Nardone Music Studio

Step 1 - Sign up & Deposit: 
Sign up now to reserve your spot on the tour! To sign up, contact Michele Nardone at micnardone@aol.com               310 750-6866         310 750-6866.  Make a deposit of $200 payable to Star River Holidays International Travel to secure your space.  Mail your deposit check to: Attn: Grace Gao,1139 Coiner Ct. Suite 105,  City of Industry,   CA 91748. Note on the check: Michele's Tibetan Trip, 2010.  Roommate arrangement is first come, first served based on availability. 

Step 2 - Check your passport : be sure it doesn’t expire within six months after May 28, 2011. Apply for a new passport if you need to – allow at least eight to ten weeks. Please also check if your passport is not running out of “Visa” page, otherwise, you need to apply (free) for additional visa pages.

Step 3 – Final Payment due by February 1, 2011: Send the remaining tour fee $2379 (double occupancy to Star River International Travel, Inc.  Payment received by 03/01/11 will guarantee free travel insurance, courtesy of Star River Holidays.  (This is not cancellation insurance.  You may wish to purchase cancellation insurance separately.)  Make the final payment check payable to Star River Holidays with a memo note for the Tibetan Trip, 2010.  Cancellation insurance can be purchased through AAA insurance or George  Chiu Insurance contact: georgechiu@netzero.net                626 485-4833         626 485-4833

Mail your check together with a copy of the first page of your passport to:
Grace Gao,   Star River International Travel Inc., 1139 Coiner Ct. Suite 105, City of Industry, CA 91748
Web: www.starriverusa.com   Phone:               626-839-5719         626-839-5719 Fax: 626-965-1239  E-mail: starriverholidays@hotmail.com

Day 1 : Arrive at LA Airport & Board Air China

Day 2: On route to Beijing   CA983   1:40AM  /  Arrive in Beijing 5:20AM  

Day 3:  Arrive in Beijing (B/L/D)      Hotel: Beijing Jade Palace or Similar 5*                                                                                                   

 Breakfast in a traditional Chinese style restaurant upon arrival.

Yong He Gong Lamasery built in 1694 in the Qing  Dynasty is a Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple.  YongHe means  peace forever. The Lamasery is the upper court of the Yellow Sect Lamaism from Tibet. The splendid Lamasery witnesses the Tibetan Lamas’ practice and social activities with Qing Dynasty officials centuries’ ago. Portraits of many Dalai Lamas are exhibited here. The most valuable relic is an 18-meter-high “Big Buddha”, carved out of one single piece  of sandalwood  recorded in Genius book.

 798 Art District is a hidden treasure in Beijing.   The place deserves our exploration.  It showcases China in the past, present and future through unique innovative art forms. The site was transformed from an abandoned factory complex into an international art community in the recent decade. It is regarded as top 10 must see place in Beijing.

Sandalwood Carving Museum exhibits collection of essence of China’s precious wood carving and antique furniture collection. It represents the finest and the most elegant craftsmanship in fine wood carving industry in China.    

Beijing Opera Show   After dinner, sit back and relax to enjoy an evening show of Beijing Opera. The show features amusing characters, costumes and legendary stories. One  can  not  boast of knowing the Chinese culture  without   seeing Beijing Opera once.

Day 4    Beijing   (B/L/D)Hotel: Beijing Jade Palace or Similar 5*                                                                                         

Olympic Village: see site of the National Aquatic Center and the Bird’s Nest Stadium; optional indoor visit at own expense; get your energy boosted by the Olympic spirits.

The Mutianyu Great Wall – a 96% forest-covered magnificent Great Wall site located 55 miles from Beijing, this section of the Wall was first built  during 550 –557AD  and  rebuilt in Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644),  It served as the northern protective fortress, guarding the capital and imperial mausoleums for generations. There are 22 watch towers in this section. The Mutianyu Great Wall is well- known for its breath-taking scenery with mountain ridges  covered by flowers, wild vegetation, ancient pine trees and pure spring water.  

Mutianyu Village:  What would we find out if we stroll  down  the Great Wall to visit a village?  We shall  chat with the friendly descendants of the laborers who built this section  of the Great Wall during the Ming Dynasty. Let’s experience  a northern Chinavillage life, the means of living, the school, the orchard and farm land and much more at the foot of the Great Wall.

