Trips Blog

We're sorry that this will be our last blog from the 2014 China Presbyterian Heritage Trip Team.  But it's been a very special time and we've enjoyed sharing it with you. On Saturday, we woke to an early breakfast at our hotel in Wei Hei and drove to the ferry terminal where we met Rev. Lu and his daughter, Elive, and Ms. Su. The morning was foggy, but otherwise clear. Elive and Ms. Su served as ours guides as we boarded the ferry for Liugong Island.

The day began with breakfast on the 49th floor of the hotel where the ground was not visible through the fog and pollution. Heading off to the Jinan train station, we waited for our high-speed train to Weifang, a trip of about an hour and a half. No mishaps on the escalators this time with our luggage. The train was exactly on time, clean and comfortable. The landscape of Shandong province was full of farms with large areas covered with plastic enclosed low greenhouse-like structures. Light rain was falling and the fog or smog limited visibility. The smooth trip went quickly.

Today was a day of tourism for the China trip participants. The day did not look promising for an outdoor excursion to a nearby park with dozens of natural springs. But the rain that began early in the morning ceased just as our group ventured out to the “Black Tiger Spring” and other sights of Jinan.  The good thing about the rain was that it reduced the smog. Jinan is a city of contrasts. It has terrible pollution, but at the same time has over seventy-two natural springs scattered throughout the city. Parks are built around some of the bigger of these springs.