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November 2017
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The group of 13 left Trinidad with such great anticipation of the visit to China that the 13 ½ hour flight seemed inconsequential. A warm welcome from Ms. Ayesha Wharton, Charge d’Affairs of the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago and Mr. Nolan Holder, the Financial Attaché greeted us in Beijing. They guided us through the processes, important cultural practices, and provided a survival package complete with pollution masks. On the journey to the Jianguo Hotel, we got our first images of the City with its architectural projections reaching for the sky and dominating the landscape. The following day we were given a lecture on China, its economy and culture, by Professor Jiang Shixue at the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago, and then we hit the sight-seeing road to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. We passed through several squares where senior citizens played card games, sang, danced and exercised – and we joined some of them. As the tour proceeded, we were surprised to find ourselves instant celebrities (some more than others) with a stream of requests to pose for pictures. It was difficult to cope with the demands of stardom! On the second day we visited the Ming tombs and the Jade Emporium where the process of manufacturing items from jade was explained. After jade shopping and lunch, we went to the Great Wall of China. This was an experience beyond imagination; the climb, the view, the engineering feat were all mind-boggling. Tired and enthralled the group went off for the carnivores’ high point: Beijing roast duck which was viewed in various stages of preparation before it became a culinary delight. Day Three’s activities began with a visit to the Temple of Heaven and the Silk Emporium. We saw the processing of silk from the silk worm and we emerged financially weakened, but enriched by our silken acquisitions, including pillows which guaranteed silky sleep. The next stop was the Huton Houhai, where we were taken by rickshaw to lunch in a traditional home. After lunch was a snap visit to the 798 Modern Art Centre, then we were hosted by the Caricom Caucus of Missions in China at the home of its Coordinator, Ambassador for Guyana, Mr. Bayney Karran. There we met the Ambassadors for Suriname, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica and staff from the embassy for Trinidad and Tobago. The next morning was spent at the Old Summer Palace, and after lunch we visited the Olympic Park and Water Cube which are further examples of Chinese architectural creativity. For dinner, it was the Hot Pot experience which we all relished. The Sunday shopping day was mostly spent at the nearby Silk Market Mall. After an early-morning flight to Chengdu, we checked into the laps of luxury at the Tibet Hotel with its extensive breakfast buffet and daily choice of scented, health and personalized pillows.
Day Nine was full of wonder as we were introduced to the panda world. At the sprawling Panda Base we saw pandas at breakfast, baby pandas in their neonatal unit, panda cubs in sibling revelry that got tense at points, adult pandas, some of which posed for pictures, the red pandas and the nursery for the giant pandas. Then we walked along Kuanzhaqangzi Cultural Street for a spot of shopping and for the more daring, a taste of exotic Chinese preparations. We had a city tour of Guilin, which was followed by a three-hour cruise down the Lijiang River, with its variety of landscapes that was unforgettable. While the rain prevented a close visit to Elephant Trunk Hill, the visit to the enchanting Reed Flute Cave with its fascinating stalactite and stalagmite formations and dramatic lighting system, was a journey into a world of fantasy. We sped to Shenzhen on the Bullet, the speedy train that cut the journey to three hours, and spent some time hearing about the development of the city and visiting a museum. On the last day of the tour we visited the impressive Southern University of Technology, and a city tour, a visit to the park and shopping, mainly for electronics, followed. It was a valuable learning experience, much knowledge of the history of China was quickly acquired from the expert professors with supplementary information from the professional tour guides, the distinctions and cultural variations between the different provinces were understood and Chinese respect for their history and heritage were admired. Most impressive were the facilities provided for senior citizens, the respect shown to them and their recreational space and the strong culture of outdoor activity in which members of this group happily participated. Then satiated, tired, penniless, and overloaded with shopping acquisitions, the group ambled home with fond memories of the Great Wall, luxurious hotels, pandas, the river cruise, pearls and jade and their short-lived celebrity status to New Jersey and the cramped flight back to Trinidad.
The series started in 2012 and groups have visited Brazil, India, Cuba, South Africa and now, China. UWI DISCOVERS is open to students, staff and faculty of The UWI (all campuses) as well as students and staff of all regional higher education institutions. Alumni of The UWI as well as members of the public who are active in fields related to the study tour theme are also welcome to apply. For further information on The UWI DISCOVERS and our upcoming 2018 tours, please contact Afiya Francis at +1-868-662-2002 ext. 84280, +1-868-224-3707 or email discover@sta.uwi.edu |
We visited the Sanxindui ruins and museum and then an outdoor tea house where we had a lecture on its history and culture. Next was a visit to the Dujiangyan irrigation system where we had the novel, and for some, nerve-racking, experience of crossing a swing bridge, and the Qingcheng Mountain. Then we went to Jinli Street for a Sichuan meal for which this province is famed and later we saw a changing face performance at the Chengdu Opera house.
The ‘UWI DISCOVERS’ series of international study tours is one of the University’s strategic activities for contributing to the enhanced competitiveness of our Caribbean. These immersive experiences provide an opportunity for academic, cultural, social, political and economic exposure to some of the world’s most rapidly advancing countries. Each study tour is designed to foster critical thinking and increase awareness through a series of carefully arranged and academically guided activities. Many participants have commented about the transformational impact of their experiences.