Arcadia at Shanghai - China - part 2.

Shanghai City skyline by People's Park.

Jinmao Hyatt Building - I know friends who have stayed here on the 88th Floor!

The Oriental Peal Tower.

Shanghai Skyline - note the AURORA building!

Yu Garden

Yu Tree

Yu Gardens - more ideas for my patio.......

Love it!

It must be very colourful when it is in full bloom.

Ceremonial Tea Ceremony.

Pump those tyres on that bike - local transportation.

The Jade Buddha Temple.

Lots of great reports back from our passengers on how much they enjoyed this.

Jade Buddha.

Burning Incense.

Ceremonial Fish

Bronze Lion Guardian.

Good Day Everyone,

Greetings from the China Sea!

This has been an overcast day at sea with lots of rain and some fog - how refreshing!! All set for our sail into Hong Kong tomorrow - the excitement of this Inaugural Grand Voyage is Eternal - one Ship - endless adventures - that's Arcadia for you.

I hope you enjoyed these photographs of our Shanghai cruise. Our passengers have so enjoyed our two ports of call in China. They can't stop talking about it. The last time I was in the City centre of Shanghai was in 1987 - I could hardly take it all in - so many new buildings and so tall......awesome really. Everybody is busy in China - few people at leisure - everyone is working at something or going somewhere. It is all a hive of activity. There are three beautiful apartment blocks in the City centre with only three apartments sold as no one can afford them - they are $10,000 per square meter.

Here is Graham's report.

Arcadia arrived safely in her second Chinese port of this Inaugural World Cruise on time albeit it was a chilly arrival as we secured alongside. For many of our passengers the day in Shanghai was going to be a real adventure into a Chinese city of mystic but also one of seeing a city that is growing at an alarming rate where traditional city dwellings are being torn down to make way for new high rise apartments and business offices. Many of our passengers enjoyed especially their visit to the Jade Buddha Temple where the local guides enthusiastically told them about the ways of the Buddha and the traditional ways of worship.

Local ladies were seen to be burning rolls of paper whilst praying as a forerunner to kneeling at the image of the Buddha. The Buddha images are fantastic to say the least and many photographs were taken as unforgettable images of their day. Inside the temple Ms Machin found this ceremonial wooden fish that was a wonderful piece of carving. Later in the Temple area we all enjoyed a traditional tea ceremony and here the local lady demonstrated the way to make and serve three different types of tea.

The Yu Gardens were a real joy and although the pathways were busy we certainly all enjoyed the walk past the many traditional houses and rockery areas. Huge wooden dragons roared their presence whilst the guardian female bronze lion was another aspect of the garden that we past by. How we admired the Bonsai trees years old of course but beautifully in bloom.

Thanks for that Graham.

Another Leg is almost over for Arcadia as we steam towards Hong Kong of this great white liner capturing the magic of the mystical Orient, cherishing moments which will be remembered for ever.

Bye for now - your man in the East!

James Blog

'Only dead fish swim with the stream'.