Viking China (Part 2)

[caribill]

I remember there have been a number of posts about good private tour guides for Beijing, but I do not remember any for Shanghai.

 

Does anyone have a suggestion for a good guide in Shanghai?

 

A friend of ours will have a couple of days in Shanghai next year before their Viking tour starts.

 

Thanks.

[Happy Tourista]

Sunflower Tours operates in Shanghai. While Sunflower herself is Beijing, she seems only to hire exceptionally qualified guides, so I would not hesitate to use one of her guides in Shanghai.

[caribill]

Sunflower Tours operates in Shanghai. While Sunflower herself is Beijing, she seems only to hire exceptionally qualified guides, so I would not hesitate to use one of her guides in Shanghai.

 

Thanks.

 

Do you have any contact information?

[Happy Tourista]

http://www.sunflowertourschina.com

[caribill]

http://www.sunflowertourschina.com

 

Thanks again

[BSinPNS]

Thanks to everyone for all the helpful hints. We are at the Seattle airport getting ready to depart for Shanghai. Have booked pre/post tours with China Odyssey based on TA reviews. Very efficient group to work with - assigned a specialist who helped plan and arrange. Spending five days pre in Shanghai and they have arranged overnight tours to Suzhou and Hangzhou. Will provide trip report and more info on our return.

[garf1108]

Great - keep us updated as I am contemplating a similar tour.

[cruzersky2]

I took the cruise last June - Shanghai- Beijing. We had lot of rain in Shanghai; the day we were going to something else (?) and then the plane. Got soaked at the Bund! Had a rain jacket & umbrella so I was dry except my shoes. Wish I tossed some flats or flip flops in my carry-on.

[dlopez]

Hello, everyone,

 

Currently in Beijing on the next to last Cultural Delights tour. First of all, we had a fantastic free day with Sunflower Li. Everything that's been said about her is accurate. She is fantastic! Her name suits her perfectly. We went to the zoo first to see the Pandas and then on to the Summer Palace. We spent a lot of time there and all well worth it. After a delicious lunch at a local Chinese restaurant, we went to the Temple of Heaven. However, they had changed the time for the last entry, so we couldn't get in to the main halls. (She argued as much as she could, but no one would budge.) So she offered to take us back the next day at no additional charge. We were supposed to have a free afternoon; however, Viking changed the schedule, and we had to cancel it. When we returned to the hotel, she had left each of us a tin of tea and a small refund of our entry fee. I thought that was above and beyond!

 

The main reason I am writing is to let you know of some changes/deviations that Viking has made. Whether they carry these forward to next year, who knows? First, they have changed the optional tours. Instead of the Opera (because there were so many complaints), we were offered a Kung Fu show. I'll let you know later how it went. It's about the same price as the Opera. We also went by the zoo to see the Pandas our first afternoon after Tian'an Men Square and the Forbidden City. It was a lot of walking that day, but it looked like we would be flying late to Chongqing and would definitely not get to the zoo there.

 

Viking also offered another option if one had a free day in Beijing at the front end. They were offering a tour to the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven. I don't know what the cost was.

 

And the final comment is that we can brush our teeth with the tap water but never swallow it! I'm still using bottled water, just in case!

 

Our guide is Ting Ting. Cute thing and very informative. In fact, she never stops talking!

 

More later when time with something to say.

 

Diana

[BSinPNS]

Traveling from Florida, we decided to overnight in Seattle to break up the trip. It was a great decision as we had a later morning departure via Atlanta, a great salmon dinner and a good night's rest before our 12 hour flight to Shanghai. We pre-arranged airport services and day tours before and after the Viking trip with China Odyssey Tours. Immigration and customs were quick and efficient since most of the passengers on the Delta flight were Chinese returning home after the fall holiday (more on that later). This was not the norm based on comments from others who spoke of long lines and delayed processing.

 

Fall Holiday - AVOID. Several guides said that it was not wise to plan on touring sites during the fall holiday, October 1 - 7, as roads, airplanes, cites and tourist sites are packed with Chinese on vacation. This means hundreds of thousands visiting tourist sites and on the roads. We read in the paper of an eight hour traffic jam for people trying to return to Shanghai on October 7. We were very fortunate to arrive just after the October holiday.

