Flat Stanley's adventure to China has begun

[kennythepirate]

Day One - 7000 miles to Beijing!
My Dd12 Jordyn won a trip for four anywhere ABD travels including airfare. She chose to travel with Flat Stanley to China. In order to get through security and not have to purchase a ticket, Stanley shrunk himself down and hid himself in our luggage.
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We awakened at 2:30 am to deapart for the airport. Our flight left at 6:35 sharp for San Francisco. I told Stanley before we left that I have never seen San Francisco. He said it is an exciting city with a great Chinese influence. After about a 4 hour layover we departed on a 12 hour flight to Beijing that also included a 13 hour time difference from our home time. Stanley had told me to reset my watch immediately and it would help me adjust to the new time faster. It must be great to be Stanley and be able to tag along on so many great adventures! Stanley told me that he is going to try to travel with other adventure guides after this one is over and attempt to see all the Adventures by Disney. I am impressed by his enthusiasm for travel.

"Fred" our local expert in Beijing picked us up and the airport. He is soooo much fun to be around and has a real mastery of not only the English language, but idioms as well. He laughted and joked with us and really hit it off with Nathan.
We arrived at the Peninsula Hotel and it is amazing! Such a beautiful hotel right in the heart of bustling Beijing.
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We went to our room to retrieve Stanley, so he could join us for the Tea Ceremony and dinner. Stanley was excited to see a real Lambourghini and Bentley for the the first time!
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We enjoyed the story of a traditional Chinese Tea Ceremony and enjoyed a huge feast. It was great to finally meet some of our new friends including Qismyprincess from here on disboards.
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After dinner we took turns dressing in traditional Chinese Empirical costuming. It sure was great to have Stanley there to assist with taking photos.
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Dusty and Fred were a lot of fun with the kids at dinner tonight. Stanley's Next Great Adventure will be one of a lifetime for us all!

www.twitter.com/kennypirate

[Bobo912]

My Dd12 Jordyn won a trip for four anywhere ABD travels including airfare. She chose China. We have begun our journey and are on layover in San Francisco for a couple of hours.
We'll be tweeting our progress with Stanley throughout our journey

www.twitter.com/kennypirate

Have a safe trip! I'm looking forward to reading about all the fun you're having!

[Friendofpluto]

Have fun. I will be be following you elsewhere too.

[tchrrx]

How on earth did you win something as awesome as that????

Have a great trip!

[2GirlsMama]

Have a great trip!

[kennythepirate]

How on earth did you win something as awesome as that????

Have a great trip!

my dd12 won this adventure in a contest sponsored by harper collins and abd

www.flatstanleybooks.com/adventuresbydisney

Day TWO - Forbidden City
The time had come for Jordyn and Stanley to see the site that she had chosen to embellish the artwork for. After passing through Tianamen Square and taking some photos, we continued on to the ancient Forbidden City. Flat Stanley would get to pose in front of the area he had been in the line drawing provided by Harper Collins Books and Adventures by Disney.
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As we journeyed through the city we kept hearing Dusty's voice resonate, "Zoba Adventures...let's go!" and "Stay to the right." We would receive a complete right handed tour of the city :-) We made our way into the 9 Dragons wall and the Junior Adventuerers would locate the one pice that stood out from the rest as it was made of wood instead of tile. Stanley asked if I could take a photo of him posing with Jordyn here.
Stanley and Jordyn are becoming fast friends just as she is with the other female Junior Adventurers.
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After touring the wall and having a wonderful lakeside lunch, we went of on our own adventure of the Summer Palace. We chose to take a boat across the peaceful lake that looked like a Dragon.
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Stanley couldn't believe all the stairs that we would need to climb. When we reached the top, we would find the most amazing view of Beijing and there was a unique Buddha statue with many arms and heads. Stanley said it reminded him of his English teacher who could always see everyone at the same time.
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Before leaving Nathan and Jordyn chose to have their names drawn by a local artist in true Chinese Character fashion. Each one was quite beautiful.
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We had quite the adventure trying to get a taxi back to the hotel. They provided some cards to assist the driver, but no drivers wanted to run the meter. They wanted to charge double the going rate. We found this person that we thought was a taxi driver, only to learn that he wanted to drive us in his personal car. Stanley reminded us that we had been advised by Fred not to travel in that way. After quite a bit of walking around, we would locate a cab driver and get back to the hotel. It felt a lot like that show "Amazing Race."

