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Viking China (Part 2)


BlueDevil75
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For those who go to Suzhou to the silk factory (I know Delights does but I'm not sure about Jewels and Roof), I just found the name of the place and a website for it. It is also reviewed on Trip Advisor. Yes, it is one of the shopping stops and there is a lot of discussion about the prices here but it is worth the time just to see how silk thread is made.

Choyers

94 Nanmen Rd., Suzhou

Even if you aren't going, the website is beautifully done.

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Someone on our trip bought a small rug and put it in his carryon baggage. In the airport (Shanghai, I believe, or possibly Wuhan) a beagle and person came up to him, asking if he had drugs, and if he had a "drug license." Apparently the beagle smelled something in the carpet that alerted the handler! The guy explained that he bought the rug (assume at the rug factory outside Shanghai, but since he wasn't in our group, I don't know for sure) and there was no problem.

 

I'm happy to report that the 8 computers on the Emerald have wifi and hard wire access right now, and I'm the only soul in the computer room. Of course, it IS only about 3:30 AM or so here - I have been to China a couple days now and still can't sleep past 3 AM...ugh! Also, there is no apparent restriction on what you send from the computers (photos, etc.), although obviously common sense would probably come into play here, as we ARE on a ship! The sign only says that we should limit our time on the computer to 45 minutes.

 

Question for you guys: We did the long "Walk down the tiny steps" in Wuhan yesterday. Luckily it wasn't raining, because the steps weren't exactly fun. Is there a similar docking situation in Chongqing, or is Wuhan the only scary place?

 

Going today to the school....

 

The Emerald is wonderful.

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We did the long "Walk down the tiny steps" in Wuhan yesterday. Luckily it wasn't raining, because the steps weren't exactly fun. Is there a similar docking situation in Chongqing, or is Wuhan the only scary place?

 

 

Below shows the steps in Chongqing

715438143_002.2100_470908_08.10Stepstoclimbtostreetlevel.jpg.6096bff3f4d2335c63f36c4cf1793587.jpg

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Thanks, still hard, but at least there's a wall to lean against on part of the trek. That's better than Wuhan. Some people were freaking out. I guess that's one more reason to pack a very small carryon for the flight to Xian! Were there any porters available for hire if you didn't want to slep your bag up/down, or were they all busy slepping the checked bags, as they were in Wuhan?

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Thanks, still hard, but at least there's a wall to lean against on part of the trek. That's better than Wuhan. Some people were freaking out. I guess that's one more reason to pack a very small carryon for the flight to Xian! Were there any porters available for hire if you didn't want to slep your bag up/down, or were they all busy slepping the checked bags, as they were in Wuhan?

 

Yes, there are local porters anxious to carry anything you have up those steps, even willing to carry you. Negotiate the amount of payment first if you want to do this.

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Romeosc, please tell me more about the t.w. purchase. Where you bought, how big are they, how many per box, any problems bringing to US, etc. Did you buy at end of trip or beginning? (wondering about carrying them on smaller flights) Thanks! They sound like an awesome souvenir!

 

Besides the little warriors that "unofficial" vendors were selling, there were also "official reproductions" of the warriors in many sizes sold in the government store at the Terra Cotta Warriors museum itself, some a bit smaller than those pictured here. (You can ship home an actual life size warrior! :)) I brought back two of the smaller ones, an archer and a standing warrior (the latter is only about 9 inches high). They were packed nicely in boxes and I carried them on the planes. (BTW, the flights inside China are not "small" flights. No problem taking carryons aboard.)

 

WarriorsforSale_01.jpg

 

(photo by turtles06)

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Besides the little warriors that "unofficial" vendors were selling, there were also "official reproductions" of the warriors in many sizes sold in the government store at the Terra Cotta Warriors museum itself, some a bit smaller than those pictured here. (You can ship home an actual life size warrior! :)) I brought back two of the smaller ones, an archer and a standing warrior (the latter is only about 9 inches high). They were packed nicely in boxes and I carried them on the planes. (BTW, the flights inside China are not "small" flights. No problem taking carryons aboard.)

 

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

And if you don't want to schlep warriors with you, you can buy a set of four small ones --the same ones that are for sale in the shop at the Warriors--from National Geographic for just $35 plus shipping. They are about 5 inches tall. We bought them before our trip but I wouldn't let my husband put them out until we got home. (What? Me? Superstitious?)

 

These are not the same ones that caribill talks about buying from the street vendors.

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I'm happy to report that the 8 computers on the Emerald have wifi and hard wire access right now, and I'm the only soul in the computer room. Of course, it IS only about 3:30 AM or so here - I have been to China a couple days now and still can't sleep past 3 AM...ugh! Also, there is no apparent restriction on what you send from the computers (photos, etc.), although obviously common sense would probably come into play here, as we ARE on a ship! The sign only says that we should limit our time on the computer to 45 minutes.