 

Mid-October Weather: Shanghai was still pretty warm with temps in the 80's while Beijing was chilly with the high one day in the low 50's with light rain. However, it was better than during the summer when the temps frequently reach 100 with extreme highs up to 120. Humidity in Shanghai, along the river and in Xi'an reaches the high 90s. We had fog almost every day which is typical according to the guides. It did not act like fog (burning off as the sun penetrates) and was really heavy smog (gets worse when the sun comes up). Overall the weather was great with virtually no rain that affected our travel or tours.

 

We arrived in Shanghai on October 8 and began the Viking portion of the tour on October 12. Prearranged tours with China Odyssey included airport pickup, two days in Suzhou and one day in Hangzhou before the Viking tour began. After doing the Beijing portion of the Viking cruise, we arranged for an additional three days of tours in Beijing and transport to the airport. We also included an open day for the day after arrival in Shanghai and another open day before departing Beijing. The first day was very useful in catching up on our sleep and acclimating. The day before departure was designed to catch anything we missed in Beijing and to pack. The tours with China Odyssey were great and included private guide, driver and us.

 

I was most concerned about luggage size and weight before departure. One need not worry. We checked a large suitcase each and had a standard US roll-aboard each. Our Viking guide said that as long as our checked luggage was under 50 pounds each, there should not be a problem as the luggage is weighed as a group. As long as you can hoist the carry-on into the overhead bin, all is well. Note that overhead bin space fills quickly like in the states. Get in line a few minutes before boarding time and you will be fine. Our internal flights were on time and operated on Boeing 737-800s by China Southern (Shanghai to Wuhan), Xiamen (Chongqing to Xi'an) and Air China (Xi'an to Beijing). Each airline served a snack of some sort on the flight - some items recognizable; others not. Viking also provided a box lunch when our flights were between 11 and 2.

 

Checked luggage was placed outside the room a few hours before departure and taken directly to the airport. The tour guides collected our passports and got our boarding cards, returning the passports before going through security where they were checked closely. After arrival at the destination airport, the guides gathered us together as porters took all the Viking luggage off the belt. We then examined the baggage for damage and ensured locks were still in place. Then the porters took the luggage and we next saw it in our hotel rooms. Carryons were placed in the bus cargo compartment and unloaded for us at the airport and hotel. On the trip to the hotel, the tour guides again collected our passports to facilitate hotel check-in.

 

The Chinese are very concerned about lithium batteries (cell phones, cameras, etc.) in checked luggage and scan it carefully. Several travelers were called to the counter to open checked luggage and remove the offending articles and place them in their carryons. Otherwise the checks were somewhat similar to US TSA ones except you keep your shoes on. After passing through the metal detector, each person was wanded by a guard and usually a full pat down. Xray inspection of the luggage was carefully done with about half the bags being opened and reinspected. The agents are not as friendly as TSA agents. Smile and do as indicated (very few will speak English) and all will be fine.

 

There were about 260 people on the tour, but we were split into preassigned groups of 32-33 and assigned a tour guide. Our Viking tour guide, Eric, was excellent. He grew up in a community near Xi'an and provided the commentary in Shanghai and Beijing. He also ensured any and all concerns were positively resolved. We also had local guides for the other cities. Most groups thought their guide was the best, but really Eric was THE best. These individuals are the ones who make the tour happen.

 

Wheel chair pushers were available for both the Terra Cotta Warriors and the Forbidden City. Our tour guides arranged for them and the cost US $65 - $75 for each stop paid in Yuan directly to the pusher.

 

Hotels were all great and included: Ritz-Carlton Portman in Shanghai, Sheraton Xi'An, and Ritz-Carlton Financial District in Beijing. Prior to joining the Viking portion we stayed at the Swissotel in Shanghai and the Kerry in Beijing after the Viking portion. Our favorite hotel was the Kerry in Beijing.

 

Optional Tours (at additional cost) are offered in Xi'an and Beijing. We booked/attended two of the three.

 

- Xi'An Folk Show - Excellent show and dinner. Our seats were at the center front of the theatre, probably the best in the house. Although the most expensive of the three, I would highly recommend attending. Meal was very good although the main course was beef in tomato-like sauce served in aluminum foil. Tasty and tender.

 

- Beijing Chinese Opera - We had a hard time deciding on this one based on the mixed reviews, but in the end attended it. It was fascinating to watch the king apply all his makeup and costume before the show. There were two 30 minute "operas;" one a love story and the other a battle scene with the king. Once again, we had excellent seats and I would attend particularly if you are going from Shanghai to Beijing as you are well rested and it gives you insight into the artistry.

