LESHAN

Today we are going to see the GRAND BUDDHA in Leshan which is a 2hr journey by coach.

This is a remarkable sight from the river, which is the best way to view this GIANT. The Buddha has 2 guardians either side of him and was initiated by a monk called Haithong. Construction started  in 713 AD and completed in 803 as funds ran out and Haithong died.

We then visited the wonderful tea houses that line the river where the locals relaxed,  playing cards and Mahjong whilst sipping tea.

HUANGLONGXI

300 year old houses which are private homes to these ancient village people who live in this stunning place.

There are tea houses, restaurants and food shops where you can sample the produce whilst watching them make it. I loved this magical , friendly and very relaxing community.

Entrance to the Grand Buddha

The Grand Buddha

Getting up close...

A local shrine

Huanglongxi

Can you keep a secret...?

So that's how it's done...

Huanglongxi waterway

CHENGDU

Today we fly to Chengdu, which has a population of 12 million and is a busy modern city.

We have the afternoon at leisure – right, time for exploring!

Traditional Chengdu Street

Mmmm - local delicacies

Traditional gardens

Local costumes

Buy a lucky card, make a wish and hang it up until it comes true!

Meeting the local Tai Chi master

THREE GORGES DAM

Enjoyed a good night’s sleep and then an early rise to a beautiful sunrise followed by breakfast and a great day ahead that I am so looking forward to. There were so many Wendy Wu passengers we got to meet, along with local guides, Aron, Maggie and Bob.

We are visiting the Three Gorges Dam which was started in 1993 and completed fully in 2009.

The dam was built in three stages and is the largest dam in the world.

Escorting us today was Maggie, who had a great sense of humour.  She introduced herself as our Dam guide and we were her Dam tourists, this made our mood  relaxed and happy. We were all looking forward to an enjoyable day sailing through the ship’s locks before we head out into the main Yangtze.

The river flows through the plateaus of Tibet to Shanghai.

Maggie - our 'Dam' guide

Me with guides Eric and Bob

Fountain by the Three Gorges Dam

Careful now!

Three Gorges Dam cable car

Three Gorges Dam cable car at sunset

YANGTZE RIVER

Today after another hearty breakfast with Eric and fellow passengers,  we fly to Wuhan and then take a coach for 4 hrs to Yichang to meet the river cruise ship. It’s a long day but relaxing and well worth it when you get to the Yangtze River.

We boarded our ship, President  2, it was fabulous: spacious cabins with large outside window, a TV and fridge.  There is a ballroom,  lobby  bar and a great glass sun lounge bar on the top deck with magnificent views of the river. Dinner was served in a welcoming dining room and was an amazing feast of dishes with fruit and cake to finish. All served by Happy, our waitress.

Yangtze River

XIAN

Arrived in Xian and the hotel is excellent – I had a great night’s sleep.  I joined Eric, our national escort,  at breakfast, which was good with a lot of choice so I indulged and made sure I had plenty to keep out the cold. It was snowing!

Xian is a beautiful, walled city and has a population of 11 million.

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS

Today we see this amazing army, located in Lintong County about 45 mins drive from the city. The 6,000 strong army was built  in 1420 by Emperor Quin to look after him in his after- life. It took 4 decades and over ¼ million men to complete. It lay buried for centuries and was rediscovered by farmers digging for a well in the 1970’s. INCREDIBLE – we are not clever enough to build this today.

MUSLIM QUARTERS

We tried the local food at the market stalls, which was delicious, and did some well earned shopping with the locals.

XIAN CITY WALL

The city wall, 14kms long and built over 600yrs ago in the Ming Dynasty, is stunning.

There is a Bell and Drum Tower that were used as a clock and you can take a bike ride (tandem as well) on the wall for approx 20 RMB for 1 hr – we did it and it was really good fun!

Xian City Wall

Xian guards in traditional dress