The University of Maine at Presque Isle will host a trip to China for UMPI and Maine School of Science and Mathematics faculty and students, as well as community members, from May 19 to May 30, 2011.
Trip participants will depart from New York City on May 19 for Beijing, where they will stay four nights and visit famous sites throughout the Beijing area. Trip attendees will have the opportunity to visit the Forbidden City, the largest and most intact conglomeration of ancient structures of the imperial palace ever built in the world, featuring more than 800 buildings with 9,999 rooms, golden-glazed roofs, red lacquered pillars, and vermilion walls.
After visiting the Forbidden City, other items on the itinerary include Tiananmen Square, the largest public square in the world; the Temple of Heaven, which was used to offer sacrifices to Heaven and pray for good harvest in ancient times; the Cloisonne Factory; and a famous acrobatic show.
Participants will also have the opportunity to visit the Great Wall of China, the only man-made object visible from the moon and one of the Seven Wonders of the world; the Sacred Path of Ming Tombs; the Olympic games site, including the Bird’s Nest and the Water Cube; and Tong Ren Tang Chinese Herbal Medicine Center. The Summer Palace – the largest ancient preserved garden in China and a former summer resort for Emperors and the chosen few – will also be explored.
After traveling around Beijing, attendees will head to Xian for two nights, where they will get a chance to view the Terracotta Warriors and explore the Horses Museum. The trip will then continue on to Hangzhou – the city that Marco Polo described as the most beautiful and magnificent city in the world – for one night, and then from there continue on to see Suzhou, Wuxi and Shanghai, where classical gardens will be viewed and the western experience of the old days will be apparent. On May 30, trip participants will return to New York City.
The cost of the trip is $2,650 and includes airfare to and from China, all transportation to sites within China, and all meals while in China, excluding dinner on May 23 and May 29. The cost also includes English speaking travel guides, and the cost of attractions on all days, excluding May 23 and May 29. The cost does not include transportation and accommodations in New York City, passport and visa fee, tips for guides and drivers, and extra snacks and drinks.
The deadline to register for the trip is Feb. 5, at which time a $400 non-refundable deposit is required. The rest of the money must be paid in full and passports need to be sent to the travel agents for visa applications by March 1.
For more information contact Zhu-qi Lu at Zhuqi.Lu@maine.edu or 768-9444.
