Discovering China

Rating:
Summary: China: A Very Personal Visit
Review: This book is a beautifully crafted treasure, designed with thick creamy paper, and lots of colorful photos. The author and her husband, seasoned international travellers, carefully chose to visit cities that tell the full story of China's past and present. Instead of being herded onto tour buses, looking at the same familiar spots, they traveled with personal guides, changing at each stop, who led them into situations most visitors would never see: Chinese homes, workplaces, markets, nursery schools and gardens. The people they met and enjoyed become as much a part of the story as the sights. Each chapter begins with a beautiful city map, and the numerous full color photographs are inserted in the story they help to tell. Visiting Vinegar Joe Stilwell's headquarters, adventuring gamely in a small boat on a wild river trip, deciphering menu oddities and train etiquette, watching silk cloth being made, trying to buy a raincoat in a "department store," or retracing the Silk Road, the Whitings are not only good ambassadors, but curious and caring travel companions. Indented into the text are carefully researched historical tidbits, full of facts and background that supplement the story. If you're planning a trip to China yourself or want a vicarious vacation, order a copy of this book!