May 31 — We were fortunate enough to experience so many amazing things in the great city of Shanghai, but I think my favorite was visiting the observation deck in the Shanghai World Financial Center. We took an elevator up to the 100^th floor, which was really incredible, since there are only a handful of buildings in the world over 100 floors, let alone in the United States.  Unfortunately, it was not a very clear night, which limited our views of the beautiful city, but just taking everything in, and thinking about where I was, made up for the loss in scenery.  Also, since it wasn’t clear, and we there at night, none of the photos turned out as well as I hoped. The elevator ride alone was an experience, as it was definitely the longest of my life.  My ears were popping as I watched the display counting up the floors. This is definitely something that I will remember for a long time.

May 15 – Dalian is a city with lots of excitement. One day we spent the afternoon in a public area by the water.  In the bay there is a huge and impressive bridge, spanning the length.  Along the shore there is a small amusement park, massive hotels, a large open park, and, my favorite, a giant concrete ramp, which felt like a giant skateboard half-pipe, for lack of a better word.  You can walk across the ramp or climb up the sides, where it starts to get pretty steep. If you make it to the top and lay down, you will slide back down the incline, which was a ton of fun…Just be careful not to tear your clothing.  I was amazed that at the top and along the sides there are no safety railings.  I know that in the U.S. there would certainly be a railing, and tons of safety warning signs, which I saw none of.  This whole location was a blast, and I haven’t been to any place in the States that I can compare it to.

May 20 — So far one of my favorite days of the program was the trip down the Goddess Stream. This offshoot of the Yangtze River is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been.  Our small boat floats down the river, engulfed by the steep cliffs and towering mountains on all sides.  The peaks of the mountains poke out of the fog, which adds a mysterious feeling.  Our tour guide told us that green tea leaves are grown up high in the mist.  It is an incredibly peaceful place, especially compared to the cities where most of our time has been spent.  Quite a ways down the stream we stop at a dock to watch some of the locals perform songs and dances for us.  This is such an incredible place, I could have spent hours just looking around and been completely happy.

May 11 — The Beijing Olympic park perfectly captures the essence of Chinese architecture. My observations have been that nearly everything they create is designed to catch your attention and create a lasting impression.   Nothing is made to be boring.  Thus, the Bird’s Nest, Water Cube, and surrounding buildings are designed with the same idea.  Average looking facilities simply wouldn’t do, so they constructed these unique buildings, which are sure to impress.  This is why they still attract so much tourist attention, close to a decade after they hosted the Olympics.  I also enjoyed picturing how the park must have looked during the Olympics, filled with crowds of people and tons of excitement.

May 11 — You better bring your walking shoes when visiting the Forbidden City in Beijing. Located near Tiananmen Square, the expansive plazas and finely detailed buildings seemed like an endless maze as we worked our way through.  We had to hustle to keep pace with our speedy tour guide, who rushed us through the crowds.  I noticed that many people were wearing long pants and long sleeve shirts, even though the weather was hot and humid.  Luckily, I was able to keep my mind off the exhaustion by focusing on the beautiful architecture and breathtaking views of the ancient building and surrounding areas.  The best view was from the top of the hill, where you can see nearly all of Beijing (through the smog, of course).  This was a great day at the beginning of the trip, giving us an idea of Chinese history and traditions.