Beautiful Photos of the Shanghai Harbor

These were taken from the "New Heights" restaurant. I ran into a former student on the plane ride over to China from Atlanta. She is now living in Shanghai and gave us her contact information. When we were going back to Shanghai, we contacted her. She sent her driver over and picked us up for a private tour of Shanghai! The day ended with dinner at the "New Heights" restaurant.
Some are time lapsed.


This is a great side view of the famous "The Bund". In it's height, the Bund in Shanghai was the third largest financial center in the world!

This photo includes the Pearl TV Tower and the Shanghai World Financial Center, the world's third-tallest building.




180 View of Shanghai and the Huangpu River.

Double Sided Embroidery

During our tour in Chengdu, China, we were taking to a place that was famous for embroidery. There were large machines doing the work as well as people doing smaller works. Both types of embroidery were very intricate and complicated. One of the staff workers at the embrodiery business mentioned that a worker can only do this type of work for 20 years before their eyes are effected and they can no longer see the tiny threads. There were some gorgeous silk embroidered pieces and some flawlessly had same picture on both sides! A few displayed a different picture on both sides. Yet, no knots and flaws were to be seen. Absolute perfection is my only description for this ancient silk art!

Biggest Buddha known as Dafo in Leshan, China!

Biggest Buddha that is carved into the side of a mountain can be found right outside of Chengdu, China in Leshan. We climbed down several flights of narrow stairs and then, back up through a few caves and more stairs. Some stats on the Big Buddha of Leshan can be found at: http://www.gluckman.com/LeshanBuddha.html




Above is a statue of Haitong, the Buddhist monk who developed the plan for the Big Buddha and raised money for this project. He lived in a tomb cave just to the right and behind his statue.




Biggest Buddha waterfalls!



Everyone was pretending to rub the Big Buddha's nose for good luck!

Talk about really big toes!

Holding a Panda in Chengdu, China!

Holding a Panda
At the Chengdu Panda Reserve, one of the few places on earth you can actually hold a panda...for a price of course! But the money all goes to help preserve the most beloved panda!
I had to put on clothing like I was going into surgery!! It was explained to me that they did not want the panda to pick up any germs from me. Next, they brought the panda out and sat him in my lap. It was absolutely unbelievable to think that here I was sitting with one of the rarest creatures on earth in my lap!

One assistant put honey on his paw for him to eat while we were being photographed. At one point, he leaned his head over on me and there was much discussion in Chinese going on! I was later told that I was very honored that the Panda whose name meant "cold, sweet fragance" felt there was something special, something spiritual about me for him to lean his head against mine!

I do know when he leaned his head over, I got to feel his fur and it is stiff, wirey! I always thought it would be soft, like stuffed animal I guess. Silly me!

Hangzhou street

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Hangzhou market

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Six Harmonies Pagoda overlook - Hangzhou

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West Lake Bridge - Hangzhou

The view was outstanding on the West Lake Bridge in Hangzhou, China!
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Boat ride in Hangzhou

Boat ride in Hangzhou


The Chinese people that I talked to said that the most beautiful place in all of China was Hangzhou. This video was taken on a wonderful, day while being rowed across the famous West Lake!
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Doughnut - Hangzhou

Big Apple Doughnuts
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The line outside the Big Apple Doughnuts was unbelievably long! We decided to come back later and when we did there was still aline, but not as bad as earlier. The best part of the wait...well, that seeing the dog with the pink ears of course!
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