Upon returning to the hotel we found local experts waiting to demonstrate kite making, mask creation and caligraphy. Stanley loved these activities and jumped right into the fun. Don't you think he did a terrific job?
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After a terrific Chinese dinner, we were given a brief demonstration by some of the Monkey King actors from the Beijing Opera. Stanley laughed and was amazed by their demonstration of skill and comedic ability.
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[kennythepirate]

Day 3 Great Wall Glory

coming soon...sorry for the delay

[Moon Child]

That is awseome! Have a great trip!
My DS9 did Flat Stanley this year in school and we had a ball
We took him to the Statue Of Liberty, then a friend took himn to England and my boss took him to Spain
Now I can't wait for my youngest to have a Stanley!

[smep013]

Subscribing, as I'm on the July 3 China trip! Have fun!

[kennythepirate]

Day 4 Pedicabin' in the Hutong and on to Chengdu

coming soon...sorry for the delay

[DVCGirl49]

Great update! Sounds like everyone is having a wonderful time!

[figmentfan2009]

That has to be, still, my dd's favorite day.

Who are your guides?

Summer Palace way early in the morning is FANTASTIC

Oh... I SO envy you guys... :thumbsup2

[2GirlsMama]

Our youngest daughter absolutely loves her Chinese yo-yo. She will really love this part of the trip. I am most excited for the pandas, then the Shanghai Expo.

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience. It is getting me even more excited to travel!

[figmentfan2009]

if you can, the experience of holding a panda (kind of like holding something as heavy as wet cement...) is incredible. They will take your picture with your camera (they will take at least a dozen pictures and if you have someone in your group that is like me... you can take 2 cameras or have them take pictures with their camera and give them to you).
It was pricey but it was probably the best money we spent. DD will never forget it and it is something that so few actually get to do... the hospital gowns they have you wear are kind of dorky but hey...
It was even fantastic in the cold rain that was most of that day for us...


:hippie:

[kennythepirate]

That has to be, still, my dd's favorite day.

Who are your guides?

Summer Palace way early in the morning is FANTASTIC

Oh... I SO envy you guys... :thumbsup2

Officially our guides are Dusty (US) and "Fred" (China) They are stinking awesome! They seem to have some sort of tap to a supernatural energy source. Kind of like energizer bunnies. Dusty is right there with all the details and plans and really awesome with us adults. Fred is spending a lot of time with my kids. He is Nathan's Asian hero and we want to adopt him to bring him back with us as our new son. The other day I left my favorite D23 Mickey hat at a restaurant and a few hours later Dusty showed up with it! Gotta love the Disney Magic.

Unofficially, we have 3 additional awesome guides who are "shadow guides." I guess they couldn't play the part of Peter Pan, huh? Jason and James are US and in training to present this tour the next few times and Leo is Chinese and is doing the same. Jason, James and Fred just spent an extra 30-45 minutes after the stick fighting demo playing and running with our kids. These guys are amazing. From our brief experience, it doesn't look like anyone will have a "bad guide" with AbD.


We visited the Summer Palace on the same day as the Forbidden City. It was a wonderful afternoon. A LOT of climbing of stairs.

Our youngest daughter absolutely loves her Chinese yo-yo. She will really love this part of the trip. I am most excited for the pandas, then the Shanghai Expo.

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience. It is getting me even more excited to travel!

We are also excited to see the Expo in a few days. Dusty is looking to see if we can qualify for group discounts and trying to find out about express priveledges for the China pavillion which is said to have a many hour wait.

if you can, the experience of holding a panda (kind of like holding something as heavy as wet cement...) is incredible. They will take your picture with your camera (they will take at least a dozen pictures and if you have someone in your group that is like me... you can take 2 cameras or have them take pictures with their camera and give them to you).
It was pricey but it was probably the best money we spent. DD will never forget it and it is something that so few actually get to do... the hospital gowns they have you wear are kind of dorky but hey...
It was even fantastic in the cold rain that was most of that day for us...


:hippie:

Got to hold the Pandas! Read about it in next post.

pirate:

[kennythepirate]

Day 5 Pandas - so cute you could bite their little heads off!

