Explore More Magazine Summer 2019

Journey through China

Journey through China Travel blogger Rebecca Wiggins discovered an intoxicating mix of ancient traditions and modern-day culture when she embarked on an epic 15-day cruise-tour of China This page: The Shanghai skyline mixes futuristic modern design with more traditional buildings Opposite: The view from the stern of Viking Emerald

TRAVEL I’m balancing a delicate tea cup between my thumb and forefinger, resting the base gently on my middle finger and concentrating on sticking out my remaining fingers in what I’m hoping is a ladylike manner. The tea must be finished in three sips, representing happiness, long life and good fortune. Slurping is okay (it improves your experience of the flavour) but coughing and spluttering definitely isn’t. I fear I’m not a star student, but our tea tasting session at the Bell Tower Tea Room in Beijing is a fascinating insight into the reverence with which tea is treated in China. We leave inspired, vowing that our buckets of milky builders’ tea are a thing of the past. Our journey of discovery started over 800 miles to the south in incredible Shanghai. Setting out to explore on our first night, we were entranced by the crackling energy of this bustling city and were swept along on packed pavements, dazzled by the lights and bombarded with noise and unfamiliar smells. We wandered the streets, stopping to pet cute little dogs (Shanghai residents have a penchant for dressing up their dogs, and it’s adorable) and stopping for delicious dumplings before retreating to our very luxurious hotel, The Portman Ritz-Carlton, for drinks in the bar. The next morning, we were united with Roy, our Viking guide. Our daily interactions with him came to be one of the highlights of our trip. We felt so lucky to be part of his ‘Viking family’ (you stay with the same small group throughout your journey). Roy’s depth of knowledge of China’s history and culture was extraordinary, and his generosity in sharing snippets of his family life as well as insights into living in modern China really impressed us. Our first stop, Yu Garden, is a five-acre oasis of green in the middle of the city, with koi ponds, beautiful pagodas and ancient trees next to a bustling bazaar packed with people, shops, delicious smelling dumpling stalls and more stunning old buildings. Following an afternoon in the fascinating Shanghai Museum, Roy took us to the historic Bund where we saw the glittering, modern skyline across the river juxtaposed with the ancient buildings lining the shore. Sadly there was no time to wait for the spectacular evening light show as we had an appointment with the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe: a band of incredibly talented young athletes performing terrifying spins, SUMMER 2019 | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.UK 19