 

- Peking Duck Dinner - We did not attend since we were extending our stay at the Kerry and planned to do the duck dinner at the more intimate Horizon restaurant (in the Kerry Hotel in Beijing) which was excellent. All the people with whom we talked after the Viking Duck Dinner said it was very good.

 

The Ship - Century (Viking) Emerald

Very disappointed in the Century (Viking) Emerald. The ship is leased from a Chinese firm, but there are six Viking employees onboard. The welcome aboard and first day were very good, but things quickly turned sour. During the dinner the second night, it seemed like the wait staff went on strike. An hour after being served the first course, we watched the wait staff clear some tables around us. At that point we left. The next morning we heard from many others of problems with service. Housekeeping was likewise unimpressive, e.g., had to ask three times for a dehumidifier that we had to empty about every eight hours, call the front desk for additional soap, etc. About the only thing the housekeeping staff did was to replace towels and pull up the duvet. Generally a lackadaisical crew who were polite but not very motivated. (Perhaps it was because the season was coming to a close.) The ship itself was also unimpressive - decks uneven, air conditioning kept the room cool, but not dry, bedskirt was stained and dirty, bathroom not particularly clean, etc. On the positive side, the many vendors onboard (tea sales, souvenirs, jewelry, tailor, etc.) were professional, helpful and enthusiastic - but they were selling product. As suggested by previous travelers, request a dehumidifier for the room as soon as you board. We had to empty it about every eight hours. The air conditioning only keeps the temperature cool, but does not remove any moisture from the air.

 

Most frustrating were the luncheon stops which almost always included a "demonstration" of something (silk, jade, pottery, furniture, etc.) followed by lunch and an extended period for shopping. On the day we visited the Great Wall, we spent more time at the demonstration site than we did at the wall. It seems like this was Viking's way of getting us a free lunch for most days that we were not on the ship.

 

The Century Emerald does not come close to matching the longships and the required luncheon demonstrations are quite off-putting. For China you probably don't need five days on the river. The dam is a must see and the small boat cruise up the lesser gorge was nice, but the other day's visits were pretty weak. The high speed G-trains in China are excellent and operate precisely on time.

 

Be aware that Google sites are blocked in China. If you have a G-mail account, you may want to consider creating a new one (Yahoo works well) and forwarding your G-mail account. Baidu.com is the Chinese search engine and works well.

 

Will post a day-by-day summary of our time in China which reflects our experiences. Your (and other's) experience may be different. Considering the flight time and many things to see in China, I would recommend pre/post travel tours with an independent tour operator. The Viking tours were quite pricey compared to what we paid with China Odyssey. See comments from others on the Hong Kong extension which only includes two nights in Hong Kong and a short tour. Please feel free to post questions and I will answer as many as I can.

[Mark_T]

Interesting to hear your concerns with the ship, we had a very different experience at pretty much exactly the same time last year so I don't think it is the end of the season that is to blame.

 

We found the staff in the dining rooms and the bars to be excellent at all times. Prompt, efficient and friendly so no idea what happened on your trip, but it was obviously not up to the standard we experienced.

[caribill]

Traveling from Florida, we decided to overnight in Seattle to break up the trip.

 

Hello, everyone,

 

Currently in Beijing on the next to last Cultural Delights tour.

 

Thanks to both of you for your informative reports.

[dlopez]

It's snowing right now in Beijing! Great big, wet flakes are swirling all around, and this is the morning for our rickshaw ride thru the Hutongs. Wonder what we'll do?

 

First two days here, it was pleasant and cool. Yesterday it turned rainy and cool, and today, we knew it would be cold, but I wasn't expecting the snow. What a surprise!

 

Diana

[Going Coastal]

Enjoy! It should just add to the lovely atmosphere of the hutong. One of our favorite days

[Mick f]

Good afternoon. We have booked this tour for August 10 2016 ..so are looking for others on the same tour

Also would be interested in any more information from resent travellers

Have just started reading all of the posts on this forum ,but that is going to take me a few nights

Thanks in anticipation Mick and Val

[Mark_T]

Also would be interested in any more information from resent travellers

 

Once you've read the other posts I think you'll see that there isn't a lot more information to give :)

 

Whatever remaining questions you do have though just ask, plenty of people on here will be only too happy to help out.

