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We will post emails and pictures for WCE EJHS China Student Trip as we receive them! Encourage your friends to view the WCE Web Site and follow the trip!!!
2010 WCE China Hong Kong/Guangzhou/Xi'an/Beijing Trip
3/25/2010 Thursday (Seattle) Our 63 Member China Student Delegation led by Mr. Robert Bloomhuff (EJHS Staff), Mrs. Susan Jackson (EJHS Staff), Dorris Cronrath (WCE Board), and Ms. Meghan Delaney (EJHS Staff)
departed from Seattle as scheduled, will transfer planes in Taipei, and arrive in Hong Kong for their tour of China. This Student Delegation will visit Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Xi'an, and Beijing,
China. The Guangdong Education Department will host School Visits and a Tour with Local Students (who speak perfect English) in Guangzhou, China. Pictures and emails will
be post on this page during the trip.
3/26/2010 Friday Hong Kong (12:00 pm Hong Kong Time 9:00 pm on Thursday Night Seattle Time) We have spoken with Randy Li (our excellent tour manager in Hong Kong) and he has informed us that our EJHS Delegation
has arrived safely in Hong Kong. After checking into the Regal Riverside Hotel and enjoying lunch at New Town Plaza in Shatin our Students will take the Hong Kong Walking Tour to visit Kowloon and Nathan Street
a busy tourist area in Hong Kong. Their adventure has begun. (11:30 pm Hong Kong Time 8:55 am Seattle Time) We have received another update with a picture from Randy Li in Hong Kong. Although tired from their
long journey, our delegation enjoyed their Hong Kong Walking Tour including a KCR (light rail) & MTR (subway) Ride to Kowloon to visit Nathan Street (view pearls at a wholesale outlet, barter for clothes, sun
glasses and more), and taking the Star Ferry to cross Victoria Harbour (the #1 Container Harbor in the World). Currently they are getting a well deserved night of rest! Tomorrow they will take the Hong Kong Island Tour!
Continue to visit this page for updates, emails, and pictures!
3/27/2010 Saturday Hong Kong (8:15 AM Seattle Time same day 11:15 PM Hong Kong Time) We have received another update from Randy Li (our excellent Hong Kong Tour Manager) and our Student Delegation had an
outstanding day in Hong Kong. After their American Buffet Breakfast, the delegation spent the day touring Hong Kong's major sites (Victoria Peak for a spectacular view of Hong Kong, Repulse Bay with its
magnificent Buddhist Statues, and the Floating Village of Aberdeen Bay where some residents have never stepped on land). After the tour some members visited Tsim Sha Tsui (a tourist shopping area) before
returning to the hotel for a “Depart for Guangzhou Meeting” and packing. Tomorrow our delegation will ride the train to Guangzhou, China and spend the day touring with the local Students! We have received
more PICTURES from Randy (our outstanding Hong Kong Tour Manager). These are pictures from the Hong Kong Island Tour!
3/28/2010 Sunday Guangzhou (8:00 AM Seattle Time 11:00 PM Guangzhou Time) We have received an update from Eva Zhang (our Exceptional Guangzhou Tour Guide). Eva has informed us that our delegation has arrived
safely and enjoyed their first day in Guangzhou, China. Our Students traveled from Hong Kong to Guangzhou, China by Train (this train ride allows students to view the China Countryside with its joint venture
factories and growing cities). After their first 10 course Cantonese Lunch and checking into the spectacular White Swan Hotel (send emails to the White Swan Hotel); our Students met the local Students from
True Light Middle School (who are very friendly and our EJHS Students are enjoying every minute with them), visited Dr. Sun Yatsen’s Memorial Hall, enjoyed dinner at Lianxianglou Restaurant, and shopping at
a local street market (all with the local students). It is always a very, very special day to develop new friendships with the Students in China. Tomorrow our Students will spend the morning at the Kindergarten
and visit True Light Middle School for a TOUR & FRIENDSHIP EXCHANGE.
3/29/2010 Monday Guangzhou (8:00 AM Seattle Time 11:00 PM Guangzhou Time) We have received another update from Eva Zhang (our Exceptional Guangzhou Tour Guide),
“It was an outstanding day. In the morning we spent more than 2 hours to visit the Kindergarten we saw the flag-raising ceremony and played games with the lovely kids. Then we visited the Chen Clan Temple, toured
a 120 year old Traditional Chinese Mansion, and learned Chinese Calligraphy and Painting. Lunch was Din-Sum at the Pearl River Restaurant. In the afternoon our Students were met by Principal He and toured True
Light Middle School (started by an American in 1917, has 3,000 Students). We had a friendship exchange with the local students. Everyone had a wonderful time. Tomorrow our delegation will visit the Guangzhou
Sports & Training College.” We have also spoken with Jessica Chen (our exceptional Guangzhou Tour Manager) and Jessica informed us that after spending Sunday touring Guangzhou City with the Students from True
Light Middle School and then visiting True Light Middle School our EJHS Students did not want the True Light Middle School Visit & Friendship Exchange to end. We are very hopeful that each and every EJHS Student
has from a friend in China for life!