Today Stanley awoke and went down for the breakfast buffet. It seemed like the food went on for at least a city block! There are foods from sushi to scrambled eggs. They offer watermelon juice. He stuffed himself before heading out to the Panda Research Center.
Chengdu seems like it is in transition compared to Beijing. Many of the buildings appear to have been built in the 1950's, but Stanley saw a vibrant downtown area with new hotels, restaurants and clubs. At night, he thinks it looks like a mini Vegas.
We arrived at the Panda Center and crossed the always dangerous street. When I first saw a panda, I realized that I had never seen one with my own eyes. Most of us think we have from all the photos and videos, but they are only found in 4 places in the US: Atlanta, San Diego, Memphis and Washington zoos. Stanley was excited to meet a panda for the first time.
The first panda we saw was about 7 years old. He was lying on his back chewing the outer crust off the bamboo shoot, then eating the center. He had a pile of crust all over his chest. My daugther said it looks like me when I'm watching Alabama Football. Kicked back in chair with chip crumbs on my shirt. Only difference is that I have a television. The panda only has the sky. Stanely was excited to learn that pandas aren't really bears, they are their own unique animal. He asked if we could stop for a photo. He was so excited, he could hardly contain himself!
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We later arrived at a type of Panda kindergarten area and saw a sign that for a donation to the research center one can actually hold a panda! Who knew??? :-) It is quite pricey at 1000 Yuan or about $150 per person US, but so worth it. You only get a minute or so each with the baby panda. You put on hospital gowns and gloves and booties and wait your turn. The panda fur doesn't feel soft like the little stuffed ones that are for sale everywhere nearby. It feels a bit rough. The little panda was super cute and it was actually quite moving holding the young one. He is a bit heavier for a one year old than one would expect. Each of us took a turn holding and petting him with our photo take by a person from the center. Then they took a photo of us all together. What a terrific, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Stanley tried to sneak in to see the baby panda, but their was no good place to hide this time. The gowns were just in the way too much. At least he got to see them outside!
As we made our way toward the exit, we found these cute little RED pandas. I didn't even know that red pandas existed. They look like a panda/racoon/fox/cat. They move around a great deal more than the white ones. They seemed very inquisitive.
Stanley moved in for a closer view.
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As we were about to exit 2 little Chinese boys in TIGGER T-shirts wanted a photo with all our kids. It was a cute moment to get in photos and on video.
We decided to do some haggle shopping near the bus, so we ventured ahead of the group. My kids were spending their own hard-earned money on souvenirs and gifts, so we knew we'd save purchasing there. My daughter got a huge stuffed panda with Chengdu on it for 50 Yuan, we got a medium sized panda for DD6 back home for 35 Yuan and my son got a pair of large Panda hands for 50 Yuan. It takes about 7 Yuan to make a dollar. It was my kid's first experience haggling. They may have gotten it a little cheaper with more experience, but felt they had received a fair deal vs US prices. Stanley enjoyed the experience shopping, but chose not to buy anything. They didn't offer too much that would fit in his little pockets.
We came back to ShangriLa Hotel, have to love that name, for another huge buffet lunch and had some great food. Stanley and I tried the Taro Ice Cream. It was pretty good.
They followed up lunch with Kung Fu and stick fighting demonstration. Stanley watched as my son had sooooo much fun trying the poses and whacking the stick. He actually broke one by mistake. Don't worry, it was on the floor, not another kid. Stanley's hands were full with his fan and chopsticks, so he chose not to participate this time. Stanley really enjoyed my kid's poses with the Kung Fu Masters.
After the demonstration the guides spent time playing with the kids that remained. What fun that was to watch them all. These guys definitely know the Disney difference!
Tonight we get to experience the Face Changing Opera. Sounds like it will be a blast!
Well, it's time to pack. We have an early flight tomorrow to see the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi'an then catch another flight to Guillin in the same day.

I think I have found another Disney addiction...Adventures by Disney!

[kennythepirate]

I just made a photobucket with Flat Stanley uploads!

http://s992.photobucket.com/albums/af48/kennythepirate/Flat%20Stanley%20China/

[kennythepirate]

So we went to the Face Changing Opera and couldn't find Stanley anywhere! We were rather alarmed and thought he went out to enjoy the night life on his own. China is a pretty safe place, so we figured he wanted to see life through the local's eyes.

Well, we arrived back at the hotel and what do we find?
Stanley is asleep in our bed! I guess he knew that we would be out until 10 pm tonight and wake up tomorrow at 5 am, so he was catching some shut eye.