[Peregrina651]

Good afternoon. We have booked this tour for August 10 2016 ..so are looking for others on the same tour

Also would be interested in any more information from resent travellers

Have just started reading all of the posts on this forum ,but that is going to take me a few nights

Thanks in anticipation Mick and Val

 

Welcome, Val and Mick.

 

Check the river cruise roll calls to see if anyone has started a roll call for your sail date. Look for both a general all 2016 Viking China cruises and for a date specific roll call. However, keep in mind that because the passenger complement on a river cruise is so small, roll calls don't always work. Still, you will find the largest audience of past and future passengers on this thread--making this a great place to get answers to all of your cruise questions.

 

IMHO, the most important recent traveler information will start coming in in March, 2016.

 

Further thoughts--for all new followers of this thread: Don't read the entire thread; rather start reading at at the beginning of 2015. First, there is a lot of repeating of information and topics from year to year; you won't miss any vital information. Second, over the years there have been both subtle and substantive changes to the itinerary. You should read the most up-to-date information first and then go back and read the older posts if you feel like it. Reading the out of date info first may just confuse you.

 

To continue following this thread, make sure that you are subscribed to it and that it is set for daily notifications (not instant or weekly--when this thread gets up to speed, instant will drive you crazy and weekly will just be too much to read in a sitting). Subscribing will get you a digest of the day's posts delivered to your inbox once each day--a lot easier than having to open your browser and find this thread each time. And there are links in the digest to the thread in each digest that will open your browser right to the new post you are interested in reading or responding to.

 

[subscribing is really good for those who are just following this thread (aka, lurkers but I really don't like that term). You can subscribe to this thread by clicking on THREAD TOOLS at the top of this page and choosing "Subscribe to this thread." Subscription settings can be modified in User CP --short for User Control Panel-- also at the top of this page.]

[dlopez]

Hi, folks,

 

I'm back home and have mainly caught up on everything. This trip will always be high on my list of experiences. And again I thank all of you for preparing me and answering questions, etc.

 

I mentioned earlier that Viking had changed schedules and events. First free afternoon Viking took us to the zoo to see the Panda’s. Wish they had told us that up front and we could have skipped it with Sunflower. Duck dinner is now on first night and instead of the opera, and we went to the Legends of Kung Fu show the second night. I suspect that the Kung Fu show was much better received than the opera. It was a great show.

 

Viking also changed the extension. We had 2 nights in Guilin and 2 nights in Hong Kong instead of the advertised 3 nights in Hong Kong. Not happy about that. Some problem about flight. I understand that they won’t be offering a Hong Kong extension in the future.

 

The ship was fine. We had to call for maintenance and extra cleaning a couple of times, but the staff were very responsive and efficient. We certainly didn’t have any trouble with the wait staff. We had Stan the Man, Candy and Tommy waiting on us, and they couldn’t have done a better job. Food was plentiful and mostly very good.

 

I have to agree with BSinPNS about the lunch stops. Those in hotels along the way were not that good, others were fair. But my bigger complaint was the demonstrations and sales pitches. I have no problem watching to see how the porcelain or a carpet is made or how the silkworm goes thru its life cycle. But the hard pressure sales really got to me by the end. Our one day of touring in Hong Kong, we spent more time at a jewelry store than anywhere else. I really freaked out and asked to go sit on the bus until time to leave. It was another 45 minutes after we’d already been there an hour! I know others were buying, but I also question would they/should they buy if they were not pressured? Not my decision, but enough was enough. I certainly mentioned this on all of the evaluation forms we completed.

 

More specifics: in Beijing, the duck dinner was enjoyed by those who went. My party went to Horizons the night before and thoroughly enjoyed our duck. The Legends of Kung Fu show, which was substituted for the opera, was quite good. The only people there were from Viking or other cruise ships on an overland trip to Beijing (same for the Tang Dynasty show, which was also excellent). The visit to the Hutongs was a highlight of the trip, especially in the snow, but again we had the requisite tea ceremony and sales pitches. In Xi’an, I wanted to bargain with the folks in the kiosk on the way back to the bus, but the guide rushed us thru so we could get to the ‘factory’ where they had higher priced items to sell. I don’t like being rushed thru the major sights to get to a government store where we have to listen to a sales pitch, learn a little bit about what they are making, but then given tons of time for shopping at set prices, normally high. I understand that the quality is probably better, but we should also have the option of bargaining with vendors. Isn’t that part of the cultural experience?