3/30/2010 Tuesday (7:30 AM Seattle Time 10:30 PM Guangzhou Time) We have received another email with PICTURES from Eva Zhang (our Exceptional Tour Guide in Guangzhou). “It was a wonderful day for us. We paid a visit
to the Guangzhou Sports Training & Technical College (the Cradle of Olympic Athletes and 2008 Olympic & 2010 Asian Games Training Base). The Students watched the Chinese Olympic potentials training (martial arts,
basketball, gymnastics, etc). Everyone was so excited and surprised to see them training and enjoyed it very very much. The Evergreen boys and girls even challenged the Chinese kids to a Basketball Game! Then we
had a special lunch with the athletes in their cafeteria. In the afternoon we visited the most important sites in Guangzhou, touring Five Ram Statue and the Guangzhou Museum. Tomorrow we will visit Foshan”
3/31/2010 Wednesday Guangzhou (8:00 AM Seattle Time - 11:00 PM Guangzhou) We have received another email from Eva Zhang (our excellent guide in Guangzhou). Eva informed us that our delegation's visit to Guangzhou
has been outstanding! The last day in Guangzhou for our delegation is always a very busy day. Today our delegation toured Foshan City (home of Chinese Martial Arts & Lion Dancing) including a visit the Foshan
Ancestral (Zumiao) Temple (recognized as the "Oriental Art's Palace" with historical and cultural relics), watched Martial Arts demonstrations, viewed Lion Dancing, and visited a Folk Art Academe to see an amazing
art form. In the evening our delegation attended a Banquet with officials from True Light Middle School and the Guangzhou Sports Training & Technical College Guangdong School including a 14 course Cantonese Banquet,
speeches from Guangdong Officials, and a gift exchange. Everyone had a wonderful time at the banquet! Tomorrow 6 Members will return to Hong Kong while 57 Members will fly to Xi'an. It has been a life impacting four
days in Guangzhou.
4/1/2010 Thursday Hong Kong (8:00 AM Seattle Time - 11:00 PM Hong Kong) Our EJHS Students including Mr. Bloomhuff returned to Hong Kong (after four life impacting days in Guangzhou) by Express Train (this train ride
offers members an opportunity to view farming by water buffalo and hand as it has been done in China for thousands of years, joint venture factories, and growing cities) and checked back into the Regal Riverside Hotel.
In the afternoon our delegation took the KCR & MTR to Hong Kong Island to visit the Bank of China building (43rd floor observation area), rode the Star Ferry, traveled on a Double Decker Bus, and watched the Kowloon
Promenade (Symphony of the Stars light show at 8 PM). Tomorrow they will visit Lantau Island.
4/1/2010 Thursday Xi'an (8:00 AM Seattle Time - 11:00 PM Xi'an) We spoke with Jessica Chan (our Exceptional China Tour Organizer) and our delegation has arrived safely in Xi'an. Jessica informed us that it was an
outstanding visit to Guangzhou and everyone is looking forward to seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi'an. Today our 57 Member Delegation flew from Guangzhou to Xi'an. After their arrival in Xi'an our delegation
enjoyed lunch, visited the Ancient City Wall (the most complete city wall that has survived in China), explored the Provincial History Museum (an absolute must for every visitor to the city), checked into the
Shangri-La Golden Flower Hotel Xian, and in the evening enjoyed the spectacular Tang Dynasty Dinner Show, a performance of Chang'an music and dance originated in Chinese Tang Dynasty. Tomorrow our delegation
will see the Terra Cotta Warriors! Eva has sent more pictures!
4/2/2010 Friday Hong Kong (8:00 AM Seattle Time - 11:00 PM Hong Kong) Today our 6 Members in Hong Kong traveled to Lantau Island to visit Tian Tan Buddha, also known as the Big Buddha. To visit the Big Buddha
involves a gondola ride which gives one a great view of the Island and surrounding areas. It is a major centre of Buddhism in Hong Kong and is also a popular tourist attraction. The large bronze statue of the
Buddha was completed in 1993, located near Po Lin Monastery, and symbolizes the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and religion.