 

WooHoo! That is a distinct improvement over what was available on the Century Sun. The computers were so slow that we were asked not to try to upload pictures. Molasses was faster than those computers; even programs were slow to open.

 

Question for you guys: We did the long "Walk down the tiny steps" in Wuhan yesterday. Luckily it wasn't raining, because the steps weren't exactly fun. Is there a similar docking situation in Chongqing, or is Wuhan the only scary place?

.

 

Yes, those tiny steps were awkward but they don't come anywhere close to Chongqing in the rain. If it is raining in Chongqing then you will find yourself climbing up a waterfall. Along with arranging for a porter to carry your bags, put an extra pair of socks in your carry-on, shoes, too, if you can manage it.

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Hi, Roothy123. So much fun reading your "live" posts. Sure hope your body clock resets before you have to fly home. :p

 

I'm wondering if you are seeing any beautiful fall colors anywhere yet? Also, how is the weather (temperature? humidity? any rain?)?

 

Xie xie! (which I hope means thank you ;))

 

PS - anyone else who has sailed in October, feel free to chime in on what you experienced

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Someone on our trip bought a small rug and put it in his carryon baggage. In the airport (Shanghai, I believe, or possibly Wuhan) a beagle and person came up to him, asking if he had drugs, and if he had a "drug license." Apparently the beagle smelled something in the carpet that alerted the handler! The guy explained that he bought the rug (assume at the rug factory outside Shanghai, but since he wasn't in our group, I don't know for sure) and there was no problem.

 

Kinda scary!! :eek: Makes one wonder exactly what the rug was made of ... or perhaps it had been exposed to some workers "smoking in the back room" and it absorbed residue. :rolleyes: In any case, glad nobody was carted off with the local gendarme.

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Romeosc, please tell me more about the t.w. purchase. Where you bought, how big are they, how many per box, any problems bringing to US, etc. Did you buy at end of trip or beginning? (wondering about carrying them on smaller flights) Thanks! They sound like an awesome souvenir!

 

The terra cotta warriors were in nice gift boxes... 4 to a box 6" tall.

 

I took them out of boxes(even though they were nice cloth lined) because of size limitations!

 

I wrapped each in paper while on Vikings bus and put them all in a small backpack. We had no problems on any of the intranet china fights including caring the silk rug and 30 Mont Blanc pen sets(lol)!

 

They look like chess pieces on a large chess set.

 

They were bought at the Ming Tombs in Beijing...... The first days of our trip!

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The terra cotta warriors were in nice gift boxes... 4 to a box 6" tall.

 

I took them out of boxes(even though they were nice cloth lined) because of size limitations!

 

I wrapped each in paper while on Vikings bus and put them all in a small backpack. We had no problems on any of the intranet china fights including caring the silk rug and 30 Mont Blanc pen sets(lol)!

 

They look like chess pieces on a large chess set.

 

They were bought at the Ming Tombs in Beijing...... The first days of our trip!

I'm very interested in the 30 Mont Blanc pens. Are they easy to find? I gather they looked good or did you buy them as a joke. I bought 10 pair of Oakley sunglasses in Mexico that had Oakley spelled wrong as a joke for stocking stuffers. I plan on buying some joke type items this trip, like the Mao watches.

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Hi, Roothy123.

I'm wondering if you are seeing any beautiful fall colors anywhere yet? Also, how is the weather (temperature? humidity? any rain?)?

 

/QUOTE]

 

Weather has been very gray, but not hot, and not rainy, and not all that humid. We're currently on the Yangtze and had an absolutely beautiful day today - sunny at last, and it felt great. Blue skies, which we didn't see in the big cities. I am hoping for more blue skies, but who knows.....

 

Make sure to take a reasonably warm jacket, though, for in the gorges. It gets a bit chilly there.

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Main reason for post is to see if my new countdown clocks appear. We're going in Oct, 2012, and I think, after all the info I've gotten, I owe it to future cruisers to share my thoughts, assuming I can remember all this for over a year--lol.

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I'm a mad Mb person, owning pens, pencils, blotters, ink bottles, etc. But now I've retired, (really retired--absolutely no work) and have no need to use them. We don't have a home office, so really nowhere to put them. Very sad....:mad: But since retirement is so wonderful, I will live with this trauma.

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Main reason for post is to see if my new countdown clocks appear. We're going in Oct, 2012, and I think, after all the info I've gotten, I owe it to future cruisers to share my thoughts, assuming I can remember all this for over a year--lol.

 

Sig file secrets: Unless you have just added a sig file to your profile, you can check an update on any of your existing posts that already has your sig file attached. If it is showing an older version, re-load the page. (This is a lot easier than a new post every time you want to check changes to your sig file--but certainly not as sociable. :))

 

Even your oldest post will show your current sig file (provided that a sig file was part of the post to begin with). That is because, to save server space, each post has a short bit of code telling the server to show or not show your sig file when it displays your post. There is just one copy of your most recent sig file stored on the server.