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The Face Changing Opera was a really neat experience. I most enjoyed the guy who made hand puppet shadows, the puppet on a stick guy and the face changers at the end. There were some times my family was in real amazement with those. Sylvia, our local expert, asked everyone how the face changing and clothes changing were done, no one really guessed. I knew the answer, but didn't want to spoil the magic. A couple minutes later she revealed to everyone how it is done. And this is it...
Ha! You thought an honorary cast member would spoil the magic? You'll need to book the trip to learn it for yourself :-)
Well, time for a nap and see ya real soon!
KTP

[kennythepirate]

Day 6 - Warriros and Gumdrops

Ni hao from Xi'an and Guilin

Today Stanley woke us up at 4:30 AM to prepare for our early flight to Xi'an. He was rather aflutter as we prepared to depart for our flight to see the ancient Terra Cotta Warriors. We learned that we would be the first Adventures by Disney travel group to visit the Terra Cotta Warriors this year. Stanley became even more enthused. We left our bags outside and Stanley hopped into my backpack to head off to breakfast. After breakfast we met up with the other adventurers and boarded our shuttle bus to take us to the airport.
Stanley was concerned as we discovered that one of our adventurers had taken ill and been escorted by Dusty and Leo to the local hospital. We were later informed that the adventurer would be fine and meet us later in the day. We reached the airport only one hour before boarding and Fred had already secured our boarding passes and taken care of our luggage. It's a good thing Stanley can shrink himself down for travel or he would need a boarding pass too!
It was exhilarating for Stanley to board here in Chengdu, as he hasn't boarded a plane from the tarmac before. He could see the entire plane from the ground as we climbed the staircase to enter the plane. We took our seats and prepared to depart. The flight was delayed but that didn't seem to bother Stanley. He was still rather excited after seeing the majestic pandas yesterday and cannot await our new adventure today.
After landing in Xi'an we took a one and a half hour bus ride to the area where the Terra Cotta Warriors were located. Stanley was delirious to hear that they believe there are more than 8000 warriors buried under the ground in tribute to the Emperor. But he became sad when he found out that someone long ago had entered the area, broken the warriors and set fire to their tomb area. He perked up again soon after when he learned that archaeologists are working diligently to put the warriors back together again piece by piece. Stanley enjoys building puzzles and volunteered to help with the excavation, but no one was digging in the pits today. Stanley posed for a few photos with some warriors,
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a really large warrior tribute
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and had some pictures taken with a dragon.
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Stanley wasn't frightened because the adventure guide taught him that dragons are considered good in Chinese culture and the dragon didn't hurt him a bit. He also got to view an ancient bronze chariot and horses and learned that the Chinese invented Chrome plating more than 2000 years ago!
After a thrilling time with the warriors, the group departed for the airport to catch our second flight of the day. This time the flight would be to Guilin. Stanley really wants to see the picturesque “Gumdrop Mountains.” We arrived at the Hotel of Modern Art which Stanley thought was amazing. He said that some people believe that he is art as well and have helped make clothing for him from all types of materials. He is really enjoying the quirky appeal of this quiet little Relais Chateaux. It is so peaceful here at night. After a nice stroll around the ornate grounds, Stanley headed for the room to get a restful night's sleep. There is a big day coming tomorrow when all the Adventurers head to the riverboat cruise and Stanley doesn't want to miss that!

[disneyphx]

just wanted to say I am loving your posts and photos - can't wait to leave on our China adventure!

[kennythepirate]

just wanted to say I am loving your posts and photos - can't wait to leave on our China adventure!

Thank you. Stanley is grateful to share his adventure with you as well.
He asked me to go back and add a lot more detail, so be sure to read this thread again from the beginning. I will tell more about Stanley's adventure as time is available.

[kennythepirate]

Day 7 - River Raiders!

Ni hao from Guilin's Gumdrop Mountains!
Stanley was so grateful for a longer night of rest. After we awoke, we did a Skype video call back to the States so He could say “Ni hao”to my youngest daughter. She is still in awe how we can talk and see each other at the same time. We enjoyed a nice breakfast at the hotel and headed out to watch the Tai Chi Master.
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Stanley wasn't shy about trying the movements. He found it to be a relaxing way to start his day. The Master then asked for volunteers to demonstrate how Tai Chi can also be used in self defense. Nathan volunteered and he showed him how easily he could be lifted from the ground. The Master then asked me to come forward, so Stanley took over the video taping duties so I could help. I pushed against the Master's shoulder with both arms and couldn't budge the much smaller man. I tried and tried, but he was strong, yet noodle-like at the same time. It was an interesting experience in all.

