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| Temple of Heaven- Beijing |
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| Mount Koya |
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| Kyoto |
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| Golden Pavilion- Kyoto |
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| Kyoto |
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| Monkey Mountain- Kyoto |
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| Hakone National Park |
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| Toyko |
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| Kamakura |
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| Sushi Making Experience- Toyko |
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| Temple of Heaven- Beijing |
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| Forbidden City- Beijing |
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| Great Wall of China |
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| Shanghai at night |
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Japan and China Pictures
Monday, July 24, 2017
EF College Break: Higlights of Japan and China Review
For me, the summer of 2017 started with a trip to Japan and China. The trip was two weeks long (one week in Japan and one in China), and I traveled with EF College Break, who I had previously traveled with to Europe.
As the name implies, this was definitely a "highlights" trip, and it covered nearly everything on my bucket list for these two countries. In Japan, I meditated with Buddhist monks on Mt. Koya, saw the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Kyoto, hit up a geisha show, cruised through the Hakone National Park, and marveled at all that Toyko had to offer. In China, I visited the Forbidden City, took a rickshaw ride through Beijing, climbed the Great Wall, went up the fifth tallest building in the world, and witnessed Shanghai at night. It was an amazing whirlwind, and it left me wanting more.
Of course, there were some issues. The wifi didn't work in China, hotels were small or had other issues. But overall, the trip was a great experience and value. Our group clicked really well and we became good friends, which made the trip that much more enjoyable.
The only weird thing was how often we went to government sponsored shops in China. They weren't on our original itinerary, but I'm thinking we may have been required to visit as a tour group. There was nothing bad about them, it just seemed random how much we stopped at them (at least 4-5 different places throughout our week in China).
Weirdness aside, the Highlights of Japan and China was a short, but incredibly fun tour. Experiencing these two cultures was eye-opening, and I like to think I got a brief snapshot into what each country is like. The Japanese people were some of the nicest and most organized I've ever encountered, and China is definitely winning when it comes to food. I would go back to Japan in a heartbeat, and there are still places in China I want to explore. Overall, if you're looking for a way to experience some of the best things these countries have to offer, this tour is the way to do it.
As the name implies, this was definitely a "highlights" trip, and it covered nearly everything on my bucket list for these two countries. In Japan, I meditated with Buddhist monks on Mt. Koya, saw the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine in Kyoto, hit up a geisha show, cruised through the Hakone National Park, and marveled at all that Toyko had to offer. In China, I visited the Forbidden City, took a rickshaw ride through Beijing, climbed the Great Wall, went up the fifth tallest building in the world, and witnessed Shanghai at night. It was an amazing whirlwind, and it left me wanting more.
Of course, there were some issues. The wifi didn't work in China, hotels were small or had other issues. But overall, the trip was a great experience and value. Our group clicked really well and we became good friends, which made the trip that much more enjoyable.
The only weird thing was how often we went to government sponsored shops in China. They weren't on our original itinerary, but I'm thinking we may have been required to visit as a tour group. There was nothing bad about them, it just seemed random how much we stopped at them (at least 4-5 different places throughout our week in China).
Weirdness aside, the Highlights of Japan and China was a short, but incredibly fun tour. Experiencing these two cultures was eye-opening, and I like to think I got a brief snapshot into what each country is like. The Japanese people were some of the nicest and most organized I've ever encountered, and China is definitely winning when it comes to food. I would go back to Japan in a heartbeat, and there are still places in China I want to explore. Overall, if you're looking for a way to experience some of the best things these countries have to offer, this tour is the way to do it.
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