The fascinating sights of China’s Middle Kingdom

One long, nothing-much-to-do afternoon, surrounded by dear friends, sipping cups of tea and mugs of coffee, dining on cakes of different shapes, and sizes, tastes, and textures, I declared, "I’m going to China," and watched their faces. There was one common reaction: Open joy and, perhaps, a little envy.

Though not a complete stranger to the destination, China continues to fascinate me. It is one of the most mysterious and intriguing of all civilizations, where the legacy of its long, dynastic rule still influences the modern world today.

So, joining the Philippine Airlines familiarization tour to Shanghai and its environs provided another opportunity to explore and discover the endless wonders the Middle Kingdom offers. It seemed like we had just buckled our seat belts for takeoff when the voice from the cockpit announced to again fasten seat belts, this time for landing. It was such a lovely, smooth flight. We were pampered to no end by the cabin crew that we hardly noticed the time.

Upon arrival at the impressive and spotless Pudong Airport, and without wasting any valuable time, we immediately proceeded to the Oriental Pearl Tower TV station that afforded a magnificent panoramic view of Shanghai’s most popular waterfront park, the fabled Bund Street.

After a quick and interesting city tour, followed by our first of many authentic Chinese meals, our gracious hosts Angelita and Nelson Dy, owners of Grand Hope Travel, drove us to a little Chinese inn that was to be our home for the night.

Early next morning, via coach, we headed for Suzhou, a virtual quaint garden town, also known as the Venice of the East.

Suzhou has a unique scenery, with crisscrossing waterways, murmuring brooks, stone bridges, whitewashed walls and several winding-up-and-down hills. We visited the manmade Tiger Hill, with its waterfalls, landscaped paths and its leaning pagoda. It is the burial place of King He Lu. Legend has it that three days after the funeral, a white tiger came and sat upon the grave as though guarding it; hence, it acquired the name "Tiger Hill."

Next stop was the Forest Lion Garden, famous for its rockery, which is mostly made of limestone taken from the Taihu Lake in Wuxi City. The rocks have been piled up into forms resembling lions in different postures and verses – roaring, fighting, playing, sleeping, and even dancing. The garden occupies an important place in history as it represents the diversity of its culture and architectural development.

Dusk found us at the ancient Xitang Water Village where the scenery is so varied and so beautiful. On rowed fishing boats, we saw narrow streets and remote alleys built along the rivers and several houses, connected by one covered corridor canopy used as sunshade or as shelter against rain.

Our last destination before heading back to Shanghai was Hangzhou, one of the six famous ancient capitals of China, the others being Beijing, Nanjing, Xian, Luoyang, and Kaifeng. It is said to be home of the most beautiful women in China.

A popular stopover for tourists is the West Lake because of its picturesque scenery and its associations with many famous emperors, poets, and painters. Amid this island’s intricately designed gardens, pavilions, and ponds are three small pagoda-like structures on the water at a slight distance from the island, known as the "Three Towers Mirroring the Moon" for they contain within their hollow structures a reflection of the full moon believed to control the evil spirits lurking in the water’s depths.

Further south is the village of Longjing, which is famous for its tea plantation, with terraces rising up on either side of the village. While watching the locals at work, it did not take long for the guide to give a brief yet very informative lecture on its medicinal benefits, thus convincing the entire group to first sample and then eventually take home some green tea. Today, tea, as we all know, is widely cultivated for use as a beverage. At the end of my journey, I soon realized that China more than ever is a land that will never cease to amaze and enthrall visitors like me with its heritage. Without a doubt, it remains one of the world’s most astonishing and resilient civilizations. Definitely a must-visit destination.