We then boarded our coach and set off for the Li River for a nice, tranquil boat ride through the Gumdrop Mountains.
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We all posed for a family photo with the mountains behind, Stanley loves posing for photos as a part of our family.
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It was exhilarating for Stanley to see a dragonfly land on Nathan's hand. One of the guides said that it meant he was receiving a blessing from the area. It was a pretty neat experience for Nathan and Stanley was glad to share that moment with him.
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We had a simple lunch of sandwiches and such on the boat and laughed and talked as we gazed upon the beautiful scenery that stretches for more than 100 miles. It's amazing just how much of a light eater Stanley is. It's as though he eats nothing at all!
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After enjoying the wonderful views, we docked at Yangshuo to do some shopping. Stanley stopped with Jordyn to take a photo with a local Comoran fisherman. He thought those birds were really amazing because they catch fish for the fisherman and his family. They only keep the really small fish and give the big fish to the fisherman and his family. Stanley likes to see others share.
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He was then challenged by Dusty to purchase an item for 20 Yuan to give as a “White Elephant”swap tonight. It's the first time any of us have been given money by Disney! Stanley decided to purchase a dancing Minnie Mouse that is solar powered.

We made the return trip to the Hotel of Modern Art and took a brief rest before going on an exhilarating bike ride of the local area. Stanley most enjoyed the bicycle made for two and shared a ride with Jordyn.
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After the ride, we all went to dinner. It was a great barbeque buffet set beside this placid lake. The mini burgers were just the right size for Stanley, but being the adventurer that he is, he was out climbing the mountain at the resort. The setting felt like we were at a wonderful wedding reception. Everyone made a joyous toast to our new friendships and consumed the tasty food.
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After dinner we exchanged the gifts we had purchased earlier. Some were quite funny and others very beautiful. Being a pirate, I was the first to steal a gift in this fun game. It was great enjoyment for everyone.

The Junior Adventurers were invited to view the movie Mulan that was inspired by a true story of a young Chinese girl who saved her family. Stanley liked seeing another dragon and this dragon was very funny. The Hotel of Modern Art and tranquil boat ride down the Li River were a welcome respite to our constant transportation through China. Stanley is re-charged and cannot wait for the next adventure in Shanghai to begin tomorrow!

[wem3212]

I am loving reading your updates. We are scheduled for the July 18th trip and I am getting excited about what we are going to see and do because of your journal. Thanks for keeping us informed. Could you do me a favor and ask your "shadow guide" Jason if he will be doing our trip in July? I am pretty sure he is the guide we had in Germany 2 years ago and loved him.The kids had a blast with him. Thanks so much.

[kennythepirate]

Day 8 on to the Concrete Jungle

Ni hao from Shanghai!
This day was one of travel for Stanley. He arose early to take one last look at the majestic gumdrop mountains and surreal, modern
artwork in the hotel's gardens.
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Shortly after, he boarded the coach to leave Guilin for the fast-paced, urban landscape of Shanghai. We
boarded the flight and departed right on time. In Stanley's travels he has learned to appreciate the varying schedules and last minute
changes that often occur in China. He thinks it really authenticates the adventure.

After landing, we loaded up the coach to depart for Shanghai. This is the most populated city that Stanley has travelled to thus far with
more than 20 million people thriving in this megatropolis. His jaw dropped in awe as he scanned the towering city.
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On one side of the river were colonial inspired buildings with English and French flavors. On the other side of the river are skyscrapers reaching
toward the heavens. It is as though each building is stretching higher than the next to touch the gently clouded azure sky.

Stanley then decided to accompany Melinda and two other adventurers on a Chinese laundry adventure. They took a taxi cab a mile or two to a local
service. It became quite interesting as the local shop owner counted each piece. Stanley was very surprised just how expensive it is to do
laundry in China.