 

All in all, it was fabulous. I loved the line of Viking employees along the route coming and going to/from the ship, wishing us a good day or welcome back.

 

Thanks, everyone. And all the best in the New Year and to future travels!

 

Diana

[Rosasharn]

Hi Diana,

 

Thanks so much for the feedback on your trip. My husband and I will be doing the Imperial Jewels of China in April 2016 and all this info is good to know.

 

Must admit I am getting a bit worried about the "shopping trips." Hubby and I are not shoppers - particularly not "forced trips" at the expense of less time spent at the sites. We aren't doing any of the add on excursions (Hong Kong etc) - but I don't want to give up any time at Xian for a shopping trip (and the hard-sell sales pitches drive me crazy as well!).

 

I am hoping that the guides will be "flexible" - ie if most people on the tour don't want to go shopping, perhaps more time will be allowed at the sites? Or, did you find that your guide was forced to take everyone to the government shopping places?

 

Many thanks

 

Sharon

[workstocruise]

Thanks Diana for your info. DH and I are on the Imperial Jewels Beijing to Shanghai March 2016. We have our hotels but still waiting on flights. Do you have dinner in your hotel or meet somewhere else. We are not doing any add ons either. Figured 13 nights in China might be enough for me.

[rrgator]

Hi, folks,

 

I'm back home and have mainly caught up on everything. This trip will always be high on my list of experiences. And again I thank all of you for preparing me and answering questions, etc.

 

I mentioned earlier that Viking had changed schedules and events. First free afternoon Viking took us to the zoo to see the Panda’s. Wish they had told us that up front and we could have skipped it with Sunflower. Duck dinner is now on first night and instead of the opera, and we went to the Legends of Kung Fu show the second night. I suspect that the Kung Fu show was much better received than the opera. It was a great show.

 

Viking also changed the extension. We had 2 nights in Guilin and 2 nights in Hong Kong instead of the advertised 3 nights in Hong Kong. Not happy about that. Some problem about flight. I understand that they won’t be offering a Hong Kong extension in the future.

 

The ship was fine. We had to call for maintenance and extra cleaning a couple of times, but the staff were very responsive and efficient. We certainly didn’t have any trouble with the wait staff. We had Stan the Man, Candy and Tommy waiting on us, and they couldn’t have done a better job. Food was plentiful and mostly very good.

 

I have to agree with BSinPNS about the lunch stops. Those in hotels along the way were not that good, others were fair. But my bigger complaint was the demonstrations and sales pitches. I have no problem watching to see how the porcelain or a carpet is made or how the silkworm goes thru its life cycle. But the hard pressure sales really got to me by the end. Our one day of touring in Hong Kong, we spent more time at a jewelry store than anywhere else. I really freaked out and asked to go sit on the bus until time to leave. It was another 45 minutes after we’d already been there an hour! I know others were buying, but I also question would they/should they buy if they were not pressured? Not my decision, but enough was enough. I certainly mentioned this on all of the evaluation forms we completed.

 

More specifics: in Beijing, the duck dinner was enjoyed by those who went. My party went to Horizons the night before and thoroughly enjoyed our duck. The Legends of Kung Fu show, which was substituted for the opera, was quite good. The only people there were from Viking or other cruise ships on an overland trip to Beijing (same for the Tang Dynasty show, which was also excellent). The visit to the Hutongs was a highlight of the trip, especially in the snow, but again we had the requisite tea ceremony and sales pitches. In Xi’an, I wanted to bargain with the folks in the kiosk on the way back to the bus, but the guide rushed us thru so we could get to the ‘factory’ where they had higher priced items to sell. I don’t like being rushed thru the major sights to get to a government store where we have to listen to a sales pitch, learn a little bit about what they are making, but then given tons of time for shopping at set prices, normally high. I understand that the quality is probably better, but we should also have the option of bargaining with vendors. Isn’t that part of the cultural experience?

 

All in all, it was fabulous. I loved the line of Viking employees along the route coming and going to/from the ship, wishing us a good day or welcome back.

 

Thanks, everyone. And all the best in the New Year and to future travels!