Nan Luo Guo Xiang & Yan Dai Xie Jie are two of the renovated  ancient residential lanes representing the  old Beijing. The streets were flourished since Yuan Dynasty. These charming streets win the hearts of both locals and foreigners with abundant historical traits, fascinating cultural stores, stylish clothing, art & crafts, jewelries, tea houses, courtyards and etc. You will see great depth of the local culture right here.    

Bar Street: spend an enchanted evening by Shishahai Lake  lit up by palace lanterns  opening   until   2-3:00am at midnight. The leisurable atmosphere created by lotus, willow trees and siren water from grand canal lure descendants of the imperial relatives, poets, merchants to this 200-meter alley around the lake. All bars with east-woos-west flavor are set facing the lantern-lit lake.  A wonderful evening of  exotic vintage  wine, liquor, tea, and music while mingling with the local people.   

Day 5   Fly to Tibet  B/L/D CA4112  9:00AM /2:40PM      Hotel: Lhasa Hotel  4*

Land on the roof of the world – Tibetan Plateau, situated over 12,000 feet above the sea level. Upon arrival in Lhasa  airport, a native tour guide will meet us. By Tibetan  tradition, guests from far away are usually greeted with Hada-  colorful wide ribbons.

The exotic scenery immediately catches your eyes the moment  you are on the road. Get your camera ready and enjoy the scenery on the way to your hotel!  Check in the hotel.  Take a good rest today to adjust to the high altitude.

Day6 : Tibet (B/L/D) Hotel: Lhasa Hotel or Similar 4*Our long-awaited Tibetan trip becomes a reality!

Potala Palace, perched 351ft atop of the Red Hill, is full   of  mystery, history, treasures, arts and religious spirit.  King  Songsan Campo established Lhasa as its capital. In 637, he built the first palace in the area to welcome  his bride Princess  Went Cheng of the Tang dynasty,  China. The king had earlier used the site as a spiritual retreat. It took  fifty years to  complete the construction by over 7000 workers and1500 artists. The Palace had  been the living quarter of Dalai Lamas until 1959.  Nowadays, it remains immensely popular pilgrimage site.  The 13-storey magnificent complex contains over a thousand rooms,  10,000 shrines, 200,000 pieces of murals, statues and paintings. Potala Palace is listed as World Heritage by UNESO.        

Sera Monastery unique among the six most influential temples in Tibet. It is actually a  Buddhist school where monks study, pray, meditate and  debate.   

Tibetan Folk Singing & Dance show, a  close look at Tibetan culture.                                                                            

Day 7:  Tibet  (B/L/D) Hotel: Lhasa Hotel or Similar 4*  

Yambdrok Lake 110 km southwest of Lhasa, 13,323ft above sea level. surrounded by snow capped mountains, it is the largest fresh water lake on the top of the world occupying an area of 638 square kilometers. The lake is a paradise for 153 species of migratory birds. Perched by the water side are large flocks of  swans, pigeons, yellow ducks, cormorants  and goose.  We shall enjoy a picnic by the lake at noon time.

Lakeside Village visit has been arranged for us to get close experience to native Tibetans. Some children will come out to see us with much curiosity.  It will be nice to bring some   bring   some American candies, pencils, coins or any small souvenirs to the kids and take pictures with them leaving everlasting memories.  

Day8: Tibet  (B/L/D)  Hotel: Lhasa Hotel or Similar 4*                                                                                                

 Johkang Monastery located in the center of Lhasa  is  one of  Tibetan’s holist shines.  The temple was  built by King Songsan Gampo a thousand years’ ago for his two foreign wives, Princess Wencheng from Tang Dynasty China and the other from Nepal. As part of dowries, they brought  to Tibet Sakyamuni’s  statues.  which have  become the most valuable relics  inside  the temple. For more   than a thousand years,  millions    of pilgrims have trod these  sacred paths. Many will kowtow all the way by body length to the threshold of the temple.

Barhop Street is the oldest street in Tibet. It circles around Johkang Monastery. This is the best place for us to witness Tibetan culture,  economy, religion, arts and people. Barhop is the road on which pilgrims tramp out around Johkong  Temple for many centuries. Buddhist                  pilgrims walk by body length kowtow  along the street clockwise all day long.  Barhop Street is also a marketplace where nomads, traders, robed monks  and chanting pilgrims join together. 