As the night began to overtake the day Stanley joined the adventurer group for dinner at M on the Bund. Stanley thought it was a funny
name for a restaurant. He and all the children were on their best behavior at this high-end western-style dining location. It is located
on the 7th floor overlooking the gently flowing river, but still far below the skyscrapers glowing brightly with twinkling lights and
gigantic, building-sized video billboards. Stanley took a wonderful photo of our family there.
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After dinner, Stanley took a casual stroll with us down the riverwalk. It was a very busy place with many tourist taking photos of the river
area.
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He enjoyed seeing the sights, then returned to the room at the Peninsula Shanghai. What an amazing room Stanley thought as he opened the door. There were so many buttons to push! He could turn on the tv, open or close the blinds, set the alarm, listen to American radio stations, adjust the lighting, control the air conditioner, use the fax or copier machine, make an espresso, dry his finger nails, make phone calls or watch tv
from the tub and even call the States for free! He was busy pressing buttons until he reminded me to call some friends and family.
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Stanley finally settled into the comfortable bed for a peaceful night's rest. "Another grand adventure awaits tomorrow," Stanley said
as he dozed off to sleep.

[kennythepirate]

Day 9 - Are you a fan of swords?

No ha from Shanghai!
Today we began our adventure by learning from Annie, our local expert, that local people say, “No ha” instead of “Ni hao.” Stanley loves learning new languages and has learned a number of new words.
After breakfast, we headed out for a local garden were retired people like to remain active. Stanley feels that could be a reason Chinese people live long lives. We met a kind gentleman who demonstrated sword dancing. Sword dancing looked exciting to Stanley, but he stayed back a bit to observe. He thought it looked a little too much like he would become “Paper, rock, scissors.” The sword master even chose Nathan for an extra one-on-one lesson.
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After the adventurers participated in learning a dance with a sword, a kind lady taught the adventurers how to fan dance. Stanley was all-in for this adventure! With a big smile on his face he jumped right in, after all, he had brought his own fan for just such an adventure. Melinda and Jordyn really excelled in this exercise. Nathan just liked popping the fan open and closed. The guides then took a few moments being silly.
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Stanley encouraged us to venture around the gardens and we watched some couples ballroom dancing together, right there out in the open for everyone to see. It was “Dancing with Stanley” now. After a short time of dancing he ventured over a short ways to watch some local people playing a serious game of badminton. They were very good at this game, he thought. The locals asked Stanley and the group to join in. They laughed at just how bad the adventurers were at their favorite game. Stanley volunteered to take a nice photo of us in the lovely, floral garden.
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We then loaded up the bus to visit “Old Town”with a beautiful garden and shopping area.
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While shopping Stanley met a new friend. We call him “Mini Kenny.” Mini Kenny will probably have many years of wonderful adventures ahead of him after Stanley teaches him the ropes.
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After shopping we headed for the Jin Mao tower to have lunch on the 54th floor! The views were stunning and the food was abundant. Beef,lamb, pork, chicken, noodles,ice cream and on it went. Stanley has never seen as much food until he came on this Enchanted China trip with Adventures by Disney. No adventurer on this trip will ever go hungry.
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Stanley then boarded the shuttle to visit a wonderful children's preschool called a Children's Palace. The children were so special, so sweet and so kind. Each child took an adventurer's hand and escorted us into their schoolroom for a demonstration of dancing, singing and piano playing.
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One of our junior adventurers played piano for them and then Dusty taught us all how to do a dance from “The Festival of the Lion King.” Stanley was surprised just how good the children 5 and 6 years of age were at learning the new dance.
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After enjoying some wonderful time together they escorted us back to our bus. Everyone had huge smiles on their faces as the children said, “Bye bye!” to us all.
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We were returned to the Peninsula for a night on our own. Stanley and the kids decided that a swim was in order and later went out on the town for dinner. Tomorrow Stanley will travel to the World Expo! Can you tell he is excited to see all the beautiful pavillions?

[kennythepirate]

I am loving reading your updates. We are scheduled for the July 18th trip and I am getting excited about what we are going to see and do because of your journal. Thanks for keeping us informed. Could you do me a favor and ask your "shadow guide" Jason if he will be doing our trip in July? I am pretty sure he is the guide we had in Germany 2 years ago and loved him.The kids had a blast with him. Thanks so much.