 

Diana

 

I agree with your assessment of the Viking China cruise that we took in April/May 2015. You have pointed out the things about the trip that I didn't like either. 2 nights in Guilin would have been unbearable. :eek: Having said that, it was still a great trip and a great opportunity to see a fairly unknown culture trying to fit into this modern world. I found the people extremely friendly and helpful. Our guide, Joanna, was great and very informative especially regarding the personal stories of herself and her family growing up during the crazy communist years of the 50's, 60's, and 70's. I thought the country itself was beautiful. The landscaping at the major tourist areas that we went to was amazing. I wish I could get my yard to look as good as they do in China. The places we went, the Great Wall, Xian for the Terra Cotta Warriors, Hong Kong, etc., are not to be missed. I like Beijing as much as any of the other big international cities including New York and Paris. I would recommend this trip to anyone considering it, even though there were parts of it, as mentioned above, that I didn't like. Oh yes, seeing the Pandas was a really exceptional event in that we didn't know that we would be going there. It was a pleasant surprise.

[CowgirlCook]

Hi Diana,

 

 

 

Must admit I am getting a bit worried about the "shopping trips." Hubby and I are not shoppers - particularly not "forced trips" at the expense of less time spent at the sites. We aren't doing any of the add on excursions (Hong Kong etc) - but I don't want to give up any time at Xian for a shopping trip (and the hard-sell sales pitches drive me crazy as well!).

 

 

 

Sharon

 

We are not shoppers but never minded the time in the stores, learned from the demonstrations, and never felt pressured at all.

[dlopez]

Hi Diana,

 

Thanks so much for the feedback on your trip. My husband and I will be doing the Imperial Jewels of China in April 2016 and all this info is good to know.

 

Must admit I am getting a bit worried about the "shopping trips." Hubby and I are not shoppers - particularly not "forced trips" at the expense of less time spent at the sites. We aren't doing any of the add on excursions (Hong Kong etc) - but I don't want to give up any time at Xian for a shopping trip (and the hard-sell sales pitches drive me crazy as well!).

 

I am hoping that the guides will be "flexible" - ie if most people on the tour don't want to go shopping, perhaps more time will be allowed at the sites? Or, did you find that your guide was forced to take everyone to the government shopping places?

 

Many thanks

 

Sharon

 

I'm afraid I found that most of the time, it was a required activity, and with 32-26 people in your group, you won't get a consensus not to go. As I'm sure you know, some people are born to shop! Maybe you can convince your tour guide to scale it back at least. You'll still have an amazing time!

Diana

[dlopez]

Thanks Diana for your info. DH and I are on the Imperial Jewels Beijing to Shanghai March 2016. We have our hotels but still waiting on flights. Do you have dinner in your hotel or meet somewhere else. We are not doing any add ons either. Figured 13 nights in China might be enough for me.

 

We met our group and tour leader in the hotel lobby at some assigned time. You may still have an extra day in Beijing if you fly in a day ahead of time. I'd recommend you contact Sunflower Tours, if that is the case and book something to see that is not on your regular tour. We stayed at the Kerry in Beijing and Horizons is just down the hallway in the mall. Best duck dinner and very reasonable! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised how much you enjoy China.

Diana

[dlopez]

I agree with your assessment of the Viking China cruise that we took in April/May 2015. You have pointed out the things about the trip that I didn't like either. 2 nights in Guilin would have been unbearable. :eek: Having said that, it was still a great trip and a great opportunity to see a fairly unknown culture trying to fit into this modern world. I found the people extremely friendly and helpful. Our guide, Joanna, was great and very informative especially regarding the personal stories of herself and her family growing up during the crazy communist years of the 50's, 60's, and 70's. I thought the country itself was beautiful. The landscaping at the major tourist areas that we went to was amazing. I wish I could get my yard to look as good as they do in China. The places we went, the Great Wall, Xian for the Terra Cotta Warriors, Hong Kong, etc., are not to be missed. I like Beijing as much as any of the other big international cities including New York and Paris. I would recommend this trip to anyone considering it, even though there were parts of it, as mentioned above, that I didn't like. Oh yes, seeing the Pandas was a really exceptional event in that we didn't know that we would be going there. It was a pleasant surprise.

 

Oh, yes, I forgot to mention the landscaping! It seemed it was everywhere, not just in the cities but in the medians on the highways. And everything was so clean! Viking does take you to the sites not to be missed. I'm sure there is much more, but I felt like I had a great overview of the country. I wouldn't take anything for the experience!

Diana