4/2/2010 Friday Xi'an (7:30 AM Seattle Time - 10:30 PM Xi'an) Eva, our exceptional Guangzhou Guide who is traveling with our delegation in Xi'an, has sent us an update with MORE PICTURES! “It was a wonderful day
with the nice weather. Our delegation toured the Terra-Cotta Warriors factory and the museum in the morning (The Terra-Cotta Warriors were discovered in 1974 near Xi'an, Shaanxi province and were buried with the
first Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huang) in 210-209 BC.) After a local lunch at the famous Belt Noodle Inn we went to visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Everybody was so excited for the hot pot dinner. Tomorrow we will
leave for Beijing!
4/3/2010 Saturday Hong Kong (7:00 AM Seattle Time - 10:00 PM Hong Kong) We have received another update from Rosita Cheng (our excellent Hong Kong Guide), “Today we visited Wong Tai Sin Taoist Temple, saw local people
practicing our Buddhist Religion, busy! Then we toured a Buddhist Nunnery which was peaceful and walked through the Tang Dynasty's Chinese garden. They took some beautiful pictures. We ended up by taking a bus driving
through the rural areas into Sai Kung (eastern part of the New Territories), and had our lunch there, this time a western one. We then to a direct bus with a different route back to hotel.” Tomorrow night our 6 members
return to Seattle. For Parents Meeting the Delegation tomorrow: First check (call EVA Air at 1-800-695-1188 or go online at www.evaair.com and check the Flight Status of EVA Air Flight #26) to make sure the flight is on
time. We will meet the delegation at International Baggage #1 or as they walk up the stairs from the South Concourse. Remember they will need 45 – 60 minutes to clear US Immigrations and US Customs after their flight arrives.
We will see you at the airport tomorrow.
4/3/2010 Saturday Beijing (7:30 AM Seattle Time - 10:30 PM Beijing) Eva, our exceptional Guangzhou Guide who is traveling with our delegation in Beijing, has sent us an update with MORE PICTURES! “Our Student Delegation
flew from Xi'an to Beijing today afternoon. About two o'clock we arrived at the Beijing International airport. Then we went to visit the Summer Palace .Cause today is the weekend, the Summer Palace was full of the people.
Even though we still had a good time and enjoyed the view inside. After a local traditional dinner -Peking Duck ,we went to the Olympic Green to visit the National Stadium - Bird's Nest and the National Swimming Pool - Water Cube.
Tomorrow the Forbidden City!”
4/4/2010 Sunday Seattle - Welcome Home (6 Members returning from Hong Kong)!
4/4/2010 Sunday Beijing (7:30 AM Seattle Time - 10:30 PM Beijing) Eva has emailed another update with pictures! “We had a wonderful and busy day. In the Morning we toured the Tiananmen Square (it is a national symbol) and
the Forbidden City about 3 hours. After a Chinese Lunch which included French fries, our delegation toured the Temple of Heaven and shopped at the Silk Factory to see how silk is made. In the evening the delegation enjoyed
a spectacular Acrobatic Performance. Tomorrow The Great Wall of China!”
4/5/2010 Monday Beijing (7:00 AM Seattle Time - 10:00 PM Beijing) We have received another email with pictures from Eva Zhang. Eva informs us that it was another very happy day! “Today our Students stood on The Great Wall of China.
The students spend more than 2 hours climbing up the Great Wall for a breathtaking view .Everyone enjoyed the Great Wall very much. After the Lunch we visited the Ming Tombs Spirit Road with its large animal sculptures. Then we
visited Xiushui Market also known as the Silk Market where the shopping is outstanding. In the evening the delegation enjoyed a fantastic Pizza dinner. Today was Fiona's Birthday, we prepared a Dragon birthday cake and we sang
the birthday song to her. She was so touched and had a special birthday. Tomorrow they return to the USA and say goodbye to China!” For Parents Meeting the Delegation tomorrow: First check (call EVA Air at 1-800-695-1188 or go
online at www.evaair.com and check the Flight Status of EVA Air Flight #26) to make sure the flight is on time. We will meet the delegation at International Baggage #1 or as they walk up the stairs from the South Concourse. Remember
they will need 45 – 60 minutes to clear US Immigrations and US Customs after their flight arrives. We will see you at the airport tomorrow.
4/6/2010 Tuesday Seattle - Welcome Home!
2010 WCE China Hong Kong/Guangzhou/Xi'an/Beijing Trip Pictures
WCE Reminder:
If you receive an exciting email or picture from one of our delegation members, please forward the email or picture to the
Washington Cultural Exchange Office and we will post it! Our email address is start@wce.org.
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