Asked Jason tonight and he said he is indeed the guide for July 18th. He is looking forward to a guest returning to tour with him again!pirate:

[kennythepirate]

Day 10 - Around the world in one day

No Ha from the Shanghai World Expo!
Sorry for the lack of updates, but Stanley and I were just enjoying ourselves far too much!
We started day 10 in Shanghai by going to the largest World Expo (formerly called World's Fair) in human history. The place was enormous!
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It took us a full day just to visit a few places and take photos of the outsides of most of the world's countries represented. It was said that the crowd was nearly 500,000 in one day. The queue lines for security were very long, but orderly and really didn't take as long as expected.
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We didn't bring a backpack today, so Stanley hitched a ride in my pocket. You should have seen the face of the young Chinese lady when I emptied my pocket and she saw Stanley. It was quite a reaction.
Stanley enjoyed the fact that there were natural gas and electric powered buses to transport us around the expo.
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Stanley said the Expo felt like going to Epcot at Walt Disney World, just on a much larger scale. He wanted to start by visiting the Africa pavilion, so off we went. It was so terrific that he could be exposed to so many different African cultures under one roof. Stanley saw a really tall giraffe, many types of intricate artwork, a giant gorilla and lion and played on a tribal drum.
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He then asked to visit the Egypt pavilion where he saw genuine ancient Egyptian artifacts from the Pharaohs. One was a mask made of solid gold. The one Stanley made in Beijing was only made of paper mache, but just as priceless, he thought.
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When we visited the Tunisia area, Stanley loved the colorful dancing waters that again reminded him of the water show in Epcot. How awesome that someone thought to bring Disney World all the way to China! He asked why so much of their architecture looked like it was from Greece. The kind person working there explained that it was once a colony of Greece after Alexander the Great conquered the area.
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We saw countries like Argentina, Algeria, Angola, Libya and Slovenia. Stanley thought the word Slovenia was a funny word. He asked if there is such a thing as “Fastvenia.” Stanley really loved our visit to Lithuania. He watched as Nathan, Jordyn and I shot baskets on the official goal. 10 feet was just too high for Stanley to reach, so he opted to play the fun computer game version instead.
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He stopped for a quick photo with Yao Ming, the Captain of the Chinese basketball team. He was so large he could hold Stanley in one hand, while dunking with the other. He was so tall that Nathan barely came above his waist.
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We saw more countries' pavilions like Italy, Greenland and Iceland. Stanley loved the United Kingdom's area because he thought it looked like a gigantic porcupine. By this time the lines for most pavilions were now topping 3 to 5 hour wait times. Stanley asked if they offered Disney's Fastpass service, but none was to be found. Stanley really enjoyed Venezula's area because it allowed him a moment to take a siesta, that's a nap in Spanish.
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He was amazed by Mexico's pavilion because it looked like hundreds of shiny, colorful kites. Stanley then remembered making a kite earlier in the trip with a kite master. Stanley liked the tiny Sombreros here. They were just his size.
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Stanley loved looking at Paraguay's expo. It looked like he was under a giant cow. He got to meet a couple of Bolivian cowboys and climbed a Guatemalan temple which was like a stone version of the Summer Palace.
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Stanley stopped for a photo with Haibao who was super nice. Haibao is the mascot for the World Expo and is made from the Chinese character for man. Jordyn just had to take one of these cute snugglies home with her and purchased a couple of pins to add to her collection as well.
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We saw so many countries that we can't list them all, but Stanley was pretty impressed with the host country's pavilion. China's area must have taken 4 city blocks all by it's own. We were told that it will be the only building that remains after the World Expo is over in October.
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Stanley and the gang took a taxi back to the hotel to meet the other adventurers for dinner. We enjoyed an evening of genuine Shanghai steamed dumplings filled with things like pork, crab and shrimp. When we boarded the bus, we learned that one adventurer purchased a box of Godiva chocolates to share with the entire group. Yummy!
As we arrived at the site for the evening's show, ERA - the intersection of time, Stanley observed yet another building that reminded him of Epcot. It looked just like Spaceship Earth, only buried half into the ground. He then learned that this is where we were going to see the show.
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The show was “simply amazing,” as Dusty says often. It was kind of like La Nouba, but really showcases everything that is unique to Shanghai. Nathan and Stanley were jumping for joy when they saw 8 motorcycles going really fast inside one wire ball. Stanley got to meet the performers and all the Adventurers had a photo made with them. After the show many of the Junior Adventurers attempted balancing a bowl on their head. Guess what? Stanley learned that the bowl balancer had worked at...Epcot. Yes, that's right.
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Stanley had traveled around the world and back to China all in one day. It was an exhausting, but very fulfilling day of fun.

[sayhello]

This is so wonderful! What a great adventure you and Stanley are having! Looking forward to more!

