The following were written on our long journey home: (Note: no editing)
Katy
Fave Moments/Things
1. P-3 "Piece Tree" in China
2. "Spicey" beef - Deen, Curtis and everyone else thought it was spicey!
3. Curtis - Finally getting 2 see him :) :) BCFL (Best cusin for life!)
4. Shopping - sales everywhere and bargining
4. Shopping - sales everywhere and bargining
5. The Great Wall - great view "I'm in awe"
6. The Forbiden City - amazing the empors were the first couch potatos!
7. Aqua - cool table and no shoes! don't forget proposal!
8. Funny moments when my Dad would mess up! LOL
9. Bejing
10. The Birds Nest and the Water Cube - Huge by the way!
11. Hong Kong
12. Big "Buttie" (Buddha) - so much walking
13. Disneyland! Minime of Disneyworld but better rides.
14. Space Mountain - fun!
Last but not least
15. Most of the food!
Least Fave things/moments:
1. Macy falling :(
2. Lamb
3. The subways (fun for a little while)
4. The Smell
5. Walking - ouch
6. Most important - Curtis leaving us
7.5 - The plane rides
8. Cold weather
Mike
Favorite:
Grand Hyatt Hotel Beijing
Great Wall
Tianjin Market
P Shree
Big Buddha
Aqua Roma Restaurant
Disneyland
Least Favorite:
Nasty teeth
Nasty water
long plane rides
bad attitudes
bargaining
Sheri
Our adventure to China has been exciting, eye opening, challenging, and fun. This is a trip that I would not have taken if my darling nephew Curtis was not going to school in China. This was our chance to see a country that would not normally be on our vacation agenda. I must say I was nervous about the 14 hour flight the most. I knew would be different , but was not expecting such completely different cultures. So, this is some of my "likes" from the trip.
1. The upgraded seat to United Plus was nice. 5 inches does make a difference when you are traveling for 14 hours.
2. The service was excellent! We arrived in Beijing tired and wiery only to met by a nice Chinese man with a "Dr. Engelbrecht" sign for the Grand Hyatt. He led us through the beautiful airport and through customs no problem! We walked out and found Curtis!
3. The hotel was beautiful and the upgrade to a suite and club level sure was nice to enjoy. The pool was totally amazing! It looked like a tropical paradise. The location was wonderful. It was right in the middle for us to enjoy the Forbidden City.
4. The Great Wall: This was amazing! It was a moment in your life when you catch yourself saying "It's Tuesday afternoon and I am at the Great Wall in China!"
5. Shopping in Tianjin with Curtis and friends.
6. People watching in general.
7. Hong Kong was amazing. A tropical paradise. More than I could imagine. Disney was fun and not crowded.
8. Hong Kong City view, lights aqua dinner.
9. Mike's chinese saying
10. Big Buddha
11. Family
What I did not like:
1. Freezing cold!
2. Burping, spitting, nose picking of the locals.
3. The no-teeth locals in your face peddaling goods.
4. Seeing Curtis so far from home.
5. Taxi's in general in Beijing.
6. B-O Smelly!!!
7. Subway
8. Not emough time to do everything
9. Cable car - scarey!
10. Tianjin tummy on way to cable car
11. Food - I am all American
12. Long plane ride
Macy
By Report: Loved the most being with Curtis! Disneyland and swimming. Didn't like: People wanting to take my picture and touch my hair!
Nana
Favorite:
Hotel in Beijing
Forbidden City
Forbidden City
Great Wall of China
Curtis's dinner with friends in Tianjin
Disneyland and hotel
Dinner in Hong Kong
Non-Favorites:
Subway and all the shopping
Bad smells
Betsy
Favorites:
Seeing Curtis at the airport when we arrived!
Watching and listening to Curtis speak Mandarin
Girls clinging to Curtis
Great Wall
Tianjin - Curt's apartment, eating dinner with his friends, his friends in general, shopping at market
Silk market
Hong Kong city
Barney song
Eating Beijing Duck
Dinner at Aqua
Disneyland
My family
And don't forget: P Shree!
Least Favorites:
toilets
smells
cold weather
leaving Curtis
Immigrations!
Final Thoughts
Curtis explained how the language can have one word that means 4 different things by it's "tones". I think we can sum up our trip with one word:
"P shree"
1. Love 2. Humor 3. Half way around the world 4. Memories