(Newswire.net — September 9, 2014) Singapore, Singapore — Since we’re currently living in Singapore and love to travel, we decided to take a family vacation to China. We signed up for a 13-day tour that started in Beijing then flew to Lhasa, Tibet and finished in Shanghai. We decided to add a day on in Shanghai because we knew we’d like to see more attractions there.
Since our daughter is in sixth grade and our son in fourth grade at Singapore American School, we decided to go during their Interim School vacation in February. We had a wonderful time! Our children are learning Mandarin in school but since they just started, they’re not fluent yet. We decided to sign up with a tour group so we would have a guide to translate everything into English.
Our journey started in Beijing. We knew to bring masks because of all the pollution, and were grateful that the air was clean when we were there. We stood in the middle of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, making funny faces for photos to send to our friends back home in the United States. We visited the Great Wall and our kids pretended they were flying. We took some great videos. At dinner our meal also had entertainment – real kung fu martial artists. My husband and son are now begging me to learn kung fu when we return back to Singapore.
As we flew over China to Lhasa, Tibet, I was amazed at the beauty of the Chinese countryside. I was used to flying over the middle of the United States and seeing farmlands, but these were different. The mountains were beautiful. When we approached Lhasa, we were amazed at the majestic peaks of the Himalayas. Besides the rugged beauty of the countryside, I was impressed by the beauty of the culture and simple lifestyle of the Tibetan people. They were so joyful and yet down-to-earth. Their peacefulness transferred to me and my family.
When we arrived in Xi`an, we didn’t quite know what to expect. My husband and I had seen a traveling exhibit of the Xi`an Terracotta Warriors when we were on a trip to New York City before we had kids. We talked about seeing them in person. Let me just say – they are HUGE! I didn’t know that they would be that gigantic! What impressed me is that they didn’t find them until 1974 – only 40 years ago. If those farmers hadn’t been thirsty and drilling for water wells, they still wouldn’t have been found.
After Tibet and Xian, we weren’t sure how the rest of the trip would live up to our high expectations. We were completely impressed by the beauty of the mountains and valleys as we cruised down the Li River to Yangshuo. Simply gorgeous, again. We have so many options for our family Christmas photo this year.
In Guilin we visited the Reed Flute Cave, the Seven Star Park and Elephant Trunk Hill. These were very descriptive names for the areas, and we were not disappointed. When we finally arrived at Shanghai, we were all excited to be there and sad that our great family tour was ending in a day.
We visited the Shanghai Museum, the Yuyuan Garden and took a cruise on the Huangpu River. The next day we rode an elevator to the top of the Shanghai World Financial Center and looked at the view from outside. It reminded me of the Empire State Building in New York City. The ride took a few minutes and all of our ears popped from the gain in altitude. Because my son and I wanted to visit the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium, and my husband and daughter wanted to visit the Shanghai Science & Technology Museum, we split up and did both. As my son (who is fascinated by sharks) and I walked around the aquarium, we spent the most time in a long tunnel that goes underwater. We saw many different types of fish, coral reefs and a kelp cave. I had been in an aquarium on Maui and in San Francisco that also had underwater tunnels, but my son and I agree that the Shanghai Ocean Aquarium was the best.
When we met up with my husband and daughter for dinner that night, we exchanged stories and photos about our separate adventures. My daughter, who loves science and is fascinated by robots, was most impressed by the Wisdom of Light Hall.
By the time we returned home to Singapore, we were all exhausted and had a great time. It wasn’t our typical vacation that it was worth it to get to spend quality time with our kids.
About Singapore American School
Established in 1956, the school primarily serves the American and international expatriate communities of Singapore. SAS is registered with the Singapore Council for Private Education, affiliated with the Office of Overseas Schools through the U.S. Department of State, and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).