Shandong 2008

Finally!

Completed the entire blog.

Day One

Location: Singapore, China Guangzhou, Jinan

We met up at the airport at 6am to assemble and prepare to embark on the journey. The first leg of the flight took 3 hours and 50 minutes. Then, we waited at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport for more than FOUR hours before we finally got onto the second leg of the journey and make our way to Jinan.

After yet another 2 hours and 30 mins of flight, we finally arrived at our destination and was immediately scooted off to a restaurant for our first meal in China - Dumpling feast. The food was ALOT and everyone could not finish them.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/FirstMealJinan.jpg[/IMG]

Then, it was check in time at the Jinan Li Tian Hotel, and we hoped that it will snow the next day we scale Tai Shan.

Day Two

Location: Jinan, Qufu

We visited Tai Shan, but much to our disappointment, it did NOT snow! The temperature was also not as cold as we expected, perhaps because the sun was quite bright on that day.

We spent quite a while on Tai Shan, and while the fit ones attempted to walk to the peak of the mountain, some of us lingered around and enjoyed the local delicacies.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/TaiShan01.jpg[/IMG]

After descending from Tai Shan, we hopped on the bus and were soon on our way to Qu Fu, the hometown of China's most famous philosopher, Confucius.

We first stopped by a local university to listen to a lecture on Confucius. It was a very enriching talk, as it gave us more information on the man who played one of the most important roles in China history.

Then we were brought to our hotel, Queli Hotel. We were told that it was the most expensive hotel in Qu Fu, and even Ministers from different countries stayed in the hotel during their stays in Qu Fu.

As it had been a long day, we called it a day pretty early after having dinner.

Also, as it was winter season, daylight was shorter than usual, and the sun sets by 5pm everyday.

Day Three

Location: Qu Fu, Qingdao

After hearing so much about Confucius during the lecture yesterday, it was finally time for us to visit the Confucius Temple, Residence and Grave Site.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/QufuConfuciusResidence.jpg[/IMG]

The Confucius Temple and Residence were rated 5 stars for National Tourist Attraction, and we felt honored to be able to visit these special sites.

Through the visit, we gained a deeper insight on people's lifestyles many many years back, as well as the basis of Confucianism.

Finally, after the enriching visit, it was time for lunch!

We were promised a sumptuous meal of Confucius Feast back at the hotel.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/LunchQufu.jpg[/IMG]

After lunch, it was a VERY long bus journey to Qing Dao.

Yes, tomorrow will be our first day of lessons at Yu Cai Middle School too.

Day Four

Location: Qingdao

It was the first day at Qing Dao Yu Cai Middle School. The staff and students welcomed us happily and we were very touched by their hospitality.

However, the temperature dropped, and we were all SHIVERING as we stood on stage to accept the warm welcome by the students. Student representatives from the school presented us teachers with a bouquet each, and our OIC Ken was invited onstage to give a short speech.

After the elaborated welcome, we were ushered to the Conference Room for another round of welcome by the Key Personnels of the school.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/YuCai01.jpg[/IMG]

Following which, students were also briefed on the classes they will be attached to for the next 5 days, and they were introduced to their "buddies", before they were led to class.

We teachers were allowed to sit in to observe the classes we were interested in.

The first thing that struck me while observing the lesson was that students were extremely well behaved and participated very actively during lessons. Even when they were running around, chatting with their classmates prior to class, once the bell rang, they were settled immediately. This is something which left a strong impression on me.

After lessons, we had lunch before proceeding to Tsing Tao Brewery for a guided tour.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/QingDao01.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/QingDao02.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/QingDao03.jpg[/IMG]

As it was getting late after the visit, we had dinner before calling it a day.

Day Five

Location: Qingdao

Today, the schedule is a little different from the usual. We will visit the places of interest first before proceeding for lessons in the afternoon.

We visited the Navy Museum, and even got the opportunity to enter a submarine to see its interiors.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/NavyMuseum.jpg[/IMG]

However, the space inside the submarine was very small, and I knocked my head twice!

Then, as we had a bit of time, the tour guide brought us to Ba Da Guan, a place where the rich people resides. There was a beach nearby and our students had fun catching crabs and taking pictures for a while.

After lunch, it was lessons again in the afternoon. We attended a Chinese Calligraphy lesson too.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/YuCai02.jpg[/IMG]

Though most of us did rather badly as this was our first time writing calligraphy, but there were also those who wrote very well for a first timer, like Alan.

