To end this wonderful day we visited the Ceramics Museum housed in a brand new modern building. There were priceless pieces that dated back centuries from the Dynasty emperors themselves!
Another fine day, another majestic area. The Poyang National Wetland Park contains Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China, as well as Poyang Lake wetland, which is the largest wetland in Asia, and serves as a breeding ground for over 50 kinds of rare birds. We were treated to a boat tour of the massive park and got to see white cranes and swans and an enormous diversity of plants and other animals. In 2011, it became one of China’s first state-level wetland parks and is a clear example of China’s fishing and farming lake culture.
After that, we switched gear and visited Nanchang, the capital city. Some estimates state that this area was populated as much as 50,000 years ago!
There is so much to do in this massive city of 5 million, including the Star of Nanchang, which was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel from 2006-2008, Tengwang Pavilion, a towering pavilion dating back to the year 653 (one of “the Four Great Towers of China”), the People’s Park (the largest park in downtown Nanchang), Bayi Square and Memorial, commemorates the 1927 uprising, which led to the formation of modern China in 1949.
Our visit also included the Sheng Jin Tower, a major attraction here. The building has been built and rebuilt many times, as fire had destroyed previous builds. This multi-level pagoda right by the river offers a lesson in Chinese history, a good walk and an amazing view!
In contrast to all these landmarks was the ultra-modern mall with many upscale brand name designer shops inside – not expected at all, and quite amazing in itself!
All the way through this trip we had fabulous meals with choices for many different vegetarian and meat plates and always eaten around traditional round tables where there is no head to the table.
