Good morning jazz fans! We just finished our long, relaxed, and luxurious breakfast here at the Westin Hotel. We spoil ourselves with thick french toast, steamed dumplings, meat buns, pastries, Earl Grey tea, yellow watermelon, and omelets made to order. Mmm! Yesterday we journeyed to the top of Baiyun Hill. We took an exciting cable car ride to the top and explored the aesthetically pleasing rainforest of sorts.
After a breezy ride down the hill in a large golf cart, we went to the Canton Tower where in a speedy elevator we shot up to the 108th floor! The view was breathtaking and we ended our fabulous day with a river cruise on the Pearl River. That’s all for now!!
After a long stroll on the bund in Shanghai with a light breeze refreshing our faces, the jazz dancers packed up and flew to Guangzhou. It is the third largest city in China and filled with lush, green vegetation. Included in our day of sightseeing was the Liurong Temple where in the midst of magnificent trees stands a towering pagoda.
The culture here is very different from what we are used to, but we love the enthrallment of being in the center of it all! The people here are extremely kind to us and ask for their pictures to be taken with us so frequently that it almost makes us blush! We are excited to see more of Guangzhou in upcoming days!
The Jazz Dancers have arrived safe and sound in Shanghai, China and we are loving every minute here. After the 14 hour flight we sat down to an authentic chinese dinner where we ate spicy tofu and watched a traditional chinese play. The next morning we exercised, as we dancers are trained to do, in the beautiful wellness spa at our hotel. Breakfast is a real treat here: omelets, grapefruit, freshly squeezed juices, pastries, dumplings, pan seared buns, and even baked beans! We had our first practice at the Oriental Sports Arena for the Shanghai Citizens Game and got to observe the other dancers participating in the program.
Last night we went to the circus where we saw everything from trampolinists and motorcyclists to contortionists and acrobats. Today we visited the Jade Buddha Temple and learned of the Chinese peoples dominant religion. After we went to the silk factory and former French Quarter we relaxed and strolled through the Yu GardenŠbeautiful. We’re excited for the rest of our stay here in China!
