Pre-honeymoon warm-up: China
Only a couple weeks after getting hitched, we packed our bags and headed East and spent two weeks backpacking around China getting warmed-up for our trip next year. Just a quick summary:
Shanghai –> Jiuzhaigou –> Songpan –> Chengdu –> Xian –> Beijing –> Suzhou –> Shanghai
For details and pictures
It was my first time to China, and Anthony’s second, therefore, he was thrilled to be the one showing me my “homeland” and helping me get to know my peoples. Needless to say, I have much more insight as to why I am the way I am and why I’m a little nutty sometimes because the Chinese are a little nutty too ! (Or at least I can now rest assured that I am in good company – after all, a billion plus people can’t be wrong right?). In short, we had an amazing time and can’t wait to continue our travel adventures on on our honeymoon.
Some highlights:
– $0.20 breakfast crepes from the streetvendor outside our apt
– Anthony vs. the scooter (unfortunately, the scooter may have won)
– Adventures and lots of laughs with Cousin Becky from Singapore
– Meeting our friend Texas, the Tibetan monk who wears Nikes, has a cell phone, drinks beer and carries around a wad of US dollars
– Some of the most amazing waterways and scenery @ Juizhaigou
– The restaurant owner in Songpan who treated us to his homemade moonshine and gave Anthony majong tips
– $4 hour long Tibetan massages
– Dinner and foot massages – our wild night out with Shan’s dad
– Our crazy dinner in Xian in the Muslim quarter – some of the best food we had in China, some of the nicest people, lots of pictures, lots of laughs
– HOT pot!
– The Ives China reunion
– Friends that we visited and that came to visit: Jennie Z, Ron, the Smiths, the Yangs
Shan
Tags: Asia, China, Getting Started, Travel
Shan