After school, all of us were famished, and we had dinner at a nearby restaurant. Then, it was home sweet home, back to the hotel for a good night rest.

Day Six

Location: Qingdao

We almost woke up late and had to hurry a little for school. Lessons as usual, after which everyone proceeded back to the Meeting Room to pen down their reflections.

It was a crazy 0'C today! We were all bundled with many layers of clothes, but it still felt cold at times, especially with Yu Cai Middle School being situated next to the sea. When the sea breeze blew, the chill was really unbearable.

After school, we were finally given the oportunity to shop around in Qingdao. We went to one of the most popular shopping areas in Qingdao, known as Bu Xing Jie(步行街), and all of us SHOPPED till we were all so exhausted.

Day Seven

Location: Qingdao

Today, we had games with students from Yu Cai Middle School. Our SLs and Prefects taught them games we played in Singapore, like Dog and Bones. Then everyone attended a lesson on Silk Flower making. We were taught to make flowers using unwanted stockings, and the end effect was a very pretty flower!

It's remarkable how we can turn unwanted things into such pretty flowers.

In the afternoon, we visited a few more places of interests, namely Xiao Yu Shan(小鱼山), Pao Tai Shan (炮台山) Ying Bin Guan (迎宾馆)and Zhan Qiao (栈桥) .

It was mainly sightseeing and we learnt quite a bit on the history of these places too.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/XiaoYuShan.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/YingBinGuan.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/ZhanQiao.jpg[/IMG]

After visiting these places, we set off to the restaurant for dinner and we went back to the hotel early as we needed to pack our luggage.

Sigh, it's our last night in Qingdao.

Day Eight

Location: Qingdao, Weifang

Finally, today's our last day in Qingdao, as well as our last day of interaction with Yu Cai Middle School. As students bade farewell to their buddies and classmates for these few days, small gifts and emails were exchanged too.

Then, we all gathered back in the Conference Room where we were formerly welcomed, and we presented tokens of appreciation to the various Key Personnels who have been so gracious to us during the exchange.

Lastly, it was the photo taking sessions.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/YuCai03.jpg[/IMG]

As we bade farewell to the staff and students from Yu Cai Middle School, we sincerely hoped that they will visit us in Singapore soon, so that we too can play host to them and show them around our sunny little island.

Also, we concluded our trip in Qingdao with a sumptuous seafood feast for lunch.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/SeafoodFeast01.jpg[/IMG]

With that, we left Qingdao and departed for Weifang. It was a two and a half hours ride to Weifang, and many of us caught some sleep on the bus.

Upon arrival in Weifang, we were brought to Yang Cultural Arts House (杨家埠民间艺术大观园). There, we were given the opportunity to make our own kites and fly them. We also saw how traditional Chinese board painting was done, and some students had the chance to try painting too.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/WeiFang01.jpg[/IMG]

However, as many of us lacked "practice" in flying kites, very few of us managed to get our kites up in the skies later on. Still, it was good workout for us, running around trying to get the kites up.

After the workout, we had dinner before checking into Weifang Farrington Hotel for the night.

Day Nine

Location: Weifang, Linzi, Jinan

The final day of our trip (as the next day would be spent solely on flights) saw us visiting the Soccer Museum in Linzi, followed by the Guan Zhong Memorial Hall, then the Yellow River in Jinan, and lastly, Da Ming River (大明湖).

Pictures speak a thousand words, and hence let these pictures speak on behalf of words then.

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/FootballMuseum.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/GuanZhongMemorial.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/YellowRiver.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq244/Shandong08/DaMingHu.jpg[/IMG]

One interesting thing we noted though, was that the Yellow River was not turbulent like what we often see on television. Our guide then explained that at this leg of the Yellow River in Jinan, it is very calm and seldom will we see great waves crashing or such.

After an entire day of visiting around, we were exhausted and checked back into Jinan Li Tian Hotel for our final night in Shandong.

Day Ten

Location: Jinan, Guangzhou, Singapore

It's THE DAY.

After 10 days in Shandong, it was finally time to say Goodbye.

Everyone seemed subtle during breakfast. Then our guides hurried us to the bus as we were catching a morning flight from Jinan to Guangzhou, and traffic conditions were usually bad in the morning.

At the Jinan Airport, we said our goodbyes to the local tour guide, Hou Yong who had accompanied us for the past 10 days, sharing with us interesting facts and history of Shandong.

And, the rest were history as we finally touched down in Singapore at 11pm that night.

Even though the trip has ended, but what we brought back will always stay by us, and this trip will always be remembered of fondly. :D