage. It was OK. Read the rest of this entry »
We had a bothersome night though. Orr sometimes wakes up screaming as if the world is coming to an end. Her lungs work so hard that we are afraid she will wake up the entire campground, not to mention Shir and Ron that share her bed. The funny thing is that the screaming starts and ends abruptly without any visible reason that we can think of. In the morning she awakes all smiles and joviality. Read the rest of this entry »
My parents are traveling in China now. Dad is sending updates describing their amazing journey. Look for blog posts by Abraham about China.
have only a few minutes before leaving hotel.
now in Kunming, visited stone forest, AMAZING.
heading towards the west hills of kunmin and then to Guilin (flight)
forward this to others.
bye, kisses,
dad
Finally the weather is with us! We woke up to a nice and sunny morning today. Shir had a bit of a fever last night but it wore off during the day. The kids were overjoyed to spill out of the RV right after breakfast and run around the gravel around the motorhome. Not that they don’t like their current home. In fact, both Shir and Orr can now say RV! We crossed the border into
It was snowing a bit at night but by morning only 2 or 3 inches accumulated on grassy patches, and the road was clear. It was very cold outside, probably -5 Celsius. Outside the RV the cold and wind were bone chilling, but inside it was nice and cozy, except right next to the windows.
The kids woke us up at 6am after several episodes during the night. Ron puked twice for some unknown reason. Read the rest of this entry »
Silver Sky RV Park,
Today was a long day on the road. That road is called Route 50. It starts in
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We woke up to a cold rainy day. I went to the campground office to check road conditions and although it was snowing in the
Today is an all Tibetian day. The city of Shangrila (Zhiongiang) sits at the elevation of 3450 meters.
the highest point of today’s escapades was 3700 meters. Around us we can see the mountain tips of the eastern part of Himalaya with snowcaps on top. We went to see the highest lake in the Yunnan Region, elevation 3600 m. (remember lake Tahoe?), the lake Bita (Alon in hebrew) named so because of the trees surrounding it. At this hight in Europe or the States the mountains are bare, but here everything is green and many forests. Again we had to walk on a kind of boardwalk about 3 km, and at that altitude it is quite an achievemnt. Rachel did quite well. We saw a lot of chinese people there – remember they have a week off in honour of the May 1st labour day. Many of them walking with oxygen masks. The air was thin, but pure and with perfect visibility. Since our arrival to Beijing and up to Xian the visibility was quite poor.
Our local guide is a Tibetian women of 24, Dorma is her Chinglish name. Her real name is quite complicated. When they enter studies of tourism and the English language, they get an english name. She is single, living in Shangri La in a rented room withouth toilets and bath. She is taking a shower once a week in a public place. When some of us invited her to take a shower in the hotel, she refused explaining that this is customary here. Her parents are farmers living 600 km away, deep in Tibet. She is one of 5 children. She is nice and speaks not so fluent Chinglish (Chinese English).
Later we visited a Tibetian Temple, a replica of the big one in Lhassa. quite impressive, colorfull with Tibetian buddhas everywhere. Situated on a top of a hill, it has a very impressive view, but the approach quite difficult. Again Rachel did not disappoint and saw all the buddhas, as most of the group (but not all).
Everywhere one can feel the preparations for the Olympic year. The road to the temple is being reconstructed, The entrance to the lake reserve is being built from scratch, a lot of chinese working everywhere to get ready on time.
The evening we spent dancing in the main square along with a million or so chinese and in a tea house sipping some butter tea with cookies (chinese of course).
Tomorrow early we fly to Kunming, the Capital of Yunnan, elevation 2000.
Goodnight
Abraham
Hello all
This evening we arrived to Ziongjang (Shangri-la) which geographically and historically belongs to Tibet, but now it is a part of the Yunan province. The town is situated at around 3000 meters above sea level. In the hotel room in the mini bar they have Oxygen bottles! We went to the main square of the old city and found thousands of chinese poeple of all ages sexes and appearances (including folk dresses) dancing in one big circle with many other concentric ones, some kind of chinese folk dances. We joined of course, including Mom, Varda and Elisheva.
This morning we left Lijiang, this beautiful little town of 1 million people, with its old town and picturesque little narrow streets. We rode along the Yangtse river. At some point there is a path of 1.5 kilometers leading to some viewpoints, where the river runs fast with many rapids. Mom did the whole trip by foot, there and back! Kol Hakavod. Then we visited a typical Tibetian Village and a house. Little children met us at the entry murmuring something that appeared to be: one yuan. Their faces are typical mongolian type, they are dirty and with snotty noses. Most of the houses are built of wood and tit. The one we entered was an all wooden one and quite nice, with a lot of electrical appliances. To enter it you have to climb steep wooden stairs, one floor up (the first floor is occupied by their animal stock – mostly pigs, but they have cows and yaks). Over there a big room with wood stove, Mao`s picture, and dried meat hanging from the ceiling. the man of the house was working in the yard, preparing wooden blocks for his house. A few of the neighbours little kids escorted us inside.
After leaving Lijiang we lost connection thru Cellcom. We are staying here (Ziongjang) for 2 nights and then flying to Kunming, a big City in the south. I hope there our connection will resume.
In Ziongjang (I may be misspelling the name, but Mom is sleeping and I cannot take a look into the map or papers) we are in the Holy Palace hotel tel (86 887) xxx xxxx room xxxx. I hope to write you tomorrow as well since in this hotel the internet bussines center is open 24 hours. In the previous ones we arrived to the hotels after closing times (22:00).
Hemi, How is your trip going on. Where are you now?
Regards and kisses
Abraham
p.s.
1. Our group is quite good, with very little exceptions. The ages are from mid forties to at least one 74 year old. But he is in no worse shape then i am, I found it out when we both hurried up from the bank of the Yellow river in ChonQuing, to the upper boardwalk, on stairs and he jept up with me!
2. The group started to learn a Polish song the melody of which we danced in the main square in Chongquing. I am the teacher and the our guide is very entusiasting about it.
Good night