China Study Tour arrives in Shanghai!
GREETINGS FROM CHINA! (Note–Due to a Chinese keyboard and the unsolicited characters coming up from it, Dr. Koplas was only able to type in English if she used capital letters.)
What's your temperature ?
WE HAVE ARRIVED IN CHINA TO FIND AN EXCITING AND WELCOMING COUNTRY. OUR INITIAL ARRIVAL AT THE AIRPORT HAD SOME DRAMA AS GOVERNMENT HEALTH OFFICIALS BOARDED THE PLANE IN HAZMAT SUITS TO CHECK THE BODY TEMPERATURE OF EACH PASSENGER ON BOARD. THE STUDENTS FOUND THIS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE AND LUCKILY ALL PASSENGERS ABOARD PASSED INSPECTION TO SAVE US ALL FROM SPENDING A MUCH LONGER TIME AT THE SHANGHAI AIRPORT.
THE GROUP DID A GREAT JOB FIGHTING JET LAG AND WE ALL ENJOYED A TYPICAL CHINESE DINNER TOGETHER TO START OFF THE TRIP. EVERYONE IS GETTING GREAT PRACTICE USING THEIR CHOPSTICKS EVEN THOUGH THE RESTAURANTS ARE PROVIDING US FORKS JUST IN CASE.
OUR FIRST FULL DAY STARTED OFF WITH A BUS RIDE TO TONGLI. THIS ANCIENT TOWN LOCATED WEST OF SHANGHAI SITS IN THE MIDST OF CANALS AND IS CALLED “THE VENICE” OF CHINA. WE TOOK “GONDALA” RIDES THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL TOWN AND SAW EVERYTHING FROM LOCALS ENJOYING THEIR DAY TO A SMALL MONKEY AT A FOOD STAND. AFTER OUR RIDE, WE VISITED THE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS IN THIS CITY WITH PAVILIONS AND A KOI-FILLED POND. IN THE TOWN SQUARE WE WERE ENTERTAINED BY AN ELDERLY MAN PLAYING A TRADITIONAL 2-STRINGED INSTRUMENT WHICH FILLED THE TOWN CENTER WITH LOVELY MUSIC.
OUR LUNCH WAS AT AN OLD TEA HOUSE BUILT IN 1888. IT WAS A DELICIOUS MEAL ACCOMPANINED BY WONDERFUL JASMINE TEA. WE TRAVELED ON TO SUZHOU AND TOURED THE LOVELY GARDENS OF THIS CITY. THEY ARE ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS GARDENS IN ALL OF CHINA. SADLY, THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE GARDENS LEFT THEM TO HIS SON WHO LOST THE PROPERTY WHILE GAMBLING. THESE GARDENS WERE LOVELY AND OUR TOUR GUIDE, EDWARD, EXPLAINED THE VARIOUS THEMES OF THE LANDSCAPE AND BUILDINGS. IN CHINA, ARTISTS AND NOT ARCHITECTS DESIGN GARDENS. THIS GARDEN INCLUDED BUILDINGS TO SYMBOLIZE A DRAGON, A SPECIAL HOUSE FOR MANDARIN DUCKS AND PAVILION HOUSING A HUGE PIECE OF BLACK JADE. THE ZIG-ZAG BRIDGES OF THE GARDEN HAVE THIS SHAPE TO BLOCK ANY EVIL SPIRITS FROM CROSSING THE WATER AS THE DEMONS CANNOT MOVE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
In the gardens of Suzhou
AFTER WALKING THROUGH SUZHOU, WE ENJOYED DINNER TOGETHER AT A DUMPLING RESTAURANT. THE GROUP STAYED CLEAR OF ORDERING THE PIG LUNG AND STUCK WITH MORE TRADITIONAL CHINESE FARE. THIS MORNING WE WILL VISIT A SILK FACTORY AND THEN RETURN TO SHANGHAI TO TOUR THE COUNTRY’S MAIN ART MUSEUM.
EVERYONE IS HAVING A FANTASTIC TIME AND GETTING TO PRACTICE SOME OF THEIR MANDARIN PHRASES.
DR. PATRICIA KOPLAS
BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
