Arrived in Nanjing

2025-10-13 (Monday)

A word of explanation. This tour was organised by a friend of ours (Bryan) and an associate (Rebecca) in China. Bryan has visited China 72 times so far (he was coming on this one for his 73^rd). Having decided on short trip from now on, we decided to join the group of 15 (I think). Marg and I went to China in 2012 by ourselves but for short trips, we don’t need visas and the whole thing is organised and managed by Bryan and his China contact. [I will try not to mention people’s names unless it’s important)

Arrived in Nanjing about 12.30 am (Monday13th)and the taxi was waiting. Nanjing City Hotel around 1.00 am, shower at 2.00am and sleep - Tour proper starts on Tuesday 14th.

We decided to go for a walk (grab lunch and hoping for a sleepy afternoon). Got gloriously ‘lost’, the names on the map not matching the street names. However, did just under 8km of walking, sandwich & coffee at Costa’s and water to bring back at a 7Eleven.

Photographed a topiary in a city park.

Attended our first banquet – worthy of the name. Tour organiser Rebecca, who now runs an overseas education operation for Chinese students, drove us. There were about 12 of us (all Bryan’s contacts and some tour participants) at the banquet. I don’t know how many courses were on offer (21?) but I tasted many. Drinking was the main dish (beer, vodka-like liqueur shots, and a red blueberry wine from the winemaker ex-student also present). Owner of the restaurant was also a student in Brisbane.

Owner

The tour starts!

 2025-10-14 (Tuesday)

This is the first day of the tour proper (Guide – Annie).

It was a long day. We started off from the hotel at 10.00am (late because some people only arrived at 2am). Couple of false starts (going to rain and it will be cold – go back to the room and get a jacket. We will need the passports – go back to the room and get them)

Nanjing City Wall Museum was the first stop. It’s the history of the city with models, videos etc. Good but very hot inside and we were glad to come out. Didn’t get to walk on the city wall although the museum is right next to it.

City wall model with laser highlighting as the story is told

Bricks used

Bricks with the artisan's name

Corner pieces

Next visit was to a reconstructed Laomendong village. Established during the Ming Dynasty (1388-1644), it was an important residential/commercial area. They recreated the village and people live and do business there. Really well laid out and the ‘old-style’ buildings are very authentic. Bought a constructor-figure for Matt.

Entrance gate

Shop front

Ivy-covered building

Ornate building - Wall in the background

Shopping alley

Lunch was at a supermarket building. We took a tray and picked what we wanted and the Tour people picked up the bills at the end. 

Visited two cultural community centres after lunch. The first Xishanqiao Comprehensive Cultural Service Centre (a mouthful) was a place where anybody could drop in and take part in singing, dancing, reading etc. free of charge. It’s in a 4-5 story building provided by the Government. We watched groups of retirees dancing and singing. Retirement age is 50 for women and 55 for men, so they need plenty of activities to stay sane. 

The second was another community facility (Youfang Community) again funded by the Government where in addition to arts and crafts, they can air any problems they have to the government. It’s a government office served by public servants.

We were really tired by this time and we came back to the hotel at 5.30 and were to go out again for dinner at 6.30 – the tour’s Welcome Dinner. Four of us ducked down to the local pub (The Blue Frog) for a couple of beers. Dinner was again a major affair with many dishes and drinks… It’s a pity that these restaurants are so far from the hotel – we would have enjoyed just having a light meal nearer the hotel.

Welcome

Entertainment

Lots to see in Nanjing

 2025-10-15 (Wednesday)

The first item on the agenda was to visit the Nanjing Youth Senior University. Here we attended classes in Acupressure, Painting/Calligraphy and Traditional Knotting.

The acupressure class included a lecture/demonstration of using acupressure on the ear. We all had little massage ‘dots’ attached to our ears.

Sensitive zones

Receiving treatment

The next class was Chinese painting and calligraphy. Both were demonstrated by experts and we were allowed to participate. It was good fun and something I would like to learn more about.

Teacher 

Note the beetle on the bamboo

Traditional Knotting (making decorative items using knots is very difficult - even for the regular attendees there). At the end of some unsuccessful attempts, the students did mine for me and also presented me with a couple of completed items.

Being taught traditional 'knotting'

Then we went to a singing class – they were really good (we didn’t have to sing in Chinese)

We didn't sing!

In the afternoon we visited the Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Massacre. It commemorates the massacre by the Japanese invaders of 300,000 people after occupation of Nanjing in 1937. The hall, built in 1985 is massive and built with notable artifacts inside and out.

We walked along the recommended route along with hundreds of Chinese visitors, listening to our guide Annie on our headsets. The system is so good that Marg, along with a few others, didn’t realise that she was far away from Annie. We found them outside when we came out.

We then visited Nanjing Yunjin Museum (established in 2004 and name changed to Nanjing Yunjin Museum of the Past Dynasties in 2020). It houses displays from ‘Warring States period to Ming and Qing Dynasties. We saw their traditional human-operated large silk weaving machines.

Weaving machine (two person job)

Finished product!

We had a Qinhuai River cruise in the evening. There were many old building right on the river (now commercial sites) well restored and lit up for the night. One common sight was people (mainly women) getting dressed in traditional gear and being photographed!

A bit wet!

Before boat ride

Our boat

On the river

Hotpot meal at the shopping centre to end the day. Tomorrow morning a flight to Taiyuan

To Taiyuan

 2025-10-16 (Thursday)

Flew into Taiyuan (two-hour flight) and met our new guide for the rest of the trip, Mary.

Taiyuan is colder than Nanjing (7 – 17C). Had lunch (another banquet but Marg preferred this food to its southern counterpart) before visiting the Jin Temple.

We visited the Jin Temple – an amazing place founded about 1400 year ago. Set in a large park-like garden they have some brilliant architecture, statues, paintings… Difficult to describe - must be seen to be believed!

A bit of rain as we left. Had a banquet lunch (again).

Went to a local place for pre-dinner beers. Four men, later joined by two women from the tour party.

Stayed at the Hampton Hotel (Hilton Group)

Through the hotel window