Cities I have traveled on my last trip to China

I have to write down where have I been to in China, else I would forget.

May 22nd I landed in Guangzhou, visited the Spring tea expo, went to FangCun tea market number of times in the next 2 weeks.  Next stop was NingBo city, a coastal city South of ShangHai.  I took a supposedly one day trip to the island of PuTuo Mountain, the most sacred Buddhist land in China.  However thousands travelers got stuck on the island due to dense fog, all boats stopped sailing after 4 pm.  So I end up staying on the island over night without anything but a cell phone.  Well, Buddha wanted me to stay, so I stayed an extra day riding the tram cart to the top of the mountain, then walked more than one thousand steps stair case back down to the foothill.  Not willing to take the chance of being stuck on the island for another day, I took the ferry back to mainland in the early afternoon around 2 pm, got back to NingBo hotel before dinner time.  Phew~~

Next stop was Hangzhou, then ShangHai, SuZhou, WuXi, JiangYin, YangZhou, NanJing, back to HangZhou, Sheng Shan, then ShangHai again, then back to GuangZhou, off to ChaoZhou, back to GuangZhou again, finally came home to LA.

Highlights of this trip were Ningbo, Putuo Shan, Hangzhou and Sheng Shan.  Spending days in one city is quite enjoyable, one can discover local themes, learn the local culture, have local cuisine to feel the difference.  China is huge in geography, each province is as big if not bigger than a country in Europe or South America, hence local cultures are as distinctive from one country to another.

6 weeks is a long time to be alone on a far away land, going from hotel to hotel, other times are on a bus or train or plane or taxi.  Although it was fun while I was there, but I am very happy to be home!  Back to a relaxing routine life style!  I know where my light switches are everyday!  It's great to know they are at the exact same spot everyday.  :D

Hotels in China are setup differently according to era, some older hotels have central control on a night stand, for TV, lights and etc.  Some newer hotels have separate switches, but not necessary at a standardized convenient location, ie, switches for a bathroom are not all within the bathroom, fan and ceiling light might be outside, sink light is inside on one wall, bathtub light is inside on the other wall.  You have to play a hunting game to find how to turn off the switch in a closet.  I was getting extremely irritated by the 10th hotel.