SKETCHING ALONG THE SILK ROAD

Artistic Tour Leader : Rob Candy AWI, ARAS

The Great Wall of China Terracotta Warriors

the Gobi desert landscape SHANGHAI shopping

Painting in Beijing Hu tongs visiting Crescent Moon Lake

MogAO ART Grottoes Sketching in the Forbidden City

Kashgar’s Sunday Bazaar Li River Cruise YANGSHOU

QUANHUA WATERCOLOUR GALLERY ZHUJIAJIAO CANAL TOWN

LEARN CALLIGRAPHY IN XIAN SHANGHAI ACROBATS

Organized by: Eric Wang, China Bestours

Tel: 02 9262 1555 Fax: 02 9262 2833 Email: tour@seechina.com.au

A TOUR FOR ARTISTS AND NON PAINTERS TO

ENJOY AMAZING CHINA

CHINA 12 - 27 APRIL 2014

Julie is a qualified Geographer whose passion is China travel. She has led many tour groups throughout China especially the Silk Road. Julie is responsible for the non-painting partner’s activities and has organised bicycle rides at Xian, experiencing the desert on camels at Dunhuang and exploring the padi rice in Guilin. She also knows where the best shopping is in Beijing and Guangzhou. Non painting partners will enjoy a full and busy programme.

Artistic Tour Leader: Rob Candy

Rob says of painting in China: „The excitement and fascination of painting and sketching such an amazingly diverse country is a thrill for the artist to behold. At every turn, one is faced with amazing scenes, whether it is the landscape, its people or tradition. From the magnificent regal palace of the Forbidden City to the everyday life of the Hu tongs, the artist has the opportunity and challenge to capture the images that makes up both traditional and modern China.”

Rob says of the tour:

We have designed the tour to maximize every opportunity to sketch and paint and at the same time see and record the diversity of China. Throughout the tour, there will be watercolour tuition and demonstrations focusing upon such aspects as drawing, watercolour washes, compositions, and values. Each day there will be a chance to sketch and paint and to develop and refine your artistic skills. It is also a great opportunity to share and discuss art with other artists on the tour.

Non Painters Tour Leader: Julie Gleeson Julie says of the destinations “Amazing !!!!!!!!!!!!!! There is no one highlight it is all a highlight. From the iconic Forbidden city in Beijing , the terracotta warriors of Xian, the unbelievable cultural heritage and remoteness of Kashgar, the harsh environment of the Gobi desert, the serenity of the Li River flowing through Yangshou, the artist will be amazed.”

Rob Candy is a leading Sydney watercolourist and has had numerous solo and group shows in Sydney, Brisbane, Tamworth and Patonga. His love and passion is painting landscapes in watercolour whether it is a beach, harbour or outback. He has had 9 trips to China where he has immersed himself in painting the people, culture and landscape. He was invited to become a member of the prestigious Australian Watercolour Institute in 2005. Rob is an associate member of the Royal Art Society of NSW..He regularly conducts workshops in watercolour and has judged many art competitions. He has been featured artist in the Australian Artist Magazine many times and is included in the book ‘Australian Watercolours’ 2007. He has led 6 tours along the Silk Road. For further details see: www.robcandy.com

Itinerary: Day 1: 12 April Australia Beijing Today you will fly with China Southern Airlines to Beijing via Guangzhou. Please report to the airport for your check in service at least two hours prior to departure. You will arrive in Guangzhou at 17.00, where you will connect with a domestic flight to Beijing. In Beijing your tour guide will meet you and transfer you to the Holiday Inn Temple of Heaven Hotel.

Day 2: 13 April Beijing Meal: B/L/D Your tour will start from Tiananmen Square, the largest city square in the world. From Tiananmen Square enter the gates of the Forbidden City. This massive complex was the centre of the Ming and Qing dynasties. With almost 10,000 rooms, this well-preserved imperial palace is the largest in the world. You will have the opportunity to capture this ancient world through the sketches you will complete inside the palace. After lunch, ride a trishaw to tour the ancient city alleys of the Hu tongs where you will be able to paint and sketch the dwellings and lifestyle of the local people. The Summer Palace will provide another opportunity for you to develop your artistic skills.

Day 3: 14 April Beijing Meal: B/L/SD Today you will experience the splendour of the Great Wall, the pride of China and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is an amazing manmade structure built over 2000 years ago to protect China from northern invaders. You may choose to walk about 2-3 hours from Jinshanling, towards Simitai or you may wish to capture the breath taking scenery through the magic of watercolour. Rob Candy will complete a demonstration from this awe inspiring structure. In the evening you will enjoy a Peking duck dinner.

Day 4 15 April BeijingKashgar Meal: B/L/D

Today we fly to the exotic and remote city of Kashgar an ancient city bursting at the seams with cultural expression that will tantalise the watercolour artist. Over the next days, Rob will show you how to interpret the raw beauty of this landscape with its ancient history, cultural diversity, rich colours and textures.

Day 5 16 April Kashgar Meal: B/L/D Sketching opportunities abound as we wander around the local Bazaar and sketch and paint in the ancient mud city of Kashgar. We will walk along laneways and alleyways that have provided the Uyghur people with places to live and work for hundreds of years. We will also view the changes that have taken place. After lunch we will paint along Hardware Street made famous in the film Kite Runner. It will also provide us with time to view the major centre of Islamic faith in Kashgar, Central Mosque. Day 6 17 April Kashgar Meal: B/L/D

Today we will drive into the rural areas surrounding Kashgar to paint the people and their rural lifestyle. It provides us with an opportunity to visit a Uyghur family and see their grape growing system and the intensity with which they farm their land.