Tibetan Museum features proof of evidence of prehistory and evolution of civilization of humans on the Tibetan plateau. It is an educational center for people to understand the Tibetan religion and culture through thousands of objects. The museum is absolutely a treasure house which displays large collection of priceless historical relics dating  from hundreds to thousands of years  such as ancient Buddha statues in different postures, imperial  jade seals, and gold albums, gifts granted by emperors,  colorful Thangkas,  various printed  Sanskrit and Tibetan scriptures. Visitors can also see variety of folk art such  as unique Tibetan handicrafts, costumes,  jeweler, and  ornament  made of  gold, silver,  and   jade, as well  as fine Chinese pottery.  This concludes   our tour in Tibetan Autonomous Region.

Day 9: Tibet – Cheng Du  CA4402  10:50AM  / 12:40AM                                                  Hotel: Tibet Hotel or Similar 5*

Chengdu is known as Gate Way of Tibet. We have made special reservation to stay at Tibet Hotel.   Its architecture and decoration combines intimate Tibetan tradition with modern style and deluxe.

Leshan  Giant Buddha (Dafo in Chinese)sits at Ermei mountain watching the river conjunction,  with its water originating from Himalaya  Mountain. This world largest  giant mountain Buddha  statue was carved out of a cliff 1300 years’ ago.  The construction of the Giant Buddha took nearly a century to complete by multi generations.   His shoulders are 28 meters (92 feet) wide and his smallest  toe nail can accommodate   a seated person. Each eyebrow  is 18 feet long.   Besides Tafo, the scenery around  is dramatically picturesque!   A local sayings goes: "The mountain is a Buddha and the Buddha is  a mountain."  Just on a  two- hour bus ride to Leshan Mountain Buda,  you will be carried away by the breathtaking countryside scenery of southern China.  A boat is provided for a grand view of the Giant Buddha. Le Shan Dafo is a World Heritage site listed by UNESO.   

Day 10:   Cheng Du  (B/L/D) Hotel: Tibet Hotel or Similar 5* 

Chengdu Panda Conservation Base:  Pandas are one of     the most endangered species  on the  planet.  There are     only over a thousand pandas  left in the world and  Chengdu    is the home land  of pandas as it offers abundant bamboo leaves and  suitable  climate.  Still more than half of  pandas  live in  the  wild.  The base started with six pandas giving  birth  to 110 pandas.  The captive panda population  has grown to 62. A panda named Lili just gave birth to  a pair of twins here  on July 19, 2009.      

San Xing Dui Discoveries are another archeologist wonders like Terracotta Warriors. It is absolutely another ancient marvel according to researchers of the British Museum. The site was discovered by chance  in  1986.  More than 1000 bronze, gold, and jade artifacts are in display. These discoveries have stunned  the world . These newly  unearthed massive ancient relics  have aroused scholarly interest since 1997.   The discovery reveals an unrecorded civilization dating back 3000-5000 years. This ancient civilization proves remarkably high level of sophistication and advance in bronze casting technology.  The most striking finds are large bronze masks and bronze heads with gold foil masks. This period of civilization mysteriously vanished without historical record.  Rarely on any tour itinerary, this site is especially recommended by Lisa Lu. Her mother was born in this small town.

Day 11: Chengdu-Beijing-Los Angeles (B/L) 

The morning sightseeing activities: The Thatched Cottage of Dufu is an ancient garden with streams winding; bridges pavilions interwoven; plum trees and bamboos blending with Lotus ponds and fishes, all of this brings  us nature's serenity and romance. Absolutely uplifting!

Jinli Street:   In Chinese history, from Three Kingdoms period (220 - 280) to the Qin

 Dynasty (221 BC - 206 BC), Jinli Street was the most famous street.  Today, the

past prosperity has been restored for visitors to admire the ancient charm. Strolling down

 the narrow street, you will find yourself surrounded by old-world stores selling

Shu Embroidery, lacquer products, folk handicrafts, curios, or calligraphies and paintings

of celebrities.  No other place can compare  with this one, where you want to linger forever!

That concludes our trip in Chengdu. Flight to Beijing Airport  CA4105 4:00PM/6:20PM ;                                                                    transfer CA983  9:00PM at Terminal 3;  Arrive at LAX 6:00PM