Trip to water town from Shanghai

Client: Rodney Granlund

Nationality: USA

Group Code: TCT-RW-FIT-140425

Pax: 2

Itinerary: Shanghai-Suzhou-Zhouzhuang Water Town

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Dear TCT,

My experience with Top China Travel (Shanghai-Suzou-ZhuangZou) was first rate. The communication beforehand on the booking and flight arrangements was excellent. The guide who met us at the airport was very well informed and eager to please us. We asked about acrobatic performances, and he(Snow) not only helped us to obtain tickets, but also helped us find the correct subway there and even guided us to our seats. The day of our Shanghai bus tour, it rained. Despite the rain, we really enjoyed our city tour. Our tour guide (Gwen?) was very good at explaining the history and culture of old and new Shanghai, both in Mandarin for my wife, and in English for myself and other members of our small group. Among other things, I learned that the first meeting of the Communist Party of the People's Republic occurred in Shanghai around 1922 and not in Beijing as some people might think. The extensive Yu family gardens, and the Jade Buddha temple, were very serene and beautiful. As the line to the Art Museum was very long, our tour guide showed flexibility by changing our group's final venue to the Exhibition Center instead, where we saw model replica of Shanghai and viewed its past, present, and future in photos and exhibits. As my wife and I finished early, we opted to see the Art Museum on our own as well, which we had to hurry through (only 1 hour left) but which was very rewarding. Fortunately, the rain abated for our Suzhou-Zhuangzou trip on Sunday. This group was twice as small: only us and one other couple - a retired aeronautical engineer who was Shangainese and his wife who was Chicagoan. We really enjoyed getting to know them on our trip. As my wife and I plan to retire in China, I was personally very interested in learning about the differences in habits and expenses between those living in Shanghai and Suzhou: housing, transportation, jobs, lifestyles, etc. Our tour guide was very good at elaborating on these things, and also in recounting the history of the area. Zhuangzou was my favorite. I especially enjoyed the boat ride along the canal. The boat driver even sang us a traditional song as we sailed by centuries old bridges and buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The only event I could have passed without remorse was the silk exhibit, not because it was uninteresting, but because we had just toured a different silk factory the day before in Shanghai, where we had already made purchases. The final day was our trip to the airport. Our flight had been cancelled, which TCT discovered and (Rebecca?) informed us of in advance on the way to the airport. Our tour guide personally escorted us through the lines and spoke to the airline staff to obtain another flight home. Because the staff had recommended that we depart early, we did not have to wait for a later flight but were able to leave on time. Again, the communication and caring of the staff was excellent. I would definitely book with TCT again, and I would highly recommend others do the same!

Sincerely,