Day 7: 18 April Kashgar Urumqi Meal: B/D Sketching opportunities abound as we wander around the local Bazaar and the Id Kah Mosque, the Mohammed Kashigari Tomb, an Uyghur Village, Abak Hoja (Fragrant Concubine) Tomb, and the famous Bazaar. After dinner we will board the evening flight back to Urumqi where we will stay overnight.

Day 8: 19 April Urumqi Dunhuang Meal:B/L/D Today we will take a morning flight from Beijing to Dunhuang. Dunhuang was a strategic staging post on the Silk Road and has a history of more than 2,000 years. You will visit the famous Mogao Art Grottoes. These grottoes are popularly known as the ‘Thousand Buddha Caves’, and date from about 400AD. The walls of the caves are lined with Buddhist art including frescoes, scriptures, murals and sculpted figures. In the afternoon you can ride camels at Mingsha Hill and visit Crescent Moon Lake. Rob will show you how to capture in watercolour the afternoon light that permeates the ancient sand dunes of the Gobi Desert. After dinner, we will visit Duhuang’s colourful night market.

Day 9: 20 April Dunhuang Xian Meal: B/D After a morning flight to Xian, we will be visiting the Calligraphy School and the ancient art street where we will have a chance to paint and shop and immerse ourselves in the bustling life of Xian. Our evening will be spent visiting Xian’s famous Muslim Street for night shopping or a sketching opportunity.

Day 10: 21 April Xian Meal: B/L/D Today you will visit the amazing "Terracotta Warriors". Discovered in 1974 by local farmers, this archaeological site has to date yielded some 8000 ancient terracotta soldiers and horses. Each is a unique, finely detailed sculpture that date from 210BC. You will be overwhelmed by the magnificence of these structures. In the afternoon, we will visit the ancient city wall where Rob will demonstrate and show you how to refine a sketch to capture the essence of this imperial structure. You can spend time absorbing the atmosphere by riding a bicycle along the wall. The evening highlights will be a delicious dumpling banquet and stage show at the Tang Dynasty Theatre.

Day 11: 22 April Xian Yangshou Meal: B/L/D Last morning in Xian with time for an early morning sketch. We then fly to Guilin and onto Yangshou for two nights. Enjoy a late afternoon stroll through West Street to the river followed by dinner. After dinner we will venture onto the Li River to watch the ancient art of cormorant fishing. Day 12: 23 April Yangshuo Meal: B/L/D Let your senses be awakened to the delights of riding a bike through rice paddies to Moon Hill. Allow your creativity to be captured in paint as Rob shows you how to interpret this beautiful landscape. After lunch, a surprise awaits you with each bend, as we cruise along the Li River, from Fuli to an old stone village. Breathtaking scenery is enhanced by the water buffalo, rice paddies and fishermen on bamboo rafts as you travel down the river. Relax, paint or sketch. In the evening enjoy the beautiful light show of Liusanjie Impression.

Day 13: 24 April Yangshuo Guilin Shanghai Meal: B/L/D

Drive back to Guilin Airport for early morning flight MU5322 1055/1300 to Shanghai. In the afternoon visit to the Bund and walk along Nanjing Road or Fuzhou road’s art shops, and Tao Bao markets. We will stay in Shanghai Courtyard Puxi 4*for two nights.

Day 14: 25 April Zhujiajiao Meal: B/L/D Today you will drive to Zhujiajiao. Visit this amazing canal town for exquisite painting opportunities. The town also host one of the best watercolour galleries in the world. The Quanhuan Watercolour Gallery hosts the Shanghai International Watercolour Biennial attracting the master watercolourists from around the world. The Gallery’s collection includes Charles Reid, Joseph Zbukvic, John Yardley and Alvaro Castagnet. The non-painter will have a chance to explore the canals of the Venice of the East. After dinner enjoy the amazing Shanghai Acrobatic Show at Grand Circuit. Day 15: 26 April Shanghai Australia Meal: B/L Today you will be transferred to the airport for the flight CZ380 1245/1520 to Guangzhou, then connect the flight CZ325 departing at 2105 bound for Sydney.

Day 16: 27 April Australia Arrive in Sydney at 0930.

Hotels:

Beijing Holiday Inn Temple of Heaven Hotel 4* Khashgar International Hotel

Urumqi Yilite Hotel Dunhuang Silk Road Hotel 4*

Xian Grand New World Hotel 4* Yangshuo Green Lotus Hotel 4*

Guilin Bravo Hotel Shanghai Courtyard Puxi 4*

Or similar

Price: A$5490.00 per person Single supplement: A$990

Inclusions:

1. Twin share room at 4* hotels as mentioned above or similar class.

2. Fully inclusive tours with English speaking guides.

3. China Southern Airlines International and China domestic air tickets traveling in shoulder season.

4. China visa single entry of $98.50 for Australian passport holders.

5. All airport taxes and fuel surcharges of A$495 per person as at March 2013, which will be reviewed before the

tickets are issued.

6. All the tipping of A$90 per person.

Exclusions:

1. Personal expenses

2. Student travel insurance (Aussitravelcover Plan A Standard Travel insurance, A$107 per person after discount)

How to Book? Please fill out the booking form enclosed and have it sent to China Bestours with deposit of A$500 per person and passport copy (photo page only), we will send the confirmation to you very soon.

DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY BOOK NOW!