Sayhello

[kennythepirate]

Day 11 - Disneyland or Bust!

Stanley bounded from the bed, as this was the day he was waiting for! He would get to ride a train that would travel 301 kilometers per
hour - that is 187 miles per hour. We were told that the train ride would only last a few minutes. Stanley was still excited for another
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He cozied into the bright, blue seats next to Jordyn so he could look out the window.
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The train doesn't use wheels. It is pulled along with magnets being powered on and off. Quickly the train reached it's top speed and made a turn that helped Stanley feel some G forces as he viewed the train whizzing past the cars and trees. It was as though the cars were moving in slow motion,
he thought. Soon, the exciting ride came to an end and Stanley and the gang boarded a plane for Hong Kong.

Stanley realized that this would be the last of 5 flights he would take while in Enchanted China with Adventures by Disney. He felt a little sad for a moment, but perked up when he remembered that we are headed for Hong Kong Disneyland! As we approached the Disneyland Hotel, the excitement in the air became more palpable. Finally the moment arrived when we saw the beautifully appointed and well manicured grounds of the Hong Kong Disneyland resort.
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As the coach pulled into the entrance, cast members were lining each side waving Mickey hands. "All this for me?" Stanley thought. As he entered the reception lounge he found sandwiches in the shape of Mickey heads and hands that were just his size! He was impressed that the Hong Kong Disneyland Ambassador he thought of him in such a way.
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Stanley would again experience VIP treatment as the resort upgraded everyone's rooms to picturesque ocean side rooms.
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They also offered him 3 VIP Fastpasses for each day, reserved seating for the parade, shows and fireworks.
After dropping off some things in the victorian-styled room that reminded Stanley of the Grand Floridian, we headed for the Hong Kong
Disneyland. It was a short stroll through a lovely tree-lined promenade before we arrived.
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There it was! The Mickey floral at the train station. We were "home" again, yet in Hong Kong at the same time.
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After we entered we decided to play Buzz Lightyear. Stanley teamed up with me to defeat the evil emperor Zurg. Stanley was impressed with this version as he thought it was even better than the two in the States.
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We then hurtled through Space two times in a row. This Space Mountain was similar to Disneyland California, but unique and different. The
worm holes were unusual, yet fun. The final re-entry really made Stanley feel like he was slowing down after an express journey through
the galaxy.
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continued in next post...

[kennythepirate]

Stanley was thrilled when we rejoined the other adventurers to watch the Water Works parade in the special VIP area. He got soaked from all
the water squirters while he watched Nathan shouting, "More, more!"
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After the parade we ducked into our VIP front row seats for the Golden Mickeys. It was so fun to here Mickey, Minnie and Goofy speaking
Cantonese, but he still couldn't understand Donald a bit.
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We then journeyed to It's a Small World. Stanley loved this attraction as he got to meet others that were just his size.
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We grabbed a quick bite to eat at the Starliner Diner and saw the Muppet Mobile Labs. Stanley loved the expressions of the characters and the water and confetti that popped out of the vehicle unexpectedly, but couldn't understand then speaking Cantonese.
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Later we met up at the Festival of the Lion King show. Stanley again took advantage of the VIP seating and enjoyed the show that is very different that the one at the Animal Kingdom in Florida. Stanley most enjoyed the two fire twirlers who twirled in unison.
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Stanley really enjoyed the Stitch Encounter. Stitch had Nathan in stiches with laughter. The show was in English, and we enjoyed the part about his love for a girl in the audience. We then took in an adventure on the Jungle River Cruise. It appears to be similar to the popular Jungle Cruise, but is very different. Stanley was startled as fire rushed forth from the ancient god's eyes, but it was quickly disapated by a wall of water.
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We later found the 8th Wonder of the World!
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Stanley couldn't end his day Hong Kong Disneyland day without viewing the spectacular fireworks over Sleeping Beauty Castle. The rain
didn't dampen Stanley's spirit and the show went on like clockwork. Stanley is always moved by a great Disney fireworks show. It was such
a fitting end to and adventurous day!
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[amsae]

Yes, That is Jason as your shadow guide. He is the best. We had him as our Guide in Germany and he is good friends with Jennae and several of the other guides.
Tell him the Chapman's said hello!

[SteveInCA]

I'm having a blast looking at all your photos. Having just finished the same tour (I'm sitting in my room at HKDL right now) I recognize every single location, and it's bringing it all back.