 

There is a show/no-show option for sig files each time you write a post. It is found below the 'submit reply' button--which means for some of us that we never see it (especially when I'm working on my netbook).

 

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I'm very interested in the 30 Mont Blanc pens. Are they easy to find? I gather they looked good or did you buy them as a joke. I bought 10 pair of Oakley sunglasses in Mexico that had Oakley spelled wrong as a joke for stocking stuffers. I plan on buying some joke type items this trip' date=' like the Mao watches.[/quote']

 

They look great .... Nice box with name on them! The weight is the give a way! Most venders on street and in market have them or variations. Also ornamental chopsticks and MaJong sets. We brought back over 150 pounds of booty not counting silk rug.

 

wife had guide write out in Chinese several notes "PLEASE GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THEM.... IF YOU DON'T WANT". Wy wife brought all older outfits which she left at hotels and on boat to make room for purchases!

 

We had 2 large suitcases each with a suitcase inside and 2 carryons.....left China with 4 suitcases full of new stuff as well as 3 carryons and a silk rug! Felt like a Jewish Santa when we got home!

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They look great .... Nice box with name on them! The weight is the give a way! Most venders on street and in market have them or variations. Also ornamental chopsticks and MaJong sets. We brought back over 150 pounds of booty not counting silk rug.

 

wife had guide write out in Chinese several notes "PLEASE GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS THEM.... IF YOU DON'T WANT". Wy wife brought all older outfits which she left at hotels and on boat to make room for purchases!

 

We had 2 large suitcases each with a suitcase inside and 2 carryons.....left China with 4 suitcases full of new stuff as well as 3 carryons and a silk rug! Felt like a Jewish Santa when we got home!

What a hoot! I laughed till my stomach hurt when I read about your packed suitcases for the return journey. We were in Turkey last fall but didn't buy any rugs as they were too patterned. I like the Chinese carpets more as they are often floral and the colours aren't generally so dark. I imagine if you buy a larger one you can have it shipped. Thanks so much for the shopping tips, I'm definitely coming home with Mont Blanc pens, Terra Cotta Warriors, and if I can find them antique books.

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Hi all. Just opened a Roll Call for: Viking Emerald-Beijing/Shanghai-10/10/2012. I know it is probably too early, and won't get a lot of hits, but you never know. Anyway it's out there, under Roll Calls, "All River Cruises."

 

Jim, Never too soon! But, now you have to babysit that thread and keep it hot. (BTW, river cruise roll calls are not like mainstream roll calls; with 1/10th the number of passengers, there will be 1/10th the number of roll call participants--but don't let that stop you!!!!! Roll calls are great.)

 

I see that you have put a link to it in you sig file; I call it free advertising for the roll call--and perhaps the only 'advertising' allowed on CC. ;) Why not add a link for this thread as well?

 

AND, it is also another teaching moment (hey, there is no manual for this place, so we have to share what we know). So, here is how to insert an embedded link into your text. This is an embedded link: Viking Emerald Roll Call (Oct 10,2012). It says one thing on the screen but if you click on it, it will take you to another webpage. If you roll your mouse over it, you see the URL. Why take the time to do it? Because it looks good and is easy to read. Because CC servers sometimes truncate URLs when they display them.

 

How to: The secret is one of those icons that runs across the top of the compose window (either reply or when creating a sig file). The icon you are looking for is the one that says INSERT LINK when you mouse over it.

  1. Copy the link you want to insert. e.g., your roll call http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1501259
  2. Type the text that you want to appear on page: Viking Emerald etc.
  3. Highlight the text.
  4. Click on the INSERT LINK icon.
  5. Paste the URL into the textbox and hit OK.

You now have a link to your roll call embedded in the text rather that a URL. Magic!

 

You can also insert pictures into a text in the same way, as long as the picture has a URL (which means it is on some public server like Picasa or Flickr or whatever). Use the INSERT PICTURE icon to insert a picture at the point where the cursor is when you click the icon.(CC likes when we use this feature because it is less being stored on the CC servers.)

 

Jim, one last thing. You never saw the "show/no show" thing because it was BELOW the submit reply button -- and who reads past that??????

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Peregrina, your tips on how to work this site are really helpful, keep them coming! I know I have to keep on top of the Roll Call site, which is fine, but this is my first time doing the lead on a Roll Call, so hope I keep it going. Anyway, it is coming up on Midnight here, but I wanted to see if anyone popped up. "See ya" tomorrow.

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Peregrina, your tips on how to work this site are really helpful, keep them coming! I know I have to keep on top of the Roll Call site, which is fine, but this is my first time doing the lead on a Roll Call, so hope I keep it going. Anyway, it is coming up on Midnight here, but I wanted to see if anyone popped up. "See ya" tomorrow.

 

Jim, see one, do one, teach one. ;)

 

If you have any CC how-to questions, just e-mail me (it's in my sig file). If I know the answer, I'